i have been noticing more often that when accelerating at wot sometimes boost levels will only hit 8psi on first turbo and then drop down to around 5psi. when this happens power is delivered roughly and when the secondary turbo kicks in it seems to be almost surging between 5 and 6psi. this usually seems to happen when i first accelerate and once i shift into the next gear, almost 100% of the time, boost levels go up to normal 12psi where power is delivered very smoothly and the secondary turbo transistion is fine.

Modifications
still have stock engine at 40K miles with bolt ons.
intake, y-pipe, downpipe, high flow cat.
i am still running stock ecu with no aftermarket boost controller.
i have changed the vaccum lines over a year ago and everything worked alright then but since i have added the bolt ons which increased power dramatically, it is easier to feel when things arent 100%

maybe a problem with a solenoid or actuator?

 

If you don't have a boost controller, you should be seeing a 10-8-10 boost pattern. Use this page to troubleshoot your boost pattern:

http://www.autosportracetech.com/RX-...leshooting.htm


Lots of great info there.

 

with the exhaust and intake mods wont the boost levels rise on its own?

 

yes it will, but the ECU won't compensate on its own. If you're running higher than 10PSI on the stock ECU, you're at risk for blowing your motor for what might me a 20whp at most gain over stock. The ECU can compensate for 11PSI at best.

 

This is a good point. You should stay off the boost until you resolve this issue.

 

assuming that all the vac lines are not leaking and hooked up right, what would be the best thing to start looking at...

 

stock turbo boost problems are almost exclusively vac line/solenoid related. Don't assume anything in that department.

 

It's hard to really point you in any one direction, as any number of things could be wrong. Start with the link I posted above. There is a lot of good troubleshooting info there.