Hooker Headers-No boost at line. What converter???

[GS70350]

Hey guys. I have hooker headers. I know they are supposed to suck, but I am going to try and make do with what ive got unless i find a trade for stocker somewhere. Anyways, I have a TA49 turbo, and the ford front mount will be installed soon. Currently with the stock intercooler and stock D5, at least i think its a D5, I cant build any boost before it breaks loose the tires. maybe my boost guage is not accurate. should I look at the factory boost guage?? becuase it shows about 1 little led bar before I break loose. the VDO guage, doesnt show any sign of boost. maybe its only accurate up high. I have a slight leak at the external wastegate. I need a new gasket right there. but, no leaks anywhere else. I am thinking i need a new torque converter that will stall higher. I am going to go with either a red stripe, or a orange stripe. probobly the 3000 rpm stall one. or should i go with a non lockup converter. is there any place that can rebuild my stock one to stall to 3000? or should i wrap my exhaust with that insulation wrap, and stop the leak, and be done with it??
thanks for the help

 

[UNGN]

If you have any pre turbo or pre wastegate exhaust leak at all with a TA49 and hooker headers, you will build no boost before the stock D5 stalls (2400 rpm).

If you fix the leaks, you may be just able to spool the turbo with the stock D5 before needing a larger converter.

If the leak is after the wastegate, that's not your problem. You make want to look into a chip that is lean on the bottom to aid spooling, also.

 

[GNJeremy]

I have the same problem. Except sometmes I can build 5lbs, sometimes I can't build any. I have the hooker headers, stock D5, and stock turbo.
I can feel a very small amount of air coming out DP connects at the turbo at IDLE. could that be part of the prob? I don't understand how it could be fine one time, and then turn around 10 mins later, and not build any boost.

My best time with boost at the line was 1.66 60ft and 8.01@87.7 mph.

Without boost I am almost a half second slower, and lose about 3 mph. FRUSTRATING

 

[TurboRegal84]

Originally posted by GNJeremy

I can feel a very small amount of air coming out DP connects at the turbo at IDLE. could that be part of the prob?

An Exhaust leak BEFORE the turbo: ie. Headers, crossover pipe, or the 3 bolt flange that connects to the turbo will cause a car to spool up slower, or build no/low boost.

An Exhaust leak AFTER the turbo: ie. Exhaust housing to Downpipe flange, and all the way back to the tail pipes will not have an effect on turbo spool up..it will just annoy you with the noise of a TICK TICK TICK of the escaping air.

HTH

 

[GS70350]

well, I guess I can tell what happened with my car yesterday at the track. went for my first time to test and tune. the car hasnt been tuned at all, it has a thrasher 92 in it, with 93 octane gas. full tank. had spare, jack, subwoofers, and an extra passenger as well as overnight bags in the car. so there goes an easy 250 pounds of dead weight. I had radials, and the hooker headers. i stalled it up at launch, no boost, but you could start to hear the turbo spooling, making that whistle. launch, it hooks righ toff the line, for 10 feet, then blows the tires away, spins them and then hooks again, goes up, hits second gear, blows em away again, and spins em for another couple yards. best out of 5 runs was a 14.0 at 102 with a 2.3 60ft time and a 9.3 at 79 mph 8th. ran 15 psi boost, and no burnout. drove around the water box. from the MPH, and the weight issue, I think that if i can hook, i could run some mid 13s at 104 or so on pump gas with the chip that I am running. its a pathetic time I know. but the mph gives me hope. I am running the stock IC, stock D5 I hope, stock turbo. and hooker headers. for basics. and a posi rear end. any ideas to make it go faster? or hook at all? with radials? thanks guys

 

[stss96]

Hookers are the worst I had them on my old t. I couldn't get and boost on the line. The car had a te-60 with the stock D5 converter. I switched to the stock manifolds and could build 10+ pounds on the line.

 

[blackbuick87]

Holy resurrected posts Batman!