I have an 89 CRX with a 1.6L DOHC ZC engine. It is build with forged 9.0:1 JE pistons. On it I have a straight T3. It's a very small T3 even. A Stage 1 turbine with a .48A/R housing and a .50-trim T3 compressor wheel. It's on a cast manifold using integral wastegate.

I get my full 10psi in 3rd/4th/5th at 3500RPM. If I go WOT in 1st gear it almost gets to redline before the turbo builds full boost. I was expecting full boost in the 2000s with this turbo. Is this just the nature of the beast? Or should I look for something wrong?

I'm used to my Integra with its GT3076. That one gives me full 30psi by 3500RPM.

Here some pics of what I am using:


Any help/ideas?

 

sounds like somethings wrong. turbos do spool faster in later gears, but what you're describing sounds a bit too extreme to me

 

Maybe a small boost leak in the charge piping somewhere?

 

1st gear is hard to get much boost no matter what turbocharger you are using.

 

FM sucks?

 

Yup way too slow for a t3 check the turbine housing for cracks or loose bolts. Do you have any exhaust leaks? Somethins wrong

 

just throwing this out there..

Use a Manifold with a WG port and take off that actuator and use a real wastegate.

 

Thanks for the input. Looks like everyone agrees that my turbo is not spooling as it should.

I did not suspect a charge pipe leak, but I will see if I can come up with a way to test. I don't *hear* any exhaust leaks either. This is the first time I have used an internal wastegate actuator type. I have it adjust "tight" on the flapper valve, but sure how tight is tight enough.

The only other thing I can add is that even tho the turbo spools slowly, once it does, the amount of power/torque feels appropriate to me for the boost level. It doesn't feel down on power at all.

I would like to keep the internal wastegate for simplicity's sake. Millions of OEM cars use them reliably. I don't see why I cannot.