damandblast

iTrader: (7)

Well, I have now had my car coming up to 3 months and from day one I have always thought she wasn't boosting right. So I brought an Autosport boost gauge and fitted that around 3 weeks ago.

I Have an STI V3 import (MY96) pre-facelift body, facelift engine as it was the dec 96/97 cross-over.

Now according to my boost gauge she is only boosting at 8/9psi (actuator spring pressure if not mistaken) when she should be around the 16psi mark.

The previous owner had changed some of the pipe work around and I noticed that there was no brass-pill in the pipe coming from the turbo to the boost solenoid prior to the T-pipe, so I brought a 1mm brass-pill and also a 0.8, currently using the 1mm and have that in the pipe (again made no difference)
The car also had every-pipe from the boost solenoid going to the wrong place when I first brought it and had been ran that way for awhile I believe.

Now I have had two errors on the ECU - Idle control and MAF sensor, now I believe the idle is coming up due to running a bailey BOV which may be leaking air (could be the boost problem?) as it doesn't sit over the TMIC hole correctly and I've had to use a temp sealant on the BOV to prevent an airleak.
I do have a HKS SSQV but I need an adaptor to fit it onto a V3 STI running a V6 STI TMIC.

So far no matter what I do I can't find any major airleaks or hear any hissing sounds, nothing from the BOV, Intercooler, airbox system, and no major signs of problems from the underside of the car i.e. headers/up-pipe.

So to sum it up...I have a bad idle (drops low or idles high) I have hessitation on power which would be the MAF, I only have 8psi boost rather than 16 and I'm running out of ideas on what to do...

So where can I get an orange label MAF sensor without the £300/400 price tag, where can I get an adaptor for the HKS SSQV (old version with adjuster) to fit a new age TMIC and where should I be looking for air-leaks and is there anyway/anything else that would reduce the boost to half (not in limp mode as there is no warning/engine lights on)
Which also results in slow spool up time (VF23 turbo) which should be rather quicker, won't be boosting up till 4,000rpm.

Any helps is welcome as it's beyond me lol, going for a simtek hopefully soon so I can remove the MAF.

Suggestions fully welcome, could use them!

Cheers

Jamie.

clark822

hiya have you taken the vaccum feed from the manifold ?

damandblast

iTrader: (7)

Checked most lines from the inlet manifold but unsure if there is anything i'm missing...

clark822

There is a diagram on here somewhere that shows the layout for the boost valve think its under boost solenoide cleaning search that should help where have you got the vaccum feed from your gauge connected to ?

damandblast

iTrader: (7)

Yes, seen that. I believe all the pipe work of the solenoid is sorted.

Boost gauge is connected to the pipe that runs from the inlet block to the solenoid.

damandblast

iTrader: (7)

Would losing pressure in the exhaust cause low boost? May have a blow in my downpipe to center section join as the gasket needs replacing.

Also where can I buy boost pipes from? Hosing that is for things like the dump valve & also all the boost solenoid pipes, pref in red