It's been 3 weeks now, and my STS kit is about to be shipped out. Thanks to goosegoose, I was able to pick up a used turbo and intercooler from the original kit for a good price. I then got a good deal on the STS kit w/o the turbo and fmic.

I'm doing the install myself. I just picked up some Deatschwerks 440cc injectors, although they are the older Bosch style so I might max them out around 350 hp.

I have some questions though, some of them STS specific, and some turbo noob questions - hopefully you guys can help me out.

Turbo Questions...

1.) The Garrett turbo that comes with the kit - do these tend to have a little side to side shaft play?

2.) Can the turbine housing simply be unbolted and removed in order to sand blast and paint? Would the high-temp engine paint work if I wanted to simply make it look nicer (instead of rusty)? I would do jet-hot, but I don't have the time and it's a bit pricey.

STS Questions...

3.) In the install manual, they run a vacuum line from the plenum all of the way back to the wastegate actuator. Can I just T off a hose from the reference port on the turbo to the wastegate actuator, and also run one line through the TXS BCS to the rear wastegate port?

Trying to figure out pros/cons of boost reference from pre throttle body and post throttle body.

4.) Should I mount the BCS somewhere near the turbo, instead of in the engine compartment?

5.) On to the PCV system. I'm going to be doing something different with the oil return line - it will be connected to the fitting tapped in the upper pan left over from my Vortech install. So, I'm not going to go the same route with the solenoid hooked up to the PCV crossover port.

However, I would like for the crankcase to have vacuum at all times. Looking at the install instructions, it seems as though the crankcase will see vacuum when not in boost. But as you start to go into boost the crankcase will actually be pressurized up to 1 psi, then the switch will kick in, blocking the boost from entering, and the PCV system will be closed when in boost. Of course, this depends on what they do with the driver's side breather tube, since they don't say in the instructions.

Anyways, I was thinking of running a hose from the driver's side breather tube back to the intake on the turbo so that there is always some sort of vacuum. I'll probably have to run a rather large hose back there, no?

Well, any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post w/o any pictures

- Jon

 

Oh, also - do any of you STS guys have a stock map that was sent with your UTEC from STS? I would have to pay $300 for it (which is lame), but I was hoping one of you guys kept yours. I'm going to be tuning myself, but I'm looking for a good starting point.

 

tried to answer some of them...

 

Chit you cant edit your pos after 5 mins...

Are you going to use Open Loop or Close Loop Boost Control? If you are using Open Loop then you don't really have to use both port of your wastegate. I'm only using one port and I dont suffer from any boost creep..

 

You mean axial shaft play? How much are you talking about? I really wouldn't worry too much about it unless its more than a millimeter. They build in some axial slop to account for materials expanding when the turbo is at rated temperature. This reminds me, I have always wondered why we(remote guys) didn't experience more smoking due to larger clearances associated with cooler turbos. Anyway, radial shaft play is a big problem on the other hand.

Go for it. Shouldn't hurt anything. Just don't paint anything that looks important.

The install manual is for a car without a boost controller running on the wastegate spring. If you didn't reference the manifold you would get less boost pressure than you expected because the reference wouldn't be "seeing" pressure after the charge air piping losses and intercooler losses.

You can reference wherever you want. The system is not going to change between the turbo, the intercooler and the throttle body. You will just need to tune for that reference. The UTEC BCS is pretty dumb. It just sits there and opens and closes at different rates that you tell it to. Some people get the closed loop stuff to work but I never did.

With a more sophisticated boost controller like a HKS EVC, I think the control algorithims are complicated but I really...I have no idea and it works just fine for me hooked up as per the instructions.

The distance between the engine compartment and the wastegate is a non-issue. However, it couldn't hurt to have the boost control junk back there. I would definetly put the MAP sensor on the manifold because that is what the engine is seeing.

4.) Should I mount the BCS somewhere near the turbo, instead of in the engine compartment?

I would check with STS. I have yet to hear of anyone having problems with the PCV system STS provides.

 

Sweet, got to love it when you type up a good response, click out of the text field, and accidentally hit the backspace key - and you lose everything. ARghhH!

Thanks for the response guys

For the boost reference, it makes sense that off of the turbo it would cause the wastegate to open sooner. However, I read somewhere else that you can actually rupture the diaphragm in the wategate if you have the boost reference post throttle body, since you will be going from 8 psi to -20 in/hg in a split second. However, if you guys aren't having any problems, then I should be fine.

As for the BCS, I have two options...

1. Run the boost reference line through the BCS, to the front wastegate port - leaving the rear port open. In this case, the BCS would block the air flow to create more boost, and open back up in order to open the wastegate (when boost reaches spring pressure).
2. Run one boost reference line to the front wastegate port, and another line through the BCS to the rear port. In this case, the BCS would remain open in order to create more boost, then close (restrict air flow) in order to open the wastegate (when boost reaches spring pressure).

So, I guess I don't know which way the TurboXS BCS is supposed to operate. Plus, which has the better fail-safe? If the BCS were to fail, or power cut to it, does it remain open or closed? I wouldn't want it to fail in the middle of a run, and not realize it until it's too late (although I will have an over-boost fuel cutoff on the UTEC). Maybe I'll call up TurboXS on this one.

And for the turbo - axial play vs. radial play - I don't know the difference All I know is that when you wiggle the compressor shaft it will move side to side (not hitting the housing though). Only moves a little bit, but you can hear it clicking side to side. Pushing down on it though, it does not move (does not push the turbine out). Goosegoose told me this was normal for these turbos - even his upgraded BB turbo did this.

 

JET (and others) on here talks about how important crankcase vacuum is for oil consumption and power. I really don't like the idea of pressurizing the crankcase when going into boost. I guess I'll see how the setup will function when I get the kit. But other than running another line to the rear, I would have to get a electric vacuum pump or something.

 

lol.. I thought you were talking about the turbo itself moving in the back... Anyways, you can use both option but I use option 1. I think Ahsmo run option 2 since he tried using close loop boost control. The Utec BCS uses RPM vs TPS so most of the time it is just pass through so you don't have to worry about loosing power or anything. If the BCS fail even with expensive unit, you dont really have many options. It is the same as your wastegate malfunctioning. Your best bet is make sure set your OverBoost Cutoff right since that is your last line of defense. I run 8psi and I set my Over Boost Cutoff to 10psi and made sure my map is tuned up to 10psi incase of the overboost or my Wastegate malfunction. By the way I have never hit my overboost cutoff and the most I have seen is a spike of 9.5psi when doing hard shifting to the next gear. The spike last for only for a very short time 200-300rpm on the next gear then boost goes back down to 8psi. Well the BCS is really not that fast to react in this cases..