what safe way is there to test how many psi you gain by adjusting the wastegate actuator arm on a turbo? is the adjustment pretty standard i have a bnr stage 1

 

Look at the boost gauge on your dash, or get an aftermarket boost gauge. However, I would not be adjusting boost without a proper method of tuning. This includes using a fuel cut defender. I believe that would be a quick way to blow your engine as I've read on this forum that the stock ecu will not add proper additional fuel after stock fuel cut.

 

im going to use megasquirt

 

there's no way to say how much the arm will affect the boost unless you can measure the boost level before and after adjustments. every car is different and even Bryan doesn't seem to set up 2 turbos exactly the same back to back.

 

there is a proper procedure for adjusting a wastegate. requires use of a pump that can hold pressure constant , and knowing what your doing , all the arm adjusts is how much pressure is applied to the wastegate itself. adding more pressure (tightening) will increase the amount of force required to open the waste gate while loosening it off will decrease the force required to open it. its trial and error, you could apply pressure to the actuator and see when it begins to open. then move the adjustment one way or another and re check the pressure required to move wastegate. rinse repeat

 

My experience with BNR turbos as of late has coloured my opinion somewhat.

Apparently they come with a 5 PSI spring, yet not documented on the website in any way I could find. Consequently this means that if you intend to run the turbo at much more than about 8 PSI, you're going to get very erratic boost. It will tend to hit your target then rapidly fall.

Solution? Get a wastegate actuator with a spring close to your target boost level from say ATP turbo, then use the boost controller (you have that capability with the Megasquirt....just add the mod kit of necessary and the solenoid) to raise it.

I've spent WAY too much time farting around with a BNR stage 3 and the ridiculous actuator they included to recommend using it a supplied.

 

wow 5? website shows 7 psi, i plan on running 14 psi but how could i achieve that with that actuator

 

It might be 7 on the website, but Brian by phone confirmed that we had a 5.6 PSI spring in the "upgraded" actuator we paid for.

Rule of thumb is that you can typically make double the spring pressure in boost with a boost controller. However that really only applies to poppet type wastegates. Internal style single port actuators are prone to being pushed open by exhaust pressure. This is especially true in hybrid turbos which have rather high pre-turbine pressures. So you may be able to reach 14 PSI, but it won't hold to redline. If you want to run 14 PSI, I'd suggest a 10 PSI spring in the actuator. Or move to a double port actuator which allows you to oppose the diaphram with boost pressure like a poppet type valve. ATP turbo has these available with universal brackets.

 

cool, can you send me a link to a specific one youd recommend?