Hey guys, Anyone running forge actuators on an aps tt? What boost are you running? are you able to control the boost with a boost controller?

The reason I ask is this:

Back a few months back when I was installing my APS tt kit on my motor, I wanted to set the low boost at 18psi...well, I have the forge upgraded actuators (so one can up the boost) and forge happened to NOT have any actuator springs in stock that I needed -they were on backorder at the time- go figure

So, I used a pair of modified valve springs as actuator springs, I tested the actuators off the car to see when the wastegates would open, they were both dead on 18psi...I installed my motor, and tuned my car to 18psi, as the weather has gotten cooler, the 18psi has turned into 22 psi...and it fluctuates- 22 psi at torque peak, then 18psi at redline (so, I am planning to swap the springs this week- If I can get them)... Another thing/question...those of you that have been able to control your boost with a boost controller, what is the setup on the actuator? meaning; is there just one nipple per actuator? or two?

a little actuator description may help better understand my question:

my actuators came with a port with a external nipple-above the diaphram (furthest from the wastegate) and one port beneath the diaphram (this one was plugged).

When the manifold pressure exerts pressure above the diaphram, the pressure will overcome the spring and the wastegate opens... if the spring is set at 18psi, the wastegate should open at 18psi, more or less....

well, I never could get my boost controller to allow me to increase boost, back when I was running 18psi, I kinda just gave up on it (but now I'm ready to tackle the issue once again)...

so, in my long, drawn out explanation/question...can anyone share their setup with an aps tt and forge actuators, what psi rated spring are you running? how much boost are you able to make over the spring rated psi? how is your boost controller setup? do you utilize the one port above the diaphram only? or both? please share...

oh, I am running a blitz sbc-id

Thanks!
-TODD

 

I am having the exact same issue...I suspect blown diaphrams..

 

so you cant up the boost at all either? what spring are you running?

 

I had the same issue in my setup. I originally got the 10lbs springs and with the HKS EVR, the boost would not go beyond 13 psi. Sam then installed the 18lbs springs and boost would only go to 16 psi. He then put the 22lbs springs in and boost would go all the way to 21 psi. He tuned the car for 18 psi though and that's were my high settings on the EVR are.
For my daily 91 octane driving I have the boost controller set to 0 and boost holds steady at 14 psi

Sharif had mentioned that the Forge Actuators work very oddly with the aps system.
I know Zivman is having a similar issue.
so no answers here but you're not alone

 

From my experience, the Forge Actuators, when installed on APS TT kits, show about 2-3 PSI less than their published range. Todd, I think your best bet is the 15-20psi spring (I think its red...but I can check for you on Monday), and use the boost controller to raise it further from there.

 

i agree, ive had my forge actuator on my single setup for a long time, and ive adjusted it probably close to 50 times, and the numbers never seem right. right now i have the 9-15 psi spring installed, with it ALL the way down to 15 psi, i could only build 11-12. thats with my sbc-id set at 35 gain 20 on manual.

something fishy about the springs. ive also noticed that they dont slide smoothly, the rod sometimes hangs up in the actuator.

mine came with only one port, but i got an extra actuator from forge, so im thinking about putting that port in the one im using so i can run a dual port actuator. but i cant seem to figure out how to hook one of those up. nobody here on the site seems to know either. only problem i see with running both ports is that the bottom one wont be airtight because thats where the rod comes thru, and its not sealed at that point.

the red spring is 19-24 psi. hope you get it figured out.

 

I just got my car back. I am running 10 lb forge actuators on my setup - with 2.5" catback and 3.5" test pipes. The absolute most boost the car will make is not quite 17 psi at peak and 14 at redline.

With the 3" catback, I would think that another lb or two at redline would not be a problem. that said, the 3" is not for me.

My boost is controlled by an HKS EVC5

 

with all that said, i may just modify the valve springs that i was using, doesn't seem like waiting for the actual forge spring is going to give me any different level of reliability. I can take that existing spring down a bit and it will probably be a steady 20psi...

what is the deal with these things? just as I suspected, no one is able to control steady boost with these things (I'd like 20lbs at tq peak and 20 lbs at redline)

anyone else?

