I'm probably showing my ignorance here but this just isn't clear to me.

In my naive mind, if I have the boost controller set to 'x' psi, the wastegate valve should stay shut till I hit 'x' psi THEN open, no?

I have my boost controller 15 psi. Today, I was gently accelerating from 35 to 55 in 3rd and watched the boost gauge move up into 5psi then I noticed the familiar whistle of the wastegate.

Is that the normal/expected behavior for a wastegate at partial throttle? Does it start modulating pressure in a linear way then ultimately open wide at the 15 psi point? Now, if I stomp the gas in first, it goes right to 9.11psi and the Nittos start spinning. If I'm in second and stomp it, it goes right to 11.7psi. I've hit 16.2 psi in 3rd this past Sunday. I bumped it down to 15 psi on the controller after that.

Thanks~

 

As usual, Google is my friend.
Answering my own question...
There are two types of Boost controllers in regards to how they regulate pressure(not talking about Manual versus Electronic but how they actually control pressure).
The two types are "Ball and Spring" and "Bleeder". Obviously, my AEM is a bleeder type and in essence, 'leaks' some pressure till it reaches my predetermined level where it fully opens the wastegate. The "Ball and Spring" type will not open at all until it reaches the desired boost level. Therefore, the "Ball and Spring" by design will reach boost more quickly. I'm going to order the TurboSmart BC-TS-0101-1001 and give it a try.

 

Just got off the phone with the vendor. It should be here tomorrow (They are in Buffalo NY). I'm going to keep the AEM setup in place, but take the hoses off the AEM solenoid and put the manual right beside it then take it for some test drives to see how different the ball and spring is compared to the AEM bleeder.

 

Got it Thursday...


It's tiny!


I disconnected the AEM and put in the Turbo Smart manual boost controller and took her out on the road. I had to let her warm up to regular operating temps but then I turned around on the highway and put her in first. I took off without really drumming it in first but planted the gas pedal in second and kept it going in third. Man it is so exhilarating to accelerate that quickly. I was well over 100mph in no time so I let off and shifted to 5th, then 6th as I settled back down to the speed limit. I can't say definitely that it's better but my God, it sure felt like it. I'm so happy with my car in this configuration.

On another note, I still have my intermediate pipe as the lowest part of the car and it gets scrapes every now and then. I went and refilled my acetylene bottle and got some welding rods. I'm going to do some rerouting to see if I can get the exhaust as high as it will go. It would be perfect if I could get it to traverse to the left side of the car beneath the oil pans thinner dimension but the crossover pipe is there. My other option is to get some 4" or 5" pipe and flatten it to a narrow oval and send it past the tranny cross member where I can then let it return to 3" and then go under the tail shaft of the transmission to the passenger side.

Thanks,
Dave

 

Dave,

worst comes worst, during the winter, send me the manifolds and the crossover and I will remake the crossover for free.

 

Thanks Jon. I have some things I'm contemplating over the winter so I may do that. I wouldn't ask you to do it for free though ! Time is money.

I gotta see how long my current contract looks to go before I go on to the next step(s).

 

You didn't have to ask I told ya before, I want to take care of my early customers (2008 and earlier). A couple of you guys gambled on me when i first started out, and now that weld/fab quality is better now, i'd like to help with anything you aren't 100% happy with. if you want to change setup over the winter, I'll help ya then as well.

 

Dave,

Read though your thread and just bought one myself to try out. Currently not running any controller so should make a big difference.

Scott

 

Glad to hear it Scott. I've currently got mine on the lowest setting but it's still going to 15.2 PSI in 3rd. I've got to tell you, the car feels wicked now. I don't know if it's the cold air we've got at this time of the year or the non-bleed off nature of this controller or both but it's flat exhilarating to drive the car now

 

[chant]dyno..dyno...dyno...[/chant]

 

I wanted to dyno at the nearby Redline Motorsports but they don't let LT1's in their facility. LSx elitists...

 

That sucks. Nowhere else to go? I know Geoff Chadwick has been chomping at the bit to dyno his car in your area as well. You two should hook up and see if you can get a deal somewhere for both cars.

 

Geoff did mention something along those lines awhile back but I haven't heard anything since. Last time I dyno'd it was on the pessimistic Dynopack Hub dyno. I was only "On the spring" and only went to 11psi, still yielding 574rwhp/571rwtq at that level. That was on my ported stock LT1 castings. I have Canfields now but I think they are 64cc chambers(versus the stock 54cc) so I'm bound to have surrendered some torque.

 

Yeah, but let's see what the Canfields and 15psi get you. If the car still runs good, maybe push the psi thru the controller a tiny bit more. I'd love to see if you can hit 650rwhp thru the load bearing dyno.

 

I have zero doubts about 650 rwhp as she sits