I have test pipes and I don't have a problem with boost. Hitting 7.5 to 8 PSI. Only problem I have is this cheap belt. Have to keep tightening it. The tensioner pulley is almost at its max. Does anyone know where I can get a better belt?

 

I can't imagine Z1 didn't check this, but you didn't mention the BOV. Mine was bad out of the box and I could only make about 4-5# and then only very briefly before it dropped back down. I replaced it with a new one sent from Vortech and everything has been perfect since then. When I dyno'd last March, I made around 380 rwhp with everything else stock. My G kicks *** and has been completely trouble free with about 5-6 K on the SC. Good luck.

 

How much does your BOV blow off when you let off the gas? Mine blows a shitload and for a long time. Does anyone know if it matters which way the BOV is installed? The directions say to install it so it vents toward the motor but the shop that installed it had to turn it 180 deg. so it vents toward the right tires because my Hotchkis sways were too damn big.

I know Z1 did alll the adjustments they could do on it. They also did something with a hose and a towel. I think they hooked a hose up toi the vent and placed a towel over it to see if it blowed of when it was supposed to and it did. I dont think they actually swapped to another one to see if that was exactly the problem.

 

Is does not matter which direction. I have had mine both ways. Away from the motor is susposed to help get rid of the whistle. I still installed a filter on the BOV to quite it down.

Are you getting the whistle from the BOV? If not then the BOV may not be working correctly. Do you have a filter on the BOV?

Jeremy

 

Mine has a brief (1-2 seconds), sharp output--not too loud or long, certainly not a "shitload". I don't think the direction it points matters as long as there's nothing obstructing the outlet. I'm sure you know that you can adjust the vacuum level at which it opens by the screw on top. Mine opens around 4-5".

Other advice: keep the toothed belt loose. The adjustable pulley should move easily with light pressure from your hand. Play should be about 1" up and down on the bottom of the belt. I tighten it just until the rackety noise stops. There's a noise sweet spot. Also, put zip ties on every vacuum tubing connection. Make sure you don't have any vacuum leaks that would turn into boost leaks when you floor it.

 

Z1 played around with the sdjustment screw Tuesday and it did not help anything. I know that when I am under heavy throttle and I let off, I get a brief extremely loud 2-3 second "pssssshhhh" but it also seems to kinda continue on longer than that after the initial vent.

And for the zipties, Autolabs did put zipties on the vac lines when they did the install. Again, Z1 did do numerous boost leak tests. They pressurized before and after the blower and fixed almost all leaks. They said that my new manifold had a very slight leak but they didnt feel it was anything to cause a 3 psi loss.

 

The nature of the blow off shouldn't have any effect on boost, but when you get to 4" vac or less the BOV should be totally silent and stay that way (under WOT) until you let off the pedal.

Now if everything is perfect under the hood, you may want to get your car dyno'd on a different machine. I like the DynaPak very much--bolts onto the rear wheels and eliminates all sorts of confounding variables that crop up with inertial dynos.

 

The issue is not his DYNO numbers it is the limited amount of BOOST he is able to achieve.

 

Exactly!

Do you guys think that some of the reason I am getting such low boost numbers is because of the fact that I have headers, test pipes and a true dual exhaust system?? I know Vortech says its the test pipes which I guess coupled with headers and the exhaust creates almost zero backpressure. I have seen guys running HFCs with the stock headers with no boost issues. So in theory, wouldnt running the OEM cats and the aftermarket headers be about the equivalent of the HFCs and OEM headers? Now I realize without flow testing all the OEM vs afttermarket headers, we will not actually know the difference in flow. And the same goes with the cats. Just an idea as this is what I am working on trying.

 

I posted this earlier...I had headers, Rt and no cats , stillen dual . I got 7.2 psi with the 3.12 pulley . I put on Crawford cats and I made 9 psi

 

I had a Injen exhaust with high flow cats and was getting 8.5 boost on the pulley that comes with the kit. The cats are pretty easy to change out. If I were you I would try that first.

 

I do remember you talking about this. When you were running only 7.2 psi, were your HP numbers also extremely low. I am ONLY getting 305HP @ Z1 and about 340HP @ Walker Dynotune. Which pulley is the 3.12? Is that the 8 or 9 lb one? At Z1 I hit 5.7 psi once and all other runs were around 5.0-5.3 psi.

 

Do you or did you have headers as well? This is where I am going to start. I just need to wait until the first of next month before a friend replaces his OEM cats with HFCs. I will then install those and hopefully they will be about the equivalent of what you are running! In theory anyway.

 

I had my g/f start the car this afternoon while I was under the hood and I heard what I think is the belt squeal. But this was just when first started. So I went and bought a Gates belt.

Also, is anyone experiencing tiny belt shavings getting all over the engine bay? Oh yeah, I almost forgot. One more thing I noticed this afternoon. The coolant hose (about 7/8" OD) that is routed behind the SC mounting bracket looksa like it is hitting a silver screw that is located underneath the bracket. Has anyone else experienced this? What did you do to fix this. I noticed the screw is eating into the hose and that will eventually rub a hole in the hose. I am trying to locate some type of rubber or something else to place between the screw head and the hose.

 

I was at 350whp on a MUSTANG dyno ...before and after I put the Crawford cat on.....350whp at 7.2psi and 350whp at 9psi . I dont call the pulleys by psi numbers . And Vortech doesnt either . They cant , and , we cant say you'll get 9psi with the 3.12 pulley because each set up is different . Get the Gates belt..part # K060930 . Put it on...tighten it up to less than 1/2 inch of play . Then see how much boost you get . You will have to tighten the Gates up again after about a week . After that , not very often.
I know its frustrating . I just couldnt believe I would lose that much boost with an open exhaust.....but I did
Your belt is more than likely slipping if you have checked out every thing . You said you have black dust from the belt every where . This shouldnt be happening . You need to go to the shop who did the install and tell them to fix the problem .The pulleys arent lined up right . A spacer washer may have been left out

 

I did get the Gates belt that you mentined, I just havent installed it yet. I want to wait until after I get the belt dust issue resolved. I looked at the alignment of the belt travel along the pulleys both with the car at idle and not running and they seem to appear aligned. If only the shop wasnt 85 or so miles away.

What do you think the odds are of the blower itself being bad? I asked Vortech and they said that was highly unlikely.

 

During dynotuning, the apparatus should be measuring boost against horsepower and torque as well as RPM. I'm presuming that this is how he found out his boost was running low. You always have to take into account that the measuring equipment itself is faulty.

 

True, but I have dynoed at 2 different places and both showed low boost. The first place showed a max of 6.1 psi and the other showed a max of 5.7 (ONLY 1 time).

 

The black dust is more than not . The belt rubbing on the bolts for the timing chain cover . That needs to be fixed before you worry about the boost level

 

i removed those bolts and grinded them down smooth