Thanks guys!

-TODD

 

thanks buddy, any personal expereicne with the forge actuators and sucessful steady boost at tq peak to redline?

Thanks

TODD

 

My situation is that I am unable to control boost AT ALL, Either rasing or lowering it for that matter..When I first installed them last year with the old heads exhaust and cams, I was able to see 12psi and turn it up to 14-16 psi..Now I only see a spike of 19 psi then they fall off to 16 psi across the board..On the road I sometimes see 20+ PSI! My problem is I am trying to lower the boost for drivability on the road and set up a new boost controller with scramble boost for launching at the track.
However, as of late, I have been unable to control boost either with an EBC or MBC. I replced all the vacume lines to the actuators, with no luck..Any time vacume from the motor is applied to the actuators they stay shut, and bleeding off air with a BC does nothing..I think my Diaphrams in the actuators may be leaking, but its a PITA to replace them..

 

Must admit, im finding boost a bit tricky to handle as well, with my 3" exhaust, Im finding that i spike up quite high in the lower gears, in the higher gears its not such a problem. Im running a gain value of 1 on the Blitz SBC controller, any higher and it spikes up too much.

 

my 2 cents ,you really have to pay a lot of attention to all the factors involving in making steady boost from spring preload to the correct spring rate in the actuators to a really good boost controller. after endless hours of adjusting on Thomas' car we finally got the boost to work and hold flawlessly ,and I mean it does work all the way from 14 PSI to 18 PSI . it took swapping spring a couple times ,then making preload adjustment a few times ,meaning we had to take the car off the dyno (pain in the *** ). but it was a good learning experience and we learned a lot from it ,the next one will be a peace cake .

Todd , as far as 20 PSI at redline with a utec, I think that is risky .let me know how it goes .

 

I think the the hks EVC boost controller will fix all these issues ,it has a lot more refined gain adjustment than any other boost controller out there ,you just have to utilize all of its capabilities .( in stock )

 

Hey Todd,
Im gonna call you back tommorow to discuss a better option than these forged actuators..I took both mine off to replace them cause I was unable to control boost at all, and found the Diaphrams in both had ripped.Thus allowing air to leak past, and giving me no control over them..I was running on springs only. Whic would yeald a peak of 18 then drop off to 15-16..Now I should be able to hold boost..I really would like to go external set up.
Ill post some pics of the carnage tommorow.

 

I dont think any boost controller will fix the issues were having..I tried everything from manual,to Greddy,to Dtec..The actuator set up simply was failing me at the time..

 

I read in the Forge installation manual, that you have to use a pre-TB vaccum source. If you use a manifold pressure source, they warn that the diaphrams can tear.

 

We were using the nipple on the intake pipe that the APS kit uses..its just before the MAF sensor on the underside of the pipe.

 

Todd, did you install it as MRC did?

In general, I hate actuators for high boost. Just another source of problems, IMHO.

 

One other thing we noticed, that may have been an issue...The connection of the arm of the actuator to the wastegate was cocked a bit, as if it got bent during install. This seemed to make it a bit difficult for the actuator on the drivers side to function properly..Dont know how much of an issue it was, cause we used to be able to go as low as 12psi on them and as high as 18 psi.Recently we have only been able to go as low as 16 psi and it would shoot way up to 20-22 psi, and obviously run out of fuel pressure on our current fuel system..Scary stuff..
What I plan on doing is running a Turbo XS D-tec boost controller and running it Gear dependent boost off the vehicles speed sensor on the tranny, so I can run 12-13 psi in 1st gear for traction and ramp the boost up as the car gains speed and traction. The only issue I see is if the Vehicles speed sensor will send a good signal to work with the Dtec, since it works of the CAN bus communication with the vehicles BCM, and has no output wire on the ECU to tap off..

 

This is exactly why I'm looking into an external setup. I plan on using the exhaust manifolds, dump pipes, and down pipes from the Extreme kit. Westpak said the manifolds are the same on both the standard and extreme kits. That means everything should bolt right up.

I emailed Irshad about purchasing the parts but he said APS hasn't released any pricing info yet.