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Cheap way to turn the boost down

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Old 08-19-05, 09:12 AM
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Cheap way to turn the boost down

So far i've done DP back exhaust and Intake..

I haven't tested the boost yet, But i've heard from other people that with the DP back they are geting 13lbs of boost.

Can I add a manual boost controller until I get a PFC?

I would also like to get an SMIC, would this throw the boost off even more?

Could that be managed by the manuel boost controller? to dial it back a few PSI?


I really want to get a SMIC as i want to do car shows and would like the look of a nice IC.

And the extra boost cooling wouldn't hurt as it's been hot as hades around here.

Thanks in advance.
Old 08-19-05, 09:17 AM
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Yeah you can add a manula boost controller. Just make sure you get rid of the pills
Old 08-19-05, 10:17 AM
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Unplug the wastegate and precontrol solenoids. That's free and will keep you at 7-8psi.

MBC is another option, as is installing a slightly larger wastegate pill or drilling out the old one. Should you choose to drill the pill, go up in very small increments - they say use a drill set with letter-sized bits and go up one size at a time.

Dave
Old 08-19-05, 10:52 AM
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So would an new IC cause even more Boost?
Old 08-19-05, 11:36 AM
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If you're getting too much boost with the stock control system, there is a cheap way to bring it down consistently.

First, bypass the wastegate control solenoid. Remove both hoses connected to it - both run to nearby nipples; the shorter one goes to vacuum source, and the longer one connects to the hardline which runs to the wastegate actuator. Just remove the shorter hose completely, and connect the longer one to the vacuum source nipple that the shorter one used to connect to. Now the wastegate actuator "outflow" runs directly to vacuum source. Don't run the car like this, because boost will increase if you do nothing else.

Next, add a needle valve in the hose you just re-routed. Check out Rob Robinette's site, and look at the "Home Depot" boost controller mod. Don't do what he did, since his solution only increases boost. Instead, get the same needle valve from Home Depot, and fit it into the hose that you re-routed in the previous step. This gives you adjustable resistance in the outflow of the wastegate actuator, which is what you need to reduce boost.

Start with the valve completely closed, which will get you minimum boost, and open it in SMALL increments with a test run after each until you get the desired boost level.

I can upload some pics later.
Old 08-19-05, 11:40 AM
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Of course, you could just buy an MBC. If you do, make sure to remove the restrictor pill, and to cap off the outflow nipple on the wastegate actuator, because otherwise you won't be able to reduce boost.

And if you bypass the wastegate control solenoid, remember to leave the harness plugged into the solenoid, or the ECU will complain.
Old 08-19-05, 11:42 AM
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You can make an adjustable manual boost controller for less than $10. Its a needle valve that works very well, and is dependable because it has no "moving" parts.

http://www.robrobinette.com/boost_controller.htm

Do not install the pre spool controller. It will make proper adjustment nearly impossible.
Old 08-19-05, 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by adam c
You can make an adjustable manual boost controller for less than $10. Its a needle valve that works very well, and is dependable because it has no "moving" parts.

http://www.robrobinette.com/boost_controller.htm

Do not install the pre spool controller. It will make proper adjustment nearly impossible.
This is what I run, the part about the precontrol isn't always true, I only had to pop my hood two times to get my precontrol dialed in right, now its tucked away since I don't have to worry about it and I do boost adjustments on the wastegate side if I want to raise and lower boost.
Old 08-19-05, 12:43 PM
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OKRX-7,

I tried to get the two to work together, and gave up after about 6 weeks of messing with it. I decided that the extra length of hose in the prespool controller was causing the problem. Do you have a short pre spool hose?

The next time I have things apart, I am going to put the old wastegate hose (slightly larger pill) in place of the pre spool line. I am hoping this will change my transition from 8 to 10.

Last edited by adam c; 08-19-05 at 12:45 PM.
Old 08-19-05, 02:26 PM
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Keep in mind that these controllers can only turn boost up. If you want to reduce boost from where you are now, you will need to put the valve (the same valve, as I mentioned above) on the other side of the wastegate actuator. This increases pressure in the actuator, to reduce boost.
Old 08-19-05, 03:23 PM
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Originally Posted by adam c
OKRX-7,

I tried to get the two to work together, and gave up after about 6 weeks of messing with it. I decided that the extra length of hose in the prespool controller was causing the problem. Do you have a short pre spool hose?

The next time I have things apart, I am going to put the old wastegate hose (slightly larger pill) in place of the pre spool line. I am hoping this will change my transition from 8 to 10.
Adam,

My prespool line is between 2 and 3 feet, just long enough where I can get to it without having to yank out all the intake junk to get to it, only have to dig under the BOV on a stock setup.

If you get a chance try this. Take some vacuum tubing and cut it to the length (5 or so inches) to just hook up your precontrol straight into the actuator with no pills. You should see 7 psi on primary a drop to 5 or 6 then it will pull up to your 10 psi secondary. If your running more than 10 psi dial your wastegate back down to 10 till you the 7-6-10 pattern then go back in and add a needle valve on the precontrol line and close it all the way then back it off 1/2 turn (its alot less adjustment) and start tightening it down till you get back to your 10-8-10 pattern.

After I got that much done I dialed my wastegate in to my normal 12-13psi and now see around 12-10-12.

Let me know if that works. I think where people get really messed up is trying to dial in both at once.

