If you buy a PTE Turbo with Internal Gate.....

[Onefast99gsx]

If you buy a PTE Turbo with Internal Gate, make sure you specify which actuator that you want. I just found out today, they have a 10lb & 18lb actuator. Apparently the amount that they can hold is about twice it's spring tension. Thus the 10lb, can hold approximately 20llbs. I only raced twice last year but I would jack the boost up after each run and she would goto like 25-26# for example and then crest off to around 20-21# or so. I went thru extensive leak testing much before the racing. I talked to ExtremePSI and i guess the lighter of the 2 actuators is the one that comes standard if not specified. That pretty much sucks because I now gotta buy the heavier one. I don't think these are cheap either. I did call PTE. They catalog them as 12-22 and 18-30lbs. 18-30lb actuator is the one i need.

Just a heads up for ya's..........

[niterydr]

Yup. The 18-30psi actuators are very serious. I have those on my car.

[Onefast99gsx]

Ok, Hung of ExtremePSI came back with this....

Hmm, you know what? I actually gave you the incorrect information in my
last email. All the internal actuators we sell from PTE is in fact the
Heavy Duty Internal actuator. Now that I think about it, most of my
customers who purchased