Whos running and RJC boost controller and what are your thoughts?

[Amelio]

I was gonna post this question in the Turbo area and I have been searching there but cant find the answer I am looking for,plus I know more people are here than the Turbo section and this is a non turbo specific question.

So I am currently running"tuner" style setup and I am running low boost 16-18psi I know lower spool up goes hand in hand with lower overall psi when I am running 20-22 psi spool up is very fast and no complaints. I know I really need a lil more converter for my turbo and cam but I dont have the money to get a new converter or even get mine tightend up.

So has anyone gone from stock or tuner style setup to an RJC controller? did it it improve your spool up at lower boost levels? I have read that users like it and it works well and the price is great i just have not heard anyone respond about the spool up improvements on lower boost levels.

Thanks

 

[blackgn1]

I have used it for several years. My turbo had the HD actuator so I never could get my boost below 20psi. It would work well with a stock type actuator I believe. My boost would creep to 23psi but I can't accuse the RJC controller. Add on parts along the way were the cause. I can say the RJC kept the boost low enough not to have any major accidents.

 

[Amelio]

I am running an HD actuator with some decent tension I gotta pull it about a 1/2" to get it on the rod,if I go to the "half moon" setting I can get it down to 15psi.

The care does great from a roll it is the slow 1st gear pulls and from a stop.....this is my converter i know not enough. But if the controller improves it just a little it is worth $55 to me.

 

[QUIP'6']

never could get mine to work or be acccurate

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

A few thoughts.

It has been my experience that many stock WGs work well up to about 20 lbs, then they have a hard time keeping the boost steady. The heavy duty WG isn't real steady below 21 lbs. Unfortunatly, this boost window of 19-21 lbs is where many of the pump gas/ alky guys like to run at. The RJC controller can be made to run steady in this area (and others). Sometimes the spring may need to be "adjusted" to run at a high or low boost number. You can cut a loop off the spring if you can't adjust the boost down to what you want to run at. You can also stretch the spring (just a bit) if you cant get it to adjust anymore to a higher boost.

The RJC boost controller does let the boost spool up a bit faster, due to the puck staying shut untill the controller sees the set boost. This is nice for a street driven car. The only problem that I had, with my combo, was that when the boost would come in, I would get a two lbs boost spike. This happened right at the 1-2 gear change, blowing the tires off. I'm now running 25 lbs of boost and use a HD WG.

Happy spooling.

Mike Barnard

 

[Rich Gio]

I run mine "tuner style" and it works well. I do get a 2# spike at the 1-2 shift as well. I'm thinking of running it in parallel with the stock solenoid, I've heard of guys doing this incase the RJC fails. But all in all I like it, seems like it controls better. The graph line for boost is more stable on my powerlogger when running the RJC vs stock solenoid.

 

[we4Mateo]

It definitely helps spool on any given combo and at any boost level. I have two springs but I run my HD actuator down to 15psi with the RJC controller; the key is a ported exhaust port on the turbo. I also run 25psi plus with the same actuator and different spring in the RJC controller for track days with no boost control issues. I pickup 2psi when I lock my converter but that's a load condition and has nothing to do with the controller. I would need a closed loop MAP sensor based boost controller to overcome that and I'm too old school for such things.

 

[Amelio]

thanks for the replies! I think I may go ahead and grab one based on your responces....this is a street car that sees the track every now and then so if I can speed up the spool time even a little I am game.

Thanks again!

 

["Turbo-T"]

I have one on my car and did not see any kind of improvement or gain over just using the adjustable wastegate.

 

[Amelio]

I have one on my car and did not see any kind of improvement or gain over just using the adjustable wastegate.

our combos are not too far off..........what boost do you run on the street? Were you running your waste gate tuner style prior to the controller or were you using the "y" pipe and stock boost solenoid?

Do you still have it on the car or did you take it off?

 

[Grumpy]

we have used them from a 12 sec car down to a 9 sec car (ya we still use a stock actuator) . We didn't care for the HD one. BUT we have never ran boost that low. at 16-18#s of boost it's not goin to do much.

 

[Amelio]

we have used them from a 12 sec car down to a 9 sec car (ya we still use a stock actuator) . We didn't care for the HD one. BUT we have never ran boost that low. at 16-18#s of boost it's not goin to do much.

hmmmm I need to think of other options, if it wount do much then there is no point, the spool up is not terrible but I would like to improve it. The only way to accomplish this is a converter.

What is the cost of having a converter tightend up? I have neverhad that done and I dont have the money for a new one....I am running an Art carr 9" 3000 stall I imagine I would need atleast a 3500 stall to improve it.

 

[we4Mateo]

hmmmm I need to think of other options, if it wount do much then there is no point, the spool up is not terrible but I would like to improve it. The only way to accomplish this is a converter.

What is the cost of having a converter tightend up? I have neverhad that done and I dont have the money for a new one....I am running an Art carr 9" 3000 stall I imagine I would need atleast a 3500 stall to improve it.

You want to loosen the converter, not tighten it. I would think a 3000 stall with your current turbo would be plenty though. Too loose and you'll sacrifice efficiency up top unless you are turning close to 7k rpms.

 

[Amelio]

You want to loosen the converter, not tighten it. I would think a 3000 stall with your current turbo would be plenty though. Too loose and you'll sacrifice efficiency up top unless you are turning close to 7k rpms.

thanks....I'm backwards...lol

300 rpm is not that much...any idea on the average price for that? There are no converter shops anywhere in my area so I would have to search. I have to look at cost vs how much it will acutally help.

 

["Turbo-T"]

our combos are not too far off..........what boost do you run on the street? Were you running your waste gate tuner style prior to the controller or were you using the "y" pipe and stock boost solenoid?

Do you still have it on the car or did you take it off?

I run 23-25 psi on the street, I don't know what you mean by "waste gate tuner style".....my wastegate is/was an internal style, manually adjusted.

Yes I still have the RJC manual boost controller on the car. I just use it to do quick boost adjustments as opposed to reaching under the turbo and risk getting burned.

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

I'd say, for the price of the RJC controller, go for it. Even if you decide that you don't like it, they're good to have around.

Just don't drop the little ceramic ball.

Mike B.

 

[Amelio]

I run 23-25 psi on the street, I don't know what you mean by "waste gate tuner style".....my wastegate is/was an internal style, manually adjusted.

Yes I still have the RJC manual boost controller on the car. I just use it to do quick boost adjustments as opposed to reaching under the turbo and risk getting burned.

ok your bosst level is higher than I run on the street, when I run 20psi my spool time is very short it is just when I am running lower it dramatically slows down. I am running the stock internal style waste gate. I have the actuator going directly to the compressor (Tuner style) The only thing controling the boost is the actuator.

The other fix as opposed to pulling my converter would be to run more boost......I could acomplish this with alky which I have a setup but I need to buy a progressive computer. The reason I like to run lower boost on the street is #1 it is safe and #2 anything much over 18psi the car spins too much and it becomes usless power.....fun but usless! When I go to the track I bump up the boost put fuel in the tank and run good tires.