WTF only 15PSI.......Ideas needed

[7speed]

Well yesterday I was driving and popped off a boost coupler (Turbo to charge pipe) . So I went to Forge Motorsport and baught a coupler with the hump in the middle. I installed the new coupler thinking that would solve the problem. WRONG .

So here's the deal, my car will boost fine up until 15PSI, then it just holds at 15PSI.

Do you guys have any Idea why ? I dont have any loose hoses and nothing has changed from when I was boosting 23-24PSI

HELP.

[Condo]

Isn't the default wastegate setting 14.7 psi? Do you have an MBC or N75? Could be a problem with either one or a the boost signal/wastegate hoses.

[7speed]

Yah Im using a Apex'i AVC-R. I set it to 3 bar and I'm still only getting 15psi

[Condo]

That's what I'm running too. Sounds like the COM or NO line may have come loose. If not, double check to see if they are run to the correct places. Where you running it with your 28r also?

[A4 TSCHUSS]

Isn't the default wastegate setting 14.7 psi? Do you have an MBC or N75? Could be a problem with either one or a the boost signal/wastegate hoses.

nope, If I put my car to stock it will run 10psi. And a wastegate hose would just never open the wastegate if it was broke therefore it WOULD boost very high.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

since both of you have the APEXI, how hard was that thing to hook up? I had an APEXI super AFC in my last car and it had tons of wires that had to be tapped into the ecu. What all does that ebc have for wires needing to be connected?

[7speed]

That's what I'm running too. Sounds like the COM or NO line may have come loose. If not, double check to see if they are run to the correct places. Where you running it with your 28r also?

Ill check those, but I think they are still connected.

[7speed]

since both of you have the APEXI, how hard was that thing to hook up? I had an APEXI super AFC in my last car and it had tons of wires that had to be tapped into the ecu. What all does that ebc have for wires needing to be connected?

I only hooked up like 4 or 5 wires
-Ground
-Power
-RPM (I think)
-I forgot the other 1

[Condo]

I had shop install mine but I've messed with the wiring enough to know that it isn't very hard to install. There is the power wire, two grounds, and the RPM wire for our car. The AVC-R can use other info but the signal from our cars isn't compatible.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

is that all there are or you just used that many which wont allow for full functioning of the unit?

[Condo]

Ill check those, but I think they are still connected.

One of those two kept coming loose and I could only get 15psi.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

ok so that seems pretty easy then. You can use the boost for each gear or rpm and all that good stuff?

[7speed]

Im gonna check right now !

[A4 TSCHUSS]

I only hooked up like 4 or 5 wires
-Ground
-Power
-RPM (I think)
-I forgot the other 1

where do you get an rpm signal?

[7speed]

Im gonna check right now !

Nope

[7speed]

where do you get an rpm signal?

IIRC there is a purple wire in the main wiring harness to the ECU, and there is a blue wire in the Driver's side kick panel

[Condo]

There are a few wires that can't be used: Throttle signal, injectors, and speed. You can get the speed to work if you buy a speed pulse generator or a converter for the signal from the ECU. You won't be able to vary boost by gear without it.

I have an 02 and I'm missing the wire from the ECU for the RPM's. I tapped one of the coil pack wires at the ECU and set the engine to 1 cylinder. I can post a pick of the wire you'll need to tap if your car is later than an 02.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

hmm... always wanted to get an ebc but never could figure out what I wanted but would kinda like one that is digital to actually set a specific number instead of just turning a dial and watching a gauge to get it close to what I want.

How does it do for being consistent? Do you have to play with them much like on a hotter or colder day does the boost always stay accurate or do you need to adjust gain or anything?

[Condo]

hmm... always wanted to get an ebc but never could figure out what I wanted but would kinda like one that is digital to actually set a specific number instead of just turning a dial and watching a gauge to get it close to what I want.

How does it do for being consistent? Do you have to play with them much like on a hotter or colder day does the boost always stay accurate or do you need to adjust gain or anything?

