Help--No Boost

After getting some feedback on not seeing enough boost I picked up a new MSD pill today taking it from 6000 to 6400, and at the same time I installed an MSD coil. After installing them I took it for a ride. I am not seeing any boost! I'm using a sport-comp Vacuum/boost gauge and it just goes flat at 0, possibly 1#. I checked all my hoses from the head unit to the FMIC, and up to the intake and they are all still on. I am running 3" aluminum pipes/elbows connected with silicone hoses. I rolled a bead into all of the pipes. There are no holes in the pipes and I am hearing the boost through the mondo valve when it is idling. I see that the mondo valve is adjustable - should I adjust it? I do not hear any blow-off when I run it wide open, so I really don't think that is it. I am running the stock Vortech elbow and "dryer hose" on the intake side of the compressor. Could that be the problem? How can I tell if it is collapsing? I imagine that I would need to get it on a lift while it is running to find out.

Thanks, Chas

try running it without the filter or anything on the intake side for like a block and see if it builds boost.

otherwise I'd say you just have a massive leak, i.e. perhaps a faulty mondo valve

Do you hear any "blow off" between shifts? Where is your guage hooked up to? I dont really think you should be able to hear much at idle. I would check the bypass valve if you cant find any leaks anywhere.

Yeah, what he said Chas. Pull the dryer hose off and run it without it and see what happens. You should know right away if its that. If still no change, try pulling the vac hose off the mondo. Its vac that holds it open. It should be sprung closed. No vaccum should close it. If you pull the line and it's still venting, then thats an issue. Also, if you scan it and your MAP goes to 1.04, your in boost, although you don't know by how much.

Ken R.

Thanks guys, I do here blow-off between shifts. My gauge is hooked up to my intake manifold - somewhere around the middle. The car pulls strong and hard, so I am not ruling out a bad reading either. I don't hear much at idle - I just didn't explain it well. When sitting still I can rev it up and I here the gushing on deceleration. It sounds like the valve is shutting as you can't hear the gushing under acceleration. I do here some gushing when I hold a steady RPM. I checked the "dryer hose" and it still feels quite stiff. I am leaning towards a bad reading at this point. Where is the best place to connect the boost gauge?
Thanks, Chas

Thanks Ken, I guess I was typing at the same time you were. Unfortunately out here where I live it is a drive to a safe place where I trust being able to remove the filter. I was thinking of removing the vac. line, but I wasn't sure what that would do to the compressor with the TB blades closed. I don't have the laptop hooked up to it right now, but I will try scanning it tomorrow evening and see what the map reading is.

Chas

BTW I've got a 2.5 compressor pulley coming in for it tomorrow which will max out the S-Trim, so I really want to get this figured out.
Chas

Anywhere on the intake should be fine to hook it up. It could be the guage. Where do you have your bypass located?

between the head unit and the FMIC.
Chas

If it is not the guage or the bypass valve. I guess I would start looking for a blockage between the bypass and the intercooler or the IC to the throttlebody. I know it sounds crazy but I almost put mine back together once with a rag in one of the pipes.

My 2 cents. ie) not worth much.

Sounds like a bad Bypass that is stuck open. If you hear/feel air coming out at idle then it is indeed open, but not closing when your vacuum signal goes away.

If the car runs like it's making boost, then its your gauge.

Don't remove your air filter, it won't help identify the issue. Let's eliminate the bypass as being defective and plug it. Yes, plug it and run into the throttle SLOW. If it truly is stuck open (and you plug/cap it off) then you will start to build manifold pressure, boost. You'll know right away and at low rpm not run into any surge that could hurt your blower.

Let us know what you find.

-Scott.

Well, I feel like an idiot now! The silicone 90 pulled loose right as it comes out of the head unit and into the FMIS piping. Though it looked like it was on when you pulled on it (or applied boost to it) it would seperate. I was able to make 5#'s @ 6000, but on the third run it keeled over and died. Started again ran about 50 yards and died. It did this three times before I called for a push home. I can hear the fuel pump running (I don't have the second one connected yet), so I am leaning towards ignition (dare I say opti?)

Chas