i just finished installing a boost gauge, and im maxing out at 11 psi and hold steady to redline. the car has a k&n intake and muffler delete pipe.
i know the car should build more boost and i need help diagnosing the problem.

i heard there are two boost pills, can someone tell me where is there exact location?

thanks in advance

 

Check your vacuum lines or maybe search I can't tell you how many threads like this I've seen good luck.

 

I would start off first by doing a boost leak test...then work off from that.

 

Where are the two restrictor pills located ?

 

Maybe you over boosted, and the ecu went to safe mode. boost sol. is under the intake box.

 

There are a couple of potential problems.
1. you may have the lines backwards that go from the turbo & wastegate to the boost control solenoid. If the vacuum lines that go from the turbo & wastegate are not original, then they wont have the restrictor pills.
2. Do you have a boost controller?
3. check the boost control solenoid and see if its pluged in. As stated above its on the driver side fram rail beneath the airbox.
4. 10-11 psi is the stock wastegate actuator pressure opening point. Give more details i.e. Did you do any recent mods? How long have you had the car/was the boost at a normal level before? any details will help. James

 

Sorry for the double post. I tried reposting because the post wasnt showing up. James

 

Do a boost leak test. If no leaks are found, check that the vac lines to boost controller are correct. If that turns out fine, check your cat. A busted cat could cause a clog. When my cat went out I would only hit 11 psi also and hold it till redline. Took a while to figure out it was the cat.

 

history of the car:
when first bought the car i had to change the ecu cause it was burnt, the car was stock other than a k&n intake. got the car running all work was done at dealership.
the car feels fast and pulls hard to redline. even other evo owners thats been in it didnt believe the car was stock. i added a muffler delete pipe and a test pipe and installed a boost gauge just to monitor boost. to my surprise and everyone else the car is only boosting 11 psi.
i tightened intake clamps and checked the lines going to the boost solenoid and seemed ok.
whats worth mentioning is that the ecu is a used one and from what i figured out is that the launch control been raised to 7200rpm and i took the car to about 7800rpm and didnt hit the rev limiter.
also i can feel the restrictor pill next to the bsc

thanks for the help guys

 

Maybe you have a faulty gauge....

 

wish i did , tried two different boost gauges same reading

 

Ah bummer, at least it sounds like something simple.

 

Hi, as stated, you're only getting actuator pressure suggesting either a seized/faulty actuator or the pipes from the boost solenoid fitted wrongly. Or a faulty boost solenoid of course....if it's a 3 port, then not unlikely. I'm on my 3rd in a year!

Can't understand how the car could feel fast with boost as low as this? Does it feel slower since you fitted the gauge....what I mean is, have you possibly plumbed the gauge in such a way that you've caused a boost leak, or aren't getting a true reading?

 

OI'm starting to believe its the solenoid. The car felt the same before and after the gauge installation. I connected to fpr both lines got the same reading.
After I installed the test pipe boost start rising after 6000 rpm and it reaches about 14 psi at 7500.

 

Did it seem slower after the boost gauge install?