It was consistent once I got the settings figured out. I had to get the boost and duty cycle correct over the RPM range.

[[email protected]]

What is your wastegate spring value?

I suggest you turn off the EBC and run on the spring value to have this as your baseline. It is hard to troubleshoot anything without knowing if the system does work properly or not.

My spring is 9psi so if I turn my Profec off it'll hit only 9.

[7speed]

The wastgate is on the turbo

[[email protected]]

My bad.

I'm brainwashed into thinking everyone has an external wastegate.

Any idea what your value is?

[7speed]

I have no Idea, Im going to check a few things here in a little while

[A4 Moda]

It's not your EBC>

It's your N75 man. It's toast.

[7speed]

My n75 is unplugged. Well I just finished re-installing my whole TIP and DV setup, and I still can't boost past 15LBS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jcg05c]

Good luck sam. Wow our cars sound like such trouble when going bat.

[dougyfresh]

Sam,
Have you done a boost leak check?

What setting do you have your SPS3 set to? Have you logged requested-vs-actual boost or are you just going by your boost gauge?

Once those are done and says things are good then turn off the Apexi. You should be then running off the wastegate spring (even though its an internal wastegate). Should be around 12 or 14psi if I remember. If you're hitting that then your root cause is how the Apexi EBC is hooked up.



David,
Is your car a 2002? John (condo) just sent me a bunch of Bentley images of the 2002 ECU connections. My goal is to try and find the RPM wire for the 2002 ECU to hook up my Apexi AVC-R. Like John said in post 17, we can't use boost-by-gear unless we have some signal converter. I want to do this down the road. Once my engine is back in my car I will be hooking up the wires and lines for my AVC-R. Until then I can't be of any help.

[7speed]

Okay I unplugged my AVCR and still hit on 15PSI, so Im guessing that my AVCR is not working properly. I dont understand though because I have not channged anything.

[jcg05c]

^ why dont you just take it to dave? Maybe he might take a free look since you did buy the setup off him?

[dougyfresh]

Okay I unplugged my AVCR and still hit on 15PSI, so Im guessing that my AVCR is not working properly. I dont understand though because I have not channged anything.

What year is your car? What wires did you connect and to where? How did you hook up the solenoid valve and pressure gauge?

[7speed]

The ebc had been previously installed and was working properly so there should be no reason for it not work now. I have an 03'.

Wastegate to the COM port
Tip to the NO port

[dougyfresh]

'COM' looks good.

'NO' should go to your boost tap on either the turbo compressor housing or your FMIC charge pipe.

[7speed]

Okay i justr ran the car with the EBC off and I only hit 10psi, with the EBC on I hit 16psi, Im guessing that my my ebc is screwed somehow.

So the no should be getting vac ?

[A4 Moda]

How about your TIP? Could that be collapsing?

[7speed]

no the tip is hard pipe

[[email protected]]

Okay i justr ran the car with the EBC off and I only hit 10psi, with the EBC on I hit 16psi, Im guessing that my my ebc is screwed somehow.

So the no should be getting vac ?

Check all your wiring as something may have come loose unless you soldered all of the connections.

Check for any shorts or possible boost leaks? Did you clamp all of the ends of the hoses? It is possible that an unclamped hose end might be expanding when under pressure and letting the boost leak out.

[dougyfresh]

Okay i justr ran the car with the EBC off and I only hit 10psi, with the EBC on I hit 16psi, Im guessing that my my ebc is screwed somehow.

Now that these results are different than the last ones when you turned off the EBC.... Go do a boost leak check first to rule out any mechanical leaks.

[jayt991]

What kind of dv do you have? I know that when my the rubber diaphragm in my Forge tears, I can't boost over 20 psi. Once I fix that, it's fine.

[7speed]

I don't have a vag com nor do I have access to one, so how do I do a boost leak test

[Condo]

Boost leak test.