Last edited by OKRX-7; 08-19-05 at 03:26 PM.
Old 08-19-05, 04:00 PM
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Originally Posted by DigDug
Keep in mind that these controllers can only turn boost up. If you want to reduce boost from where you are now, you will need to put the valve (the same valve, as I mentioned above) on the other side of the wastegate actuator. This increases pressure in the actuator, to reduce boost.
Wrong. Controlling boost via a needle valve in the wastegate line is an excellent way to reduce boost. When stock, the restrictor pill only allows an certain amount of air to pass thru the hose. By removing the restriction, you may allow more air, and therefore will decrease boost. My car was boosting to 15 1/2 psi with the restrictor pill. By adding a needle valve, I have been able to set my boost wherever I want it.

Cartman sucks ***
Old 08-19-05, 04:39 PM
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If you have a cat and don't live in cold climate I wouldn't worry about it too much. I ran that setup for three years with out a problem. The stock ECU runs so rich there little change of pinging.

Adding the intercooler will drop the boost pressure by some amount shouldn't cause much of a problem, but by this point you will have invested in an ECU, right... Though I will add without proper tuning the stock ECU will give more HP with the risk of blowing the motor. In other words upgrading the RX-7 wont be cheap.
Old 08-19-05, 05:08 PM
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sounds to me like you dont have a boost gauge, i think this is the first thing you should buy
Old 08-19-05, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by adam c
Do not install the pre spool controller. It will make proper adjustment nearly impossible.
I've been using two ball and spring boost controllers for quite some time now, and have a about a 14-12-14 pattern.. adjustment wasn't that bad. Had to pop the hood a few times to get it right.
Old 08-19-05, 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted by adam c
Wrong. Controlling boost via a needle valve in the wastegate line is an excellent way to reduce boost. When stock, the restrictor pill only allows an certain amount of air to pass thru the hose. By removing the restriction, you may allow more air, and therefore will decrease boost. My car was boosting to 15 1/2 psi with the restrictor pill. By adding a needle valve, I have been able to set my boost wherever I want it.

Cartman sucks ***
Removing the restrictor pill is what reduces boost - the valve then lets you turn it up from there.

If you remove the pill, you can usually reduce boost below stock levels, but in my case, I was still getting ~13PSI. Adding restriction before the wastegate actuator can only increase boost - if you don't exceed stock boost levels when you remove the pill, then the controller you are referring to will work fine. Some people get stuck with too much boost, and have to use the solution I described.

The best solution would be to cap the outflow nipple on the wastegate actuator, and run a ball-and-spring controller w/ bleed valve (ie, Hallman) in the line from the compressor nipple to the wastegate actuator. Then the actuator doesn't see any pressure until your target boost level, and there's no issue with venting too much pressure via the outflow nipple.

Last edited by DigDug; 08-19-05 at 05:45 PM.
Old 08-19-05, 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by XSTransAm
sounds to me like you dont have a boost gauge, i think this is the first thing you should buy
I agree completely. Don't bother with anything mentioned in this thread until you actually know that you need to back the boost down. You probably won't need to.
Old 08-19-05, 05:44 PM
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Originally Posted by DigDug
I agree completely. Don't bother with anything mentioned in this thread until you actually know that you need to back the boost down. You probably won't need to.
Yeah, and if your worried remove the pills till you do get a boost gauge. I have intake, downpipe, midpipe and exhaust and run below the safety zone with no pills.
Old 08-19-05, 06:29 PM
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If I was a ricer:

Friend: Dude, I'm overboosting my car, like I'm going way too fast man!
Me: Chill out bro, I told you to be careful modding your car. All those stickers and neons lights are nothing to mess with.
Friend: Man, what can I do? I dont want to go back to stock and take off my stickers!
Me: Bro, you don't even have to touch your stickers and still can turn down the boost.
Friend: Hook it up dude!
Me: You see that big pipe there, what you do is you get your drill and start drilling small holes in that pipe.
Friend: What a great way to turn down the boost. It'll be like having 5 or 6 blow off valves. Neato
Me: Yeah, it will make a bad *** whoosing noise all the time now. You'll impress everyone in school man.
Friend: What do I do if I want to turn the boost back up.
Me: Dude, just bondo your air valves. You can fully adjust your boost this way.
Friend: How do you know all this stuff.
Me: Every day after school, me and my friend sit in his garage and talk about his honda. He taught me everything I know. Vtec power all the way man.
Friend: Man, how much power do you thing we added with those 5 air valves
Me: Not sure, but should be around 50 rwhp. Each valve adds at least 10 hp.
Friend: Damn, you think my car can handle one or two more air valves?
Old 08-19-05, 06:38 PM
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I do have a boost gauge, and just purchase a greddy SMIC.

So far I'll have greddy intakes, DP back exhaust, midpipe removed, I should have it back tomorrow. But i just wanted to be sure before going ahead and buying the IC, the bigger piping and greddy elbow, that being way more that 3 mods....without a PFC.
Old 08-19-05, 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by DigDug
Removing the restrictor pill is what reduces boost - the valve then lets you turn it up from there.

If you remove the pill, you can usually reduce boost below stock levels, but in my case, I was still getting ~13PSI.............
In most cases, the MBC will take care of the problem. No point in complicating things if it is not necessary.
Old 08-20-05, 12:45 AM
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Originally Posted by DigDug
... but in my case, I was still getting ~13PSI.
If you don't mind my asking:
Was that a 13psi spike, or was is a consistant 13psi?
What were your mods?

Thanks
Old 08-23-05, 11:08 PM
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Originally Posted by InsaneGideon
If you don't mind my asking:
Was that a 13psi spike, or was is a consistant 13psi?
What were your mods?

Thanks
On a cool night, I'd hit ~12PSI on the primary, then up to 13PSI after transition, tapering off to around 11PSI by redline. It hit fuel cut a few times. This was with RZ turbos, intake, DP and catback. And yes, removed restrictors.
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