Ok I know there are multiple threads about this, but I never found a clear answer that matched my problem...

Here's my setup:

engine rebuilt about 12k miles ago
medium streetport
no emissions
stock turbo
stock intercooler (shroud removed)
RFL bov
ported wastegate
stock fuel
ported TB with mod
3" turboback (no cats)
3" aluminum TID
Racing Beat FCD
SAFC

running 10psi...



Ok well I went out for a little race the other night... I took off from a dig and when I hit 2nd gear it wouldn't hold boost above 4psi... So I took it for a pull from a roll to see if I could figure out the problem and it would boost to about 8psi and then ~5500 it would fall of to 5psi or so... I got up to about 120 before I slowed down and when I reached 100 my car shot out a 6' flame for about 10 seconds! When I came to a stop I left my car running and popped the hood to see my entire turbo and downpipe glowing bright red... I richened the mixture up quite a bit (3-6 points added all the way across) and my car pulled WAY better and the boost stopped falling off like it was before... BUT my turbo still glows... Even under fairly moderate driving (boosting between 3-5psi) it'll start glowing... And once I stop to let it idle down it takes about 5 minutes before it actually stops glowing... I'm wondering if it may be a problem with my coolant feed... Now after a hard pull to maybe 100 or so, the downpipe will only glow up to about where the o2 sensor is...

Any ideas for me to chew on here?

Dammit I need a wideband...

 

get a wideband.

the boost problem is probably a seperate issue but running rich will get the exhaust cherry hot like that and so will the timing being off.

it is fairly normal for the exhaust to get cherry red hot under hard boosting conditions though.

 

Well I did get the boost problem fixed by richening the mixure way out, and now it seems to pull very smooth all the way through the RPM's (except right around 3800 of course)... The turbo glowing under moderate driving is what worries me...

 

Sounds like a timing isssue to me. Have you checked to make sure that your timing is right? Your deffinetlly running way rich, i would check to see if your timing might be retarded(sp).

 

I've thought about the timing... Maybe now is a good time to look a little further into that before something bad happens... :o

 

You can't tune your car based on how red your turbo and exhust gets.

You NEED a wideband and maybe an EGT if you can spring for it.

The heat inside the turbo is going to exceed 1400F. So, what do you expect?

Also, enriching the mixture might make it glow more...since there is going to be more unburned fuel leaving the engine...that fuel might ignite in the turbo....more heat.

I noticed you said it happens under moderate driving also. If the car goes into closed loop mode...those egts are even higher than full power...so that could make it glow nicely.

James

 

I understand that you can't tune based on the heat of the turbo...

I richened it up because it was leaning out on me something horrible, and that's what was causing the boost to fall off... After I added the fuel to it, it pulled alot smoother and the turbo didn't get nearly as red as before...

 

So, what wideband you going with?

Techedge!

At least I am partial to them

James

 

Being that I'm ballin on a beer budget...
Whateva this broke assed **** can afford!





























Which is nothing right now, so I doubt I'll be driving it much, aside from up the road and back to keep it running...

 

Get her on a Dyno!! I went last friday but i had some problems with my safc so i'm going to end up going back. You interested in going if i go again in a couple of weeks?

 

Maybe so... Just get up with me about a week in advance...

 

pictures of the glowing turbo and 6' flame?

 

Would have been nice to have some...

 

I don't see an upgrade fuel pump?!?!??
If you're still running on the stock fuel pump, YOU'RE LUCKY THE ENGINE HASN'T BLOWN UP YET.
I'll bet it's running lean!


-Ted

 

Well I have a brand new FD pump, but I haven't installed it yet, because I didn't want to overload the stock injectors... Should I be running the FD pump for 9-10psi?

 

yes. or walbro.

 

YES!
The FD fuel pump will not "overload" the fuel injectors.

Have you verified the fuel pump voltage?
The voltage can be low due to crappy wiring and corrosion.


-Ted

 

Well my car started it's life as a base model, and when the swap was done, the fuel pump rewire was done as well... Thanks for the tip though... I'll go ahead and install the FD pump...