3.7 Forced induction

[Patrick]

Any idea if the TurboSmart wastegates fit on the 2013 turbos? Everywhere I’m seeing says they only fit on 2011-12 F-150s.

Idk honestly, I had to modify the brackets to get them to fit on my 2011s. Send them an email and ask.

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[cobo10201]

Ok guys... I’m at a complete loss. Got a MityVac that does pressure and set both wastegates at 3 psi crack pressure. I made sure there were no obstructions or kinks in any of the lines. I am STILL making way too much boost. WOT in 3rd gear I’m getting 12-13 lbs at about 3k RPM.

My current boost control system setup:
Drilled and tapped driver-side turbo housing
Line from turbo to TurboSmart manual boost tee
Line from boost tee to plastic t-piece
2 lines from t-piece, one to each wastegate

 

[cobo10201]

Choices are ebc or new turbosmart wastegates. If your happy with 8-10 psi I’d get 5 psi turbosmart wastegates, set them to 7/8psi preload via might vac, run off the wastegate pressure only and lose the manual boost controller. Problem solved unless you have bigger issues besides wastegates. But I run 13’ turbos and turbosmart wastegates off wastegate pressure no problem. Holds steady wot 3rd gear pull 8psi from 2k rpms (where I mash it because I just wheel spin off idle) to 120 mph so far.

Pretty sure Kody had to end up using a EBC with the stock wastegates.

The ebc has the ability to control boost by rpm, how fast a turbo spools and different boost settings/levels.

I’m just confused. If the stock wastegates are set to 3psi, how is changing to the TurboSmart ones any different? Is there something special about the TurboSmart ones that open faster/wider?

I did see that Kody used the EBC, but even an EBC can’t set the boost lower than wastegate pressure.

 

[Patrick]

Ok guys... I’m at a complete loss. Got a MityVac that does pressure and set both wastegates at 3 psi crack pressure. I made sure there were no obstructions or kinks in any of the lines. I am STILL making way too much boost. WOT in 3rd gear I’m getting 12-13 lbs at about 3k RPM.

My current boost control system setup:
Drilled and tapped driver-side turbo housing
Line from turbo to TurboSmart manual boost tee
Line from boost tee to plastic t-piece
2 lines from t-piece, one to each wastegate

I’m just confused. If the stock wastegates are set to 3psi, how is changing to the TurboSmart ones any different? Is there something special about the TurboSmart ones that open faster/wider?

I did see that Kody used the EBC, but even an EBC can’t set the boost lower than wastegate pressure.

Take the boost t out and test if it is the problem or not. Run a direct line from the housing to the wastegates as short as possible. If you still have the problem then the boost t is not the cause.

 

[cobo10201]

Take the boost t out and test if it is the problem or not. Run a direct line from the housing to the wastegates as short as possible. If you still have the problem then the boost t is not the cause.

Sorry, meant to include that in my post. I did just that. Ran a line from the compressor housing directly to the plastic t-piece and still had the same issue. Making 12 lbs at WOT at about 3k RPM.

I’ll buy the TurboSmart wastegate actuators, but I’m just so confused as to why they will be any different from the stock ones if they’re both set to 3psi crack pressure...

 

[Patrick]

Sorry, meant to include that in my post. I did just that. Ran a line from the compressor housing directly to the plastic t-piece and still had the same issue. Making 12 lbs at WOT at about 3k RPM.

I’ll buy the TurboSmart wastegate actuators, but I’m just so confused as to why they will be any different from the stock ones if they’re both set to 3psi crack pressure...

I agree that it doesn't make much sense, if they open with the mityvac then they should open with regular boost.

Seems like the actuators aren't seeing the boost. Did you use all the actual lines and t fitting when you set the crack pressure to make sure there isn't a pin hole or some other leak in those lines? You could try t-ing in a boost gauge to see the actual pressure they are seeing when this happens. Maybe it could be that the spot you tapped isn't ideal or something.

