Precision-Turbonetics NX2 turbo EcoBoost build thread

[Interceptor]

Good catch.

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[Miadhawk]

Sorry to hear about the head gasket issue, good thing you take care of it early!! I will be on the lookout once it's warm enough here to take the Mustang back out and finish the tuning.

 

[5.0yote]

OK, let me share with you guys the problem that I run into.

About 3 to 4 weeks ago, I started hearing a noise everytime on part throttle, between 3500 and 4000 rpm on gear change (either on D or S). Initially I thought it was an issue with the transmission. I took the car to a friend of mine who is a mechanic and he told me that this noise is detonation! This got me worried.

A couple of days ago, on Saturday, I took the car for a long drive, about 210km each way. An Audi started following me at 180kph (112mph), so I did a wot to show him some real muscle (lol). The Accessport was connected on the car, because I was monitoring knocks on cylilders 1 to 4 and ignition timing correction on cylinders 3 and 4. During that wot I noticed a major negative correction on cylinder 3 (-6.5). So next I decided to do a datalog while on the highway and I did another wot. At around 220kph (137mph), the car went to limp mode and the AP recorded multiple knocks on cylinder 2 and 3...

The datalog was sent to my tuner who told me that the headgasket is probably staring to go. I changed the spark plugs, just to rule them out, but I still had detonation on gear change at 3500 to 4000 rpm. Apart from this detonation, the motor feels fine, like before.

I took the car to the dealership and they will install the JE Pro Seal headgasket and ARP headstuds next week.

I believe that the stock block cannot take the extra power even of a drop-in turbo. I had a near-ecoboom experience and I was lucky enough to avoid the worst... If you want my advice, an upgraded headgasket and headstuds should at least be installed alongside the PTE or any other drop-in turbo. Although forging the engine with upgraded pistons and rods would be the ideal way to go.

However I would like to hear your ideas on the above. What could be the cause of the detonation that I hear on gear change at part throttle between 3500 and 4000 rpm? And why do I get knocks on cylinders 2 and 3? Is it really the headgasket?

I appreciate the input. Also this is the link to the datalog I referred to above:

@Juben @Glenn G

Well its odd to me how many people wonder about knock and ping and see error correction and never look at the Fuel first. I can tell you my story with my EBM taking to the dyno one day, the night before I was just getting the last final tune revision from Tune+ on my big turbo. Everything was fine. Next morning not thinking I stopped at my local gas station with a Dunkin Donuts and got my morning joe, and for some reason did not think about it, I got gas there. I went to the dyno and had exactly the problems you stated. Lots of knock and pinging, and I was getting significant timing corrections on random cyls. Needless to say the dyno did not go well, and after scratching my head, the only that had changed from the night before, was a really poor tank of gas in the morning.

I would always start with fuel, then plugs, then so and and so on. Now I only take my car to the same two stations I trust, and do not screw around during the winter in a state that has normal winters. Winter fuels are garbage. Or get your car on Methanol.

As far as what it can handle, it seems to be a crap shoot.

 

[MakStang]

Thanks for the input @5.0yote . In my case it was neither the fuel nor the spark plugs. It was a defcetive head gasket. It seems that coolant was leaking in cylinders 1-3. Cylinder 4 was the only one with no issue. As I said above, they checked everything (pistons, rods, even the cylinders for possible deformations) and fortunately there is no damage whatsoever. They have now prepared the head and they are ready to put it back on, with the upgraded head gasket and headstuds.

I hope to have her back before the end of the month.

 

[Hellman109]

Im looking at doing headgasket / head studs as preventative maintenance fairly soon, Id rather stop a problem before it becomes a big problem.

 

[MakStang]

Do it. I went with the JE Pro Seal headgasket and the ARP 2000 head studs. The Supertech headgasket is an equally good alternative.

 

[Cardude99]

Isn't the labor if changing out the gasket and studs enough to justify just building the motor?

 

[5.0yote]

Thanks for the input @5.0yote . In my case it was neither the fuel nor the spark plugs. It was a defcetive head gasket. It seems that coolant was leaking in cylinders 1-3. Cylinder 4 was the only one with no issue. As I said above, they checked everything (pistons, rods, even the cylinders for possible deformations) and fortunately there is no damage whatsoever. They have now prepared the head and they are ready to put it back on, with the upgraded head gasket and headstuds.

I hope to have her back before the end of the month.

Glad to hear it is working out, yeah I was just pointing out people seem to overlook fuel too. =)

 

[krack999]

Wow, good catch... and, my hats off to your tuner (Tune+) for having enough experience to make a good troubleshooting recommendation. I bet a lot of the ecoboom issues are probably related to faulty head gaskets as well.

 

[Hellman109]

Isn't the labor if changing out the gasket and studs enough to justify just building the motor?

Shipping the motor alone would cost more, I'm in Australia. I don't think there are any local engine builders for this platform.

By the dollar amount my mechanic said it's 4-12 hours labour, the massive range is due to them not doing it before (but they're Mustabg specialists and do plenty on the V8 engines, plus I bet zero places here have done it).

I can get the parts reasonably cheap by shipping around, but total cost in USD will be about 1-2k depending on labour I'd suspect.

Shipping on the short block is probably the same.

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

I'm really curious about the boost curve of these turbos. Can anyone provide some insight or a datalog? Curious how spool up compares to stock turbo.

 

[MakStang]

It spools at pretty much the same rpm as the stock turbo. That’s what makes this turbo a great choice. I am fitting a downpipe so I will have to make another round of datalogs for Adam. I will post the results here as soon as I do that. But first I will have to take the car back from the dealership after all the work is done.

 

[MakStang]

Isn't the labor if changing out the gasket and studs enough to justify just building the motor?

All work is done under warranty, so I am not paying anything (well just the new headgasket and headstuds).

 

[MakStang]

Wow, good catch... and, my hats off to your tuner (Tune+) for having enough experience to make a good troubleshooting recommendation. I bet a lot of the ecoboom issues are probably related to faulty head gaskets as well.

Yeah, Adam was able to diagnose a faulty headgasket as soon as I sent him a description of my issues. Yes, a faulty headgasket is the reason behind many ecobooms. Faulty headgasket means coolant and oil in the cylinders.

 

[Hellman109]

I'm really curious about the boost curve of these turbos. Can anyone provide some insight or a datalog? Curious how spool up compares to stock turbo.

Here are two datalogs, blue is NX2, red is stock turbo. Identical mods otherwise, tune was obviously changed between them. Take the power figures with a grain of salt due to being from accessport logs and virtual dyno, but the boost stats are a straight graphing. Stock turbo was colder weather too.

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