3 Port Boost Solenoid -Benefits?
 

Need some advice. What is the actual benefit or profit of fitting a 3 port. I understand what it does to control the wastegate but if I dont have overboost, have good spool and boost is stable, why should I fit one of these? Would I see any real world benefits?

Thanks for the advice.

If you don't have any boost related problems, then no, you wouldn't see any real world benefits. However, if you were planning on a Tek 3 ECU remap, you might benefit from one then...

The 3 port solenoid has much better control of boost over the 2 port, I'm not sure why mayb one of the remappers will appear and enlighten us on that one.

You will not be able to fit a 3 port solenoid directly to your car without a remap as the duty on the 2 is different and it will totally tits up the way your car runs.

It's the sort of thing that you'd fit prior to a remap.

Hi Scott,

Is this your way of telling me your not happy with boost control? :)

The New Age cars (both WRX and STi's) have far superior boost control algorithms within the ECU. A 3 port is only really required on the classic JECS ECU'ed cars, where it imporves control considerably.

On your new age STi it's not necessary (I've not fitted a 3 port to any DENSO ECU'ed cars). However, did you fix your up-pipe leak yet? As mentioned during the mapping, I had to modifiy duty cycles to get target boost on yours because of the leak before the turbo. Once the leak is fixed, I expect it to overboost a little, which I can (ie, *should*) then trim back...... :)

Richard

Thanks Dowser, It was more of a curiosity question than anything as I have read and heard about people installing these and wanted to know why. It seemed to me like more hype than benefit.

Am off to see Tony tonight to find out about getting the up-pipe replaced but I am not experiencing any "noticable" side effects from the leak except for the det in 5th at around 7000rpm which is NOT a common driving speed... boost is stable and no spiking so seems no need to look further into a 3 port.

Rich it was due to me getting one for my GC8.

We wanted to know what they actually do, I will be getting mine at the GWRC next month, I now it needs mapping intothe ECU before it will do anything so we justed wanted to know what it actually did.

Hopefuly we will see you at Tuttlingen next weekend.

Steve

Sorry for highjacking, but how does the solenoid control the boost? (sorry im trying to learn as much as possible about every scooby related!)

Hi Steve,

Yep - improves control on the GC8. You may get away without a remap if you fancy fiddling with restrictor sizes, but confess to not having done this myself.

I still do all my classics with a Dawes though - even with the 3 port, control is not as good as the new age cars, and nowhere near as good as a Dawes.

Scott - you shouldn't be getting det in 5th unless the leak has gotten worse and the blowing gases are heating up something they shouldn't. Please get the up-pipe fixed ASAP so I can check it all out again!

Richard

Ollie, with my very limited knowledge of all things Turbo :D.

The boost solenoid is a device that controls when the wastegate opens on the turbo. This allows it to control the amount of air flowing past your exhaust turbine blades (on the turbo) and hence it controls how much air is pushed into your cylinders which is more commonly known as boost.

You will have to ask an expert what the 2 port or 3 port means exactly but my understanding is that a 3 port works faster than a 2 port thus allowing better boost control ( ie, stops spiking etc )

Dowser, I was told last Dienstag my UP-pipe was on its way ( from MRT Aust?? ) and yeah I am getting a lot of Det now at high loads. Its fine in 1st-4th but 5th and 6th are getting a bit worriesome, at Tuttlingen it was fine but on the way home I couldnt push it over 200kmh.