 

[cobo10201]

what he said, run a straight line from the compressor housing to stock wastegate on each turbo and take the manual boost controller out of the equation. If the car still overboost your wastegates are to soft (which I would guess is the problem since ford uses a form of ebc stock to control the pressure to the wastegates).

Ok, I did that and still having overboost issues. So what you’re saying is that the TurboSmart wastegate actuators will operate differently than the stock actuators, despite both of them being set to 3psi?

 

[Patrick]

Ok, I did that and still having overboost issues. So what you’re saying is that the TurboSmart wastegate actuators will operate differently than the stock actuators, despite both of them being set to 3psi?

I don't see why. Their advantage is holding higher boost and maybe speed but that's not the issue you're having. How are you measuring boost btw?

 

[cobo10201]

I agree that it doesn't make much sense, if they open with the mityvac then they should open with regular boost.

Seems like the actuators aren't seeing the boost. Did you use all the actual lines and t fitting when you set the crack pressure to make sure there isn't a pin hole or some other leak in those lines? You could try t-ing in a boost gauge to see the actual pressure they are seeing when this happens. Maybe it could be that the spot you tapped isn't ideal or something.

Should’ve checked this first but didn’t think to. I unhooked the line from the compressor housing and attached the MityVac there. Pumped up to 10 psi and sure enough the needle is dropping very very slowly and there’s a faint hiss from the plastic t-piece. If I play with this lines around the t-piece the hissing gets louder and the needle drops faster, so that leads me to believe it’s a bad seal. I’m going to run to the auto parts store and see if I can find a slightly bigger t-piece and some better hose clamps.

I don't see why. Their advantage is holding higher boost and maybe speed but that's not the issue you're having. How are you measuring boost btw?

I’m using the SCT tuner in gauge mode to see the boost.

 

[Patrick]

Should’ve checked this first but didn’t think to. I unhooked the line from the compressor housing and attached the MityVac there. Pumped up to 10 psi and sure enough the needle is dropping very very slowly and there’s a faint hiss from the plastic t-piece. If I play with this lines around the t-piece the hissing gets louder and the needle drops faster, so that leads me to believe it’s a bad seal. I’m going to run to the auto parts store and see if I can find a slightly bigger t-piece and some better hose clamps.



I’m using the SCT tuner in gauge mode to see the boost.

Cool hope that's the problem!

Not familiar with the sct, just want to make sure it's reading actual boost (above ambient) and not gauge pressure.

 

[Patrick]

If you have the internal wastegates hooked up straight to the compressor outlet with no mechanical boost controller in the equation, the problem is your wastegate. Since the only thing controlling your boost is the wastegate at that point.

Not necessarily, he could have a boost leak in the lines, or his reference might not be accurate. He says the actuators are working when he manually applies pressure to them so there should be no reason why they don't work under normal boost pressure. If it's an exhaust issue then new wastegates isn't going to help either.

 

[Patrick]

What is this T you keep speaking of? If you are running straight wastegate pressure to each turbo there is no T. It’s a single line on each turbo from compressor housing to wastegate. Do that and take the car for a spin.

Only one of his turbo compressors is tapped for a reference, he's splitting that between the two wastegates. It's the way turbosmart's directions say to do it. The 2011 turbos I used have a factory tap on both of them so I used both.

 

[cobo10201]

What is this T you keep speaking of? If you are running straight wastegate pressure to each turbo there is no T. It’s a single line on each turbo from compressor housing to wastegate. Do that and take the car for a spin.

Only one of his turbo compressors is tapped for a reference, he's splitting that between the two wastegates. It's the way turbosmart's directions say to do it. The 2011 turbos I used have a factory tap on both of them so I used both.

Patrick is correct

 

[Patrick]

Patrick is correct

 

[Patrick]

yes I know that, I have the same exact instructions he has, you tap one compressor for the reference. You can separate them also if running two solenoids for ebc or two manual wastegate if you wanted to.

What’s that have to do with running straight wastegate pressure for each turbo? All you did was block off the boost controller T and let one compressor housing dictate the boost reference for both turbos and wastegates? Your not really isolating each turbo.

You asked what the "t" was, it's where the line splits into 2 for the wastegates

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