Xendric

iTrader: (3)

My problems seem to have no end with this kit.
After being sent the wrong kit at first, then a misunderstanding on which pulley combination to use which led to pulley misalignment, now I've installed the kit but discovered on the dyno during tuning that I'm not getting the proper boost - only 6psi instead of 9psi for the revup motor.

Before you advise me to search the forum, I've done so, very extensively and I've tried everything but I haven't found a solution so far.
I've tightened the belts, I've even bought a replacement one by Gates.
I've pressurized the whole system in search for leaks.
I've checked the bypass valve.
I've cleaned the air filter and the pulleys for better traction of the belt.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I've read every thread regarding a boost problem with Vortechs and I have tried everything. One thing that seems very weird is that I pulled a boost/RPM graph out of the Haltech and it's a straight line. If I was leaking or the belt was slipping, it surely wouldn't be straight at all.

It appears to me, since the boost builds in such a linear way, that the pulley combination isn't the right one (32-teeth on the SC, 34-teeth on the jackshaft, 3.12" serpentine), which results in the blower not spinning fast enough to make boost at redline. But I've double-checked, maybe triple-checked with Jamie@Vortech that I'm running the right combination, so this shouldn't be it.

I'm located in Athens (Greece), which is a little bit over sea level. The temperature has been very low these days, so the 9psi mark should be easy to get.

I'm this close to throwing this whole kit out of the window, but I've just paid full price for a brand new tuner kit and I can't afford a turbo kit after this. Funny thing is I went for the Vortech because I read it was easy to install.

Is there any chance my mechanic has messed up the vacuum lines (or something similar) as it wasn't described in the manual? Do I have to do/change anything that isn't described in the manual, but is considered a no-brainer for FI installations, that my mechanic might have forgotten?

For the love of God, please tell me what you think...

Alex

PS: The graph below is in kPA. The 37kPA I made during the dyno pulls equals 5.36psi. 10psi = 1.45psi
I've got a little over this now (I've seen 6something psi), after replacing the belt and tapping a line that leads the unburnt fumes out of the intake plenum (not sure what you call that, my mechanic suggested we should do it).

whoojong

iTrader: (9)

what are you using to measure the boost and where do you have it tapped?

Jay'Z

iTrader: (118)

How do you know you actually have the right 9psi pulley kit..

Chef-J

iTrader: (58)

what mods are you running with?

Jay'Z

iTrader: (118)

Tighten up your bpv spring.. Maybe its too loose and ur losing boost past 6psi..

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

AEM boost gauge. It's tapped on the vacuum line that gives the reading to the Haltech as well, if I'm not mistaken.


Bone stock, as far as engine, intake and exhaust mods go, apart from an Apexi y-pipe back exhaust.

My engine is a revup. After a mess up in the first order, where I received a non revup kit, they sent me the right replacement parts. Between the manual, this forum and Vortech's customer support (who have been helpful so far), I believe I have the right pulley combination, even though all signs lead me to believe that is exactly the problem - the blower is not spinning fast enough. For reference, SC cog pulley is 32-teeth, jackshaft cog pulley is 34-teeth, serpentine pulley is 3.12". According to what I've known so far, this is a 9psi setup.


After some research on this forum, I've found out the sweet spot between a very loose and a very tight BPV spring is where there are 6-7 thread visible above the nut on top of the BPV, and that's exactly where it's sitting at the moment.

tylerxfire

iTrader: (15)

check the blowoff, to make sure its holding boost, but for one thing u should not be going by boost levels, i mean an exhaust on a vortech will lower the boost levels but make more power...so what power and torque are u making? is it normal or under normal what type of dyno also? like i said u are going by ur boost levels and that is not what u should be going by, also if u are logging u should see any kind of belt slip and etc. what are u reading these boost levels on anyway? whats ur a/f?

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

The blowoff is working perfectly, both in vacuum and boost.
The exhaust I'm using is a ypipe back, so basically a muffler. It shouldn't make any hp gains on a NA car and it shouldn't cause low backpressure. I only got it for the sound when I did, not for gains.

I was making about 325-330whp and I believe 40Nm of wtq. Not sure what the 40Nm translates to in lb/ft, but a stock revup car has 36Nm at the crank. I believe I should be getting at least 50-60 more whp on a revup and about 15-20% more wtq. This was a Dyno-comp I believe?

Not sure how the ECU would log belt slip to be honest. The low boost level was discovered by my tuner on the dyno while it was getting tuned. Then I installed an AEM boost gauge to check the boost while doing test runs to see if we made any progress.

My a/f is about 12 until 4.5k RPM and 11.4 after that until the redline at WOT. That's also on dual AEM widebands. If it makes any difference, my right wideband always reads leaner than the left one, except for when they drop below 12. Then they're about the same.

JET MECH

iTrader: (2)

A 3.12 serp pulley for a revup is equal to a 3.33 pulley for a non revup in respective boost output. the s/c jack shaft cog pulley you have for the revup is correct 32 s/c cog pulley, 34 j/s cog pulley. this is the reason i configured my revup kit with a non revup cog setup. it is not easy to due as i had to make a custom mounting plate with a additional idler pulley. but since i have done this mod i am making more boost lower in the rpm band with more max boost over all. 6 psi at 3500 rpm 14 psi by 6600 rpm with the blower being turned just a tick over 53000 rpm at a engine speed of 6600. here is a pick of the configuration i am running on the back of the head unit. BTW what is the field elevation there exactly? i am at 2100 ft here in LasVegas. if i can remember that far back, i think when i installed my kit completley stock i was producing around 7 psi at 2100 ft above sea level.

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

Forgive my ignorance but I don't quite understand what you're saying mate.
Can you explain?

Shouldn't I make 9psi with my setup. Vortech says I should, and so did I read here on this board.

Elevation is about 800-900ft in Athens. So it shouldn't have much of an impact on what boost I make.

iStan

iTrader: (29)

He's basically saying everything you have on is right.

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

Ahh ok.
Well, obviously there's still something wrong with it though.
Any chance it's something bigger than what we're looking for here?
Like defective supercharger, or something wrong in my engine's internals?

350Z400rwhp

iTrader: (4)

Have you pressure tested your engine? Search for "Homemade pressure test kit" Here is the link https://my350z.com/forum/engine-driv...-test-kit.html

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

Yes, mate I mentioned that in my original post.
Thanks though.

JET MECH

iTrader: (2)

A non revup up cog configuration is 28 s/c cog, 32 j/s cog. if you run the numbers on the vortech impeller speed calculator you will see that the non revup setup will run a higer rpm versus the revup. vortech put the 34/32 setup on the revup due to it having a higher redline than the non revup engine. thus they did not want to end up over boosting/over spinning the s/c. one more thing you could try is to pull off the 3.12 serp pulley and media blast the belt contact area. it may be glazed, this happened to me. once i media blasted the pulley it provided a better traction surface and improved on my belt slipping problem.

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

I read that somewhere, where someone sandpapered all the pulleys for better traction. However, he had to do it after using the setup for a while and dust has settled on the pulley grooves. Could this happen on a kit that was bought brand new and has only run for not more than 50 miles (was less than 10 miles when we got it on the dyno and first discovered the low boost).

However, because I had read that post, today I did a visual check on the serp pulley, and it seemed very clean.

tylerxfire

iTrader: (15)

ok, every dyno is different a car an make 350whp dyno dynamics dyno and close to 400whp dynojet dyno...with the rev-up cog setup and stock 3.12 pulley it is equal to the non rev-up setup with 3.33, so basically a stock z would see 8psi rev-up or non-revup, now if u have exhaust and breathing mods it is gonna lower ur psi, but make more power than u were at 8psi or whatever, so basically u are making more power with lower boost, then u upgrade the pulley to get back to the psi and make even more power...u have a y back, so u have a cat-back exhaust which would make a difference with boost levels.. u would see belt slip because the power band would level out i beleive, i havent had the luxury of having belt slip yet..
Honestly yes i beleive u are a little low on power, but who knows because of how dyno's read..what does a stock z dyno there? pressure test like others are saying is ur best bet and if u don't have any leaks and no belt slip id say its right...i have heard of the fuel lines getting mixed up though coming and going from the inline pump and causing problems..

tylerxfire

iTrader: (15)

were u ever dyno'd before going FI? if so what was it? and was it at this same dyno?

Xendric

iTrader: (3)

I didn't dyno my car before the Vortech installation, so I dont know. And there are very few Z's here, so I can't really compare or assess the gains with a NA Z on this dyno.

To my understanding, a ypipe isn't equal to a catback. The stock ypipe, which Im still using is generally more restrictive than an aftermarket y-pipe, smaller in diamater etc. A ypipe back exhaust shouldn't be causing low backpressure, I don't think.

I pressurized the whole system. There was a tiny leak on the MAF plug, but that was fixed. We maybe gained .5psi there, but it's much more than this missing. And after today we're 101% sure there aren't any boost leaks.

My Walbro fuel pump is not inline, it's in the tank. It can't be messed up as you describe.

I think 325-330whp on a revup running the 3.12" pulley is too low on any dyno, I think. And I'm 99% sure the dyno I was tuned on is on the generous side too. That's why I was expecting north of 370-380whp.

tylerxfire

iTrader: (15)

oh i though u replaced the y pipe too, ok so u have from stock y pipe back replaced, which would make a little difference still, not much though..and i don't know if u think ur 3.12 is a upgrade to ur kit or not, but that 3.12 is the stock pulley on a rev-up kit, which is basically 8psi pulley on a stock z...so u should expect a little lower than 8psi imo with ur setup...no other breathing mods plenum spacer or anything?..did u try to retighten the belt more and try again? whats the weather there when u are checking ur boost levels? and is the gauge off possible u are checking with or are u logging boost on the computer or something? maybe that is off? throwin ideas out there