Wastegate Rod vs. ECM vs. BstC

[Buick Beginner]

Gentlemen,
Today I received my BstC boost controller from Ramchargers. The piece seems to be nicely made, however the instructions provided are marginal at best. Here's the situation: after hooking up the boost controller and going on a test drive, I noticed that by cranking the boost on the boost controller, I had the exact same amount of boost (16 psi) as I did before I installed it. I was, however, able to turn the boost all the way down to the minimum setting and run right around 9 pounds of boost with it. So, I decided the obvious thing to do was to go ahead and crank the wastegate out 5 turns which would put me at approximately 21 pounds of boost (I'm running a heavy Xylene mixture and I have a T-Plus which I pulled the timing back on just a bit). I headed back out on the road, punched it without the BstC, and very quickly hit 21 pounds of boost which made for an extremely fun ride. After flipping on the BstC, I was once again at 21 pounds of boost, although, I must admit, the spool-up was quicker as judged by human senses. Now, this brings up a few questions. First off, if my extender chip was burned with 17 psi of boost, why is it that I can override that by cranking the wastegate rod? Is my chip not talking to my wastegate solenoid? Or is it that my wastegate rod overrides my chip? If my wastegate rod overrides my solenoid, which should be controlled by the ECM, then my wastegate rod also overrides the BstC, which means for all intents and purposes, I have just bought a $160 boost limiter because the only direction I seem to be able to go in is down from where the wastegate rod is set. My intention is to be able to run 15 pounds of boost off the ECM then flip the switch on the BstC and go up to 20 pounds without messing with the wastegate rod. Could someone please enlighten me on this phenomenon? Thanks - B.B.

 

[azgn]

your max boost is always ultimately controlled by the tension on the wastegate arm...it will over ride anything...no magic there, all the solenoid and boost controller can do is (try) and pulse the wastegate....if it is tight, won't happen

you need to find a happy ground that meets with the range you want.....

 

[billsgn]

Keep it simple....turn the knob on the BstC all the way up and then set your actuator to the max boost you want to run. Then use the BstC to set from that boost level and lower. Always leave the BstC turned on. This way, when you have xylene in the tank, you can crank it up, and when you don't have xylene, you can turn the boost down.

 

[Buick Beginner]

Thanks

This brings up a good question though, if the chip has virtually no control over the boost, why do chip makers then ask what boost level you wish to run? It's kind-of-like, "Hey Mac, hypothetically speaking, if your chip COULD really control boost, what setting do you want?". - BB

 

[turbot2112]

well from what ive learned from jim testa helping me out with my chips and other problems you should adjust the actuator so you only have to pull the arm of the actuator about an 8th of an inch to connect and then let the chip do the rest as far as the boost levels in your chip. i would do that first and then if you got a boost command try tightening the rod two turns and see what you come up with. ive had problems with my boost command from day one but i did that and i think i finally got it working the way it should.

 

[billsgn]

When you have a BstC, it takes over controlling the boost. The ECM no longer controls boost. The actuator still is used to "set" the boost level, and then adjusted with the BstC.

 

[BLACK6PACK]

Bills gn hit the nail on the head.

When you say that you got 21 lbs of boost after adjusting things, but the bstc only lets you turn down the boost to 15lbs, if you turn the knob the the other direction, then you've turned the boost up. I run the boost commander in the ON position at all times. There are other reasons for me doing this and it has to do with the ME thumbwheel chip. I also have a HD actuator.

My car is set up to run from 19-25lbs of boost, adjustable vie the BstC. I love it. I haven't burnt my fingers on the WG rod since I bought the thing.

 

[gnx7]

Would this be the same for the Innovative Multistage Boost controller? Set it via WG rod for max boost you want.... and then turn it down via the boost controller to the preferred level?

I hate electronics..... .

Thanks,

GNX7

 

[Buick Beginner]

OK let me get this straight.

Now, someone correct me if I'm wrong but this is the way it's working. My boost was set at 15 lbs. before installing the BstC, after the installation and turning the BstC all the up my boost was still 15 lbs. BUT - I could turn it down from there to around 8 lbs. I got under the hood and let the WG rod out 5 turns, now my car runs 20 lbs of boost without the BstC, or when it's on and maxed out I'm still at 20 lbs. of boost BUT I can go down to about 13 lbs by turning the BstC down to minimum. Is this correct? Does anyone have any different characteristics than these? Or is this the exact way it's suppoed to work? - BB

 

[billsgn]

Thats the way it is supposed to work. This is why it is important to leave the BstC turned on at all times.

HTH....Bill

 

[Buick Beginner]

OK

Thanks for the replies. - BB