Which is best (price/performance) or what have people experienced with aftermarket actuators on stock s5 turbo.

 

Kinugawa and turbosmart are the two readily available to me.

 

On a stock S5 turbo, there is little need for an aftermarket wastegate actuator unless you want to specifically move to a dual acting diaphragm. Which I'm not sure why you'd want to do as on a stock turbo, bleed based boost control on the stock diaphragm works well.

What problem are you trying to solve?

 

Kind of assumed boost fall off was in part due to unported wastegate (ported now but untested) and also weak near 30 year old actuator spring.
Trying to achieve solid 12psi. I'm taking it to be tuned when I finish all my other little projects on it (like rewiring 6-years-ago-Bens attempts at installing gauges etc.) Also adjustable actuators are cheaper than ebc's over here.
Key point to note is I made an assumption so probably made an *** of myself. haha.

 

Do you have any sort of boost controller? Manual boost controllers are just for the most part a controlled leak.

Intake? Exhaust? If you are just trying to increase the boost with the restrictive factory exhaust, it will fall off.

 

Had manual boost controller. Don't want to use it. 3" dump to I think 2.25 y. Greddy front mount. No emissions.

 

Is this true Aaron? Last time I drove my TII, I had an obvious boost leak but did not have the chance to mess with it until now. I'd be rather annoyed if this was my actual problem and I can just easily pick up a used boost controller.

FWIW- I have the AEM Manual Boost controller setup.

 

I'm using a turbonetics dual port actuator (30326) on an S4 turbo. It requires a new bracket and bending of the actuator rod.

Works well with an AMS-500 dual solenoid controller, on CO2. The AMS-500 applies pressure to the opposing (closing) port, and the stock pressure line goes to the stock (opening) port. With this setup, it is basically an electronically adjustable wastegate spring, and the boost curve is very stable and predictable.

The actuator diaphram is not 100% air tight under 30 PSI of CO2 pressure, so I use a vacuum switch that triggers target boost on medium throttle, or when vacuum gets down to a few PSI.

 

Let me clarify my "leak" statement. A manual boost controller just bleeds off pressure from the wastegate diaphragm line, so it sees less boost and opens less. They are supposed to have a check ball or other valve to prevent vacuum from being sucked in. But on the FC, the wastegate signal line comes right off the compressor so there is no potential for a vacuum leak.

As for the original topic, an aftermarket actuator gives you some advantages like being able to adjust spring tension or a much better dual acting diaphragm that electronic boost controllers prefer and will give you much better boost control.

For a test, you can prove whether or not the stock actuator is being pushed open by just using a helper spring. Get a strong spring and clip it between the actuator bracket and wastegate arm. CAREFULLY drive into boost. If your set boost now holds much better, then the actuator is being pushed open and an upgrade is in order.

 

Cheers Aaron. Will give that a crack before going all out.

P.s hope everything is going well, been for ever since "cosmo makes me freeeee" was followed by a new flurry of innuendo and tech.