I installed a XS Power turbo kit from SSautochrome on my EG hatch. Let me pause for a second to give everyone a chance to laugh at my misfortune (I found out after I purchased it why it is so freaken cheap)........

OK, now that that is out of your system, let me add that although it is a pain in the butt and a half to install, it surprisingly works well...for now. Too good as a matter of fact.

Anyway the question that I want to ask everyone is, how to lower the boost on this thing. I'm using an XS Turbo dual stage boost controller, and with its lowest boost setting, I was boosting up to over 10psi (by accident of course, got carried away), and I'm running a stock bottom end, yes I know not a good thing. It scared the crap out of me when I was so focus driving that I neglected to keep my eye on my boost gauge, and when I glanced and saw 15psi and rising, I almost peed and took a crap at the same time. Luckily, my car is still running.

So, I've searched and it seems that only posts I've seen are the ones with a dashpot/lever actuator type waste gate. The waste gate that the kit came with is I think what's called an internal type, someone correct me if I'm wrong. It has no actuator lever to lenghten or shorten. I think the spring is suppose to be adjustable, but since SSautochrome was too cheap to include freaken instructions on any of the items that they sell and don't respond to e-mails, I have no idea how to adjust it. Does anyone know how, or have a slightest idea on how to lower the boost to less than 10 psi? I am about to install a relief valve on the charge pipe to open at 10 psi, but I think that would be the extreme solution.

 

Instead of using the boost controller connect the line directly to the wastegate.

What I mean is use the source you're using for the boost controller, but bypass the boost controller. That may open the wastegate earlier, depending on the spring's strength.

If you can, replace the spring in the wastegate with something weaker.

BTW, this should have been posted in the FI forum.

edit: Asked a mod to move it to FI.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nota-eg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">....
What I mean is use the source you're using for the boost controller, but bypass the boost controller. That may open the wastegate earlier, depending on the spring's strength.

If you can, replace the spring in the wastegate with something weaker.</TD></TR></TABLE>

With the boost controller in between the vacuum source and the wastegate, and at its lowest setting (0 boost), the wastegate is already open (not sure if it is all the way). I've tried by passing the boost controller, but I can hear that the wastegate is closed shut right away. And from my understanding on how a wastegate works, when the valve is open, it allows some exhaust gas to bypass the turbo, thus causing the turbo to spin less or slower, meaning less boost. I hope this is correct, is anyone thinks otherwise, please say so.

As far as the spring, yes the dang thing is a heavy compression one. I opened it thinking that there might be something wrong with it, and had a hard time compressing it when I reassembled it back. But besides going back to SSAutochrome, where else can I get a weaker spring? Will any spring do?

 

You're idea of how a wastegate works is dead-on.

With the boost controller set to 0 it may work as if you had it directly connected to the wastegate, but I would try bypassing it. All a BC does is lets the WG see less boost than its really pushing, it won't open it any sooner that it would if the source were directly connected to it.

I don't know where you would go to find a lower spring. Hopefully one of the true boost-heads will check in soon.

 

yes any spring that is about the right diameter will work, just as long as it is the right strength for the psi you want.
your understanding of the wastegate is correct.
if you want less boost, lose the boost comtroler all together, all it can do is raise boost.
say the wastegate spring is set at a minimumof 9psi, and you want 6psi. you can either take apart the wastegate and put another spring in, or you can rig an additional spring to the wastegate arm so that it counteracts the main spring. some people use carburetor springs from ace hardware.

 

there is no way to run lower boost than the wg spring is setup for. so if you wanna run lower boost, then your best bet is to get a smaller spring.

from what i remember reading about ssac wg's are that they are a replica of tial, so a tial wg spring will fit.

also i'm guessing you are running the ssac manifold, from what i've heard, they have a bad case of boost creep.

 

you need to find out what spring came in the wastegate when you purchased the kit.

no matter how low you set you boost controler it wont boost less than what the spring is rated for.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. One solution that I think might be a quick one is to just cut the spring. Anyone sees a major problem on that other than it's only a guess work and I can possibly cut it too short?

 

Nah, don't cut the spring. It's better to do it right instead of half-assing it, especially considering you have to be uber-careful with that SSAC kit.

 

Well, it's a ghetto fix, but it worked! I cut the dang spring and I now taken control of the boost pressure. It took two tries, but the last cut got me to around 5 psi. Using my boost controller, I can bump it up to 8 psi, and may go up to 10 once I get my fuel injectors and fuel pressure regulator.

Thanks to everyone for putting their input.

 

Make sure you take care of that kit and inspect it often. I've heard a lot of bad things about them, but I've also heard of a few that have stayed together.

Is the wastegate built into the turbo, or is it on the manifold? If its on the manifold you may look into getting an external one like a Tial that would probably bolt right up.