Hi Guys (& girls),

 

I have been experiencing some very strange symptoms when messing with my boost controller.

 

Basically, it is overboosting when the EBC is on. I have fiddled with all of the settings and have even had an expert play with it as well (you know who you are!).

 

This has led me to think that maybe one of the wastegate actuators could be sticking. :confused:

 

However, when I turn the EBC off I get the normal 7psi safety boost. This doesn't make sense to me as I would imagine if it was a sticky wastegate then the pressure would not stop at 7psi and it could overboost regardless of whether the EBC is on or not. :confused:

 

The final strange thing is that when the duty cycle of the EBC is set to around 24% I can get up to around 9psi of boost then if I increase this to 25% it will overboost all the way up until it starts detting!!! :cry:

 

How can a 1% change in duty cycle affect the boost so much? bearing in mind the gain and set gain parameters are sensible? :confused:

 

Any help gratefully received...

 

P.S. I think this is a mechanical fault not a fault with the EBC as it was previously set up fine but has just started to overboost.

The standard Boost Solenoid Control Valves (BSCV) actually enable raised boost given certain circumstances, like water temp is >60 deg C etc, so without those, and assuming that your wastegates are working then you should always max out at 7psi (or thereabouts).

 

These solenoids are disconnected (or should be) when the EBC is installed.

 

This is one of the reasons why the 'safety boost' term is confusing. It's not, it's standard boost and extended boost.

 

Not saying this is your problem, but it does explain some of the symptoms you describe above.

The standard Boost Solenoid Control Valves (BSCV) actually enable raised boost given certain circumstances, like water temp is >60 deg C etc, so without those, and assuming that your wastegates are working then you should always max out at 7psi (or thereabouts).

 

These solenoids are disconnected (or should be) when the EBC is installed.

 

This is one of the reasons why the 'safety boost' term is confusing. It's not, it's standard boost and extended boost.

 

Not saying this is your problem, but it does explain some of the symptoms you describe above.

The solenoids have been disconected.

I know it is not safety boost because it has not affected the timing or fueling. But it is not this that is strange!

 

It is the overboosting that is strange!

could be a faulty boost controller or its soleniod.

could be a faulty boost controller or its soleniod.

 

Right, which explains my point about being stuck at 7psi when the boost controller is off.

could be a faulty boost controller or its soleniod.

You could have it there!

 

Right, which explains my point about being stuck at 7psi when the boost controller is off.

Sorry Andy, I don't know if my previous comment came out the wrong way and I apologise if it did.

 

So - Is there any way to test whether my EBC solenoid works properly?

easy way to check is to turn off the ebc and fit 1.2mm boost jets and see if the wastegate has any problems then, if not its a ebc fault somewhere

What EBC is it? I have an Apexi/Greddy solenoid I'm not using if you wanted to borrow one to test.

Oh & I'd bypass the vacuum lines so they don't go through the stock boost control solenoids as well.

You could have it there!

 

Sorry Andy, I don't know if my previous comment came out the wrong way and I apologise if it did.

 

 

Not at all, just trying to help direct your thinking.

Oh & I'd bypass the vacuum lines so they don't go through the stock boost control solenoids as well.

The stock solenoids have been disconnected for a while now.

 

It is a Greddy Profec B Spec II controller.

 

If you have a spare solenoid for this I would love to borrow it and test my setup. I will PM you.

 

Thanks to all...

Mine had a pipe pop off but it would overboost regardless of whether the boost contoller was on hi lo or off.

 

Yours doesnt sound like the same problem i had, but if i were you id trace all the small piping, make sure nothing has come off, cos if it turns out to be that its a nice cheap fix.

Now I am experiencing overboost occasionally when the controller is OFF.

 

I presume this must be sticky wastegates. What else could cause this to happen?

 

Thanks again, Mike...

i'm assuming all the plumbing is all correct??

 

most likely a sticky wastegate or a solonoid fault, you can put air throught the solonoid to see if its clicking ok?

 

Mike

i'm assuming all the plumbing is all correct??

 

most likely a sticky wastegate or a solonoid fault, you can put air throught the solonoid to see if its clicking ok?

 

Mike

I am assuming the plumbing is correct because it was working well until recently and all tubing seems to be attached.

 

Also - I have tried a replacement boost controller solenoid and I have the same problem.

 

How easy is it to replace the offending sticky wastegates/actuators?

I am a mechanical novice.

 

Thanks,

I am assuming the plumbing is correct because it was working well until recently and all tubing seems to be attached.

 

Also - I have tried a replacement boost controller solenoid and I have the same problem.

 

How easy is it to replace the offending sticky wastegates/actuators?

I am a mechanical novice.

 

Thanks,

 

no its not easy as there not very accessable, may be worth connecting a commpressor to the boost pipe and try blowing to free up the wastegate?? if not then good luck :D

no its not easy as there not very accessable, may be worth connecting a commpressor to the boost pipe and try blowing to free up the wastegate?? if not then good luck :D

Great :(

 

I understand that using a compressor could diagnose that one of the wastegates is sticking but I did not know it could cure the problem.

 

Time to call the mechanic I think...

Update,

 

It turns out there were a couple of hoses that were not in perfect condition, these have been replaced but have not made any difference.

 

Basically it will happily sit at 7psi when the EBC is off.

 

Then it will overboost when the EBC is on (regardless of settings).

 

After I have turned the EBC off it will continue to overboost. I presume that this is because one of the wastegates/actuators gets stuck when hot.

 

If I leave the car for a couple of days it will happily go back to 7psi.

Can anyone think of anything stupid I may have overlooked?

 

I desperately want to sort this out. Thanks again, Mike...

If its boosting at 7psi with the pro spec 2 turned off then your actuators are fine and no leaks etc. The reason its boosting to 7psi is because thats when the boost presure overcomes the springs on the actuators and they open. When you turn on the ebc its solenoid is opening and causing the leak. If its not controlable then you have a faulty ebc or controller I'd say. Are you still running with the stock solerniods disconected? Are the electric plugs still connected to them or have the boost pipes and electrics been disconnected from them?

If its boosting at 7psi with the pro spec 2 turned off then your actuators are fine and no leaks etc. The reason its boosting to 7psi is because thats when the boost presure overcomes the springs on the actuators and they open. When you turn on the ebc its solenoid is opening and causing the leak. If its not controlable then you have a faulty ebc or controller I'd say. Are you still running with the stock solerniods disconected? Are the electric plugs still connected to them or have the boost pipes and electrics been disconnected from them?

Thanks but I have an overboosting situation when the controller is OFF, but only if I have turned it on and then off again.

 

It is a bit complicated but I presume when it runs at higher boost something mechanical is sticking shut. then when I turn off the EBC I still get the same problem until the car has cooled down again.

 

Can you help exaplain this?

Do you have the EBC solenoid installed in a location where it can get wet ? (as this will kill the solenoid after a while)

 

if you disconnect the EBC solenoid when it's in *overboost* mode, does it return back to safetyboost immidiately ?

if yes, the EBC itself is the problem

if not, it's probably the solenoid as you already seem to have checked/replaced all hoses

Do you have the EBC solenoid installed in a location where it can get wet ? (as this will kill the solenoid after a while)

 

if you disconnect the EBC solenoid when it's in *overboost* mode, does it return back to safetyboost immidiately ?

if yes, the EBC itself is the problem

if not, it's probably the solenoid as you already seem to have checked/replaced all hoses

Hi Eric,

 

The EBC solenoid is in a place where it could potentially get wet, but I have already tried a second EBC solenoid in case and this produces the same results.

All hoses have been checked by myself, john dixon and martyn so this should not be the problem.

 

I presume it is acuators or wastegates but it is strange how it does not overboost if I don't turn the EBC on at all.

It only happens if I turn on the EBC (regardless of settings) or after I have turned it off.

 

I want it fixed :mad: :( :mad:

> I have already tried a second EBC solenoid in case and this produces the same results.

 

sounds like the EBC is faulty then...

 

I don't think it's a problem with your wg actuators

sorry for the quick thread hijack! Can anyone supply a pic of the location of the stock boost solenoids-Im getting similar symptoms and suspect Im still hooked up to stock solenoids!

Thx you

 

...back to the thread...ahemmm :rolleyes:

> I have already tried a second EBC solenoid in case and this produces the same results.

 

sounds like the EBC is faulty then...

 

I don't think it's a problem with your wg actuators

It seems strange that the EBC could be the problem when it also happens when the EBC is off? :wack:

 

I'm confused...

try running a new piepe from you ebc solenoid completely to your actuator( a lot of people when fitting the controller just hijack the original pipe and disconnect the original solenoids leaving the original boost control equipment in place just deactivated, it may be that there is a problem in this equip) it may help but cant garauntee it but might be worth a try to see bud, HTH