Best inexpensive way to control boost?

[BlackMetal]

My GN is stock except for a cold air kit, but in the next week or two I'm installing a 3" DP and a completely redone exhaust complete with dump pipe and all that, so I want to make sure my car doesn't start boosting too hard. I probably want to keep it around 16 since I drive it semi-daily.

I've heard bad things about those simple mechanical boost controllers that you hook up, like they can malfunction and allow you to overboost and all that, but maybe someone else here can tell me something good about them? Or maybe which one would be more reliable than others?

I don't want to spend too much money since I don't have all that much done to my car and I don't have an insane amount of extra boost to control.

 

[Blown&Injected]

Go "tuner style" with an adjustible wastegate. not too hard to make your stock wastegate adjustible by cutting and threading the rod and installing a turn buckle on the end.

check out gnt-type org or search here for details on the do-it-yourself details for the adj wg

 

[Gary Wells]

My GN is stock except for a cold air kit, but in the next week or two I'm installing a 3" DP and a completely redone exhaust complete with dump pipe and all that, so I want to make sure my car doesn't start boosting too hard. I probably want to keep it around 16 since I drive it semi-daily.
I've heard bad things about those simple mechanical boost controllers that you hook up, like they can malfunction and allow you to overboost and all that, but maybe someone else here can tell me something good about them? Or maybe which one would be more reliable than others?
I don't want to spend too much money since I don't have all that much done to my car and I don't have an insane amount of extra boost to control.

----------------------------------------
As mentioned above, adjustable waste gate actuator, whether made or bought, and RJC's hybird boost controller. which replaces the wastegate solenoid, which do go out, and are no longer available new.

 

[Ormand]

If the car has the stock fuel system, that should be the FIRST place you start to spend money. The stock fuel pump was barely adequate for the stock power output, 20 years ago. And it hasn't grown stronger with age, like cheese. If you don't have enough fuel, the engine will quickly damage itself. So get the fuel right first, then start on the exhaust, the injectors, the turbo, etc.

 

[Killa-Cotton]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986...33555QQitemZ8032549666QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Get something like this. Walbro pump and Hotwire Kit to replace the OLD factory wiring. Then turn the boost up.

 

[V6 Beast]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986...33555QQitemZ8032549666QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Get something like this. Walbro pump and Hotwire Kit to replace the OLD factory wiring. Then turn the boost up.

How does a hotwire kit control boost? He asked how to control boost and you give him a link for a hotwire kit. You should spend as long thinking about your response as you did coming up with that ingenious name.... oh wait you did!


Good quality needle valves will manually control boost fairly consisently and inexpensively. Any type of electronic controller will be considerably more expensive and prob. not needed on a near stock car.

HTH

Sully

 

[Dewey]

I put a simple adjustable bleeder valve in place of the stock boost solenoid and I'm able to run 20 psi with no problems. I think I gave $40 for it. Got it from Cotton's. You can go to the hardware store and do the same thing cheaper but I like this one.

 

[Killa-Cotton]

V6 beast, Why so rude? If you had read Ormand's reply, Which obliviously you didn't. You would see that we were trying to explain that you need a good fuel supply before you turn up the boost. The adjustable wastegate rod that Blown&Injected recommended will allow him to turn up the boost. Just trying to keep the man from damaging his car.

Oh! by the way, V6 beast is very original. I quess every forum has an Idiot. Nice to meet you.

 

[Jerryl]

........ I want to make sure my car doesn't start boosting too hard. I probably want to keep it around 16 since I drive it semi-daily. ......... I don't want to spend too much money since I don't have all that much done to my car and I don't have an insane amount of extra boost to control.

Not to get off the subject, but be sure you add some type of scantool and/or knock gauge into your budget. I can promise you this: Once you get into some boost, you will feel an urgent need to push the boost to the limit of the combo.

 

[Lee_Burough]

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As mentioned above, adjustable waste gate actuator, whether made or bought, and RJC's hybird boost controller. which replaces the wastegate solenoid, which do go out, and are no longer available new.

I second this advice

 

[Blaze]

This is from Turbonetics website. www.turbonetics.com click here just scroll down to the bottom http://64.225.76.178/catalog/wastegate.html



VARIABLE BOOST CONTROL REGULATOR
Change your boost level from the cockpit of your car with the TURBONETICS “ VBC “ kit. The “ VBC “ kit can adjust boost pressure on any Deltagate, Racegate or factory dual port actuator. Adjustable from stock to the indicated pressure above stock.

RANGE PART # PRICE
0 - 10 PSI 10402-10 $ 67.00
0 - 25 PSI 10402-25 67.00
0 - 50 PSI 10402-50 67.00

All kits come complete with fittings and “blue silicone” vacuum hose.

or you can get one at your local grainger

 

[Killa-Cotton]

Yes, the MBC from Grainger works very well. I have one of these myself and have had no problem with boost spikes.

 

[Blown&Injected]

Chicago, there are some great resources and volumes of information for our cars and while I picked a cheap way to get good control over the boost, the advice about scan tool and fuel pump/wire is important when cranking up the boost - if you start knocking it, no amount of boost will make it go faster, just chip away at the head gaskets and pistons/rings

 

[HighPSI]

RJC has an inexpensive boost controller

 

[BlackMetal]

-I know about the fuel system being inadequate. I didn't mean to imply that these exhaust mods are the ONLY thing I'm doing, I was just speaking in terms of the mods I'm doing which will probably raise my boost level. I am going to work on my fuel system this summer. But when I said "control boost" I'm talking about keeping it LOW because of my exhaust mods possibly raising it too high. I wasn't asking how to pull high boost on a stock car.

-Scantool advice already taken, I purchased a ScanMaster 2.1 from someone last night, should be here pretty quick. Then I'll have to ask everyone here about hooking it up and how to work it.


I'll look into the products you've all mentioned so far, thanks for the help.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

If you get the exhaust system on and havent recieved your boost controller yet, do what someone above said....Run it tuner style.
What that means is you just run one hose between the wastegate actuator and compressor. This usually yields 12-14 psi of boost if your wastegate actuator is the stock length..If you have a free flowing exhaust and stock intake manifold,heads ect the boost might be higher...
Everycar is different when it comes to boost and boost gauges.
HTH
BW

 

[salvageV6]

"I probably want to keep it around 16 since I drive it semi-daily"

A good new technology chip can raise the stock boost actuator to those levels and provide good control along with better fueling and timing than the stock chip.

Then again you didn't mention the chip you are using.

Street chip from Fullthrottle or Eric at turbotweak should be all you need.

Or if you want to keep the stock chip just make your stock wastegate actuator adjustable, instructions should be on gnttype.org.

Or else buy a stock adjustable actuator and install it and set the boost to 16psi.

I find it hard to believe you will need any type controller at all with most street chips.

 

[turbo buicks]

Best inexpensive way to control boost?

remove turbo

 

[BlackMetal]

Yeah I'll probably just make my actuator adjustable, if I can find someone with the tools to thread the rod.

 

[BLACK6PACK]

Go to www.gnttype.org. They have a "how to" to make your rod adjustable. Its about $5 worth of parts that you can get at any autoparts store.

Here you go... http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/images/Adj_wastegate.JPG

I think I paid $2 for the die.