Got a boost problem, help

[opzWE4]

I just installed a turbo, valve springs, thermostat, and XP fuel pump. I already have a volt booster, and hot wire kit. The turbo is a TA-61 but I'm running the stock elbow for a couple of more weeks. Anyway, ran the car and everything looks good on Direct Scan, except that I'm running a little rich. The problem is that I don't have ANYTHING down low, it takes forever to build any boost. If I put my foot on the brake at a stop and mash the gas, it only builds up to about 3 pounds of boost and than that's it. It's just not spooling up or something, can't even overpower the brakes On a long straight, it revs really slow and then eventually gets up to 16 or so pounds of boost, but there is just nothing down low. All my lines seem to be tight and everything runs normal, just no power. At 16-17 pounds of boost I had no knock, just took forever to get there. What's going on here? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Russ Merritt]

Slow spool up

Is the turbo brand new? If so, let it break in some, it should loosen up, also thin oil (5/30 mobil one) will help. Make sure the plastic tee is installed right( straight to comp. housing, angle to waste gate) Check to see if its clean inside the tee also. Leaks at the header/ turbo can hurt too. If everything checks out, the stock elbow ain't helping any. good luck!

 

[opzWE4]

The turbo is used, but in good shape and I should have a new downpipe within a couple of weeks. I'll double check everything, and check the header to turbo connection again. Any other suggestions? BTW, I'm using 5w-30 mobil 1

 

[Russ Merritt]

Yea, Who's chip & how much fuel press are you running, stock intercooler? (please tell me you cleaned it for the new turbo) You said you changed valve springs, do you still have the stock rockers? What springs did you use?

 

[blackbuick87]

I am not familiar with the 61 but does it need a stall converter? Also does the car have a cat? clogged? cracked header?
How rich is it?what are the O2 numbers

 

[opzWE4]

JL 93 Street Chip, and yes intercooler is stock and cleaned. Fuel pressure is around 42psi, line off. Injectors are 40# red stripes. I changed valve springs to CC980's, without the stock cups, with stock rockers. I checked the vaccum lines to the wastegate, and everything is hooked up right. Turbo to header seems to be sealed real well. I dunno, The car seems to run just fine, no noises, idles well, just has no power down low. The acceleration just isn't there. I have a stock torque converter also, but I don't think that would make this kind of difference.

 

[opzWE4]

Exhaust has no cat, just a dump and then back to duel exhaust. I have a stainless header on the driver side that's less than 2 months old, and the rest of the exhaust is in good shape. I figure that a converter would be a good idea, but I don't think it would make this kind of difference, but I dunno. I think the O2's were in the 830-40 range WOT, but I'll have to double check. At Idle it's hard to get a great reading, because it jumps around alot. BLM's are starting to go down, they started in the 118 range and are now in the 109-115 range. Thanks for the help.

 

[salvageV6]

How big is the hole in the turbo housing? How big is the puck in the stock elbow?

Maybe you gots a leak there?

I'd take a look at the exhaust mark/ring on the puck to make sure it is sealing.

I know it builds boost over time but....

 

[opzWE4]

I was thinking that it could be the puck not sealing exactly, but I haven't pulled the elbow off to look yet. It's the stock elbow, and it appeared that the puck covered plenty, but maybe it's not sealing. I should have a Houston downpipe in a couple of weeks and that will change things around a bit, so I'll see. I can't think of anything else

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Fat?/

W/ the blms at 115 and going down, the ecm is pulling fuel. w/ O2's in the 830-40 range it's too fat. The turbo the size of that one needs to be run w/ a looser converter and not near as rich, especially at launch.

 

[opzWE4]

I'll try to tone down the fuel pressure and get it to run a little leaner, but how low should I go? Below 40 with the line off? I'm still going to check that puck sealing issue. Also, I'm going to look for a looser converter, but I don't have a lot of cash right now to buy an expensive one.

 

[UNGN]

You are going to need a converter and most likely a larger puck (a THDP should be fine) to optimize performance with a TA61. Also at 16 psi with a stock longblock it will in all likelyhood be slower than your stock turbo at the same boost level.

 

[opzWE4]

What converter should I use, or could I get away with, that's not super expensive? Could I get a stock type, with a higher stall?

 

[qwknuf6]

Mike ,
I ran 61 for years with stock conv. even had a reman . conv. from GM that was tighter than stock and still got 60ft's in the 1.6's . A nice 2800 stall would be great though
I think the WG not sealing may be the problem .The lag should not be to bad with the stock conv unless something else is out of wack . I sent you an email
Mark

 

[opzWE4]

Got your email, thanks for the advice. I'm going to try that today and see how it goes, I think that's the problem also.

 

[opzWE4]

That was the problem, now that the puck seals boost comes up. Now, I have a hard time keeping the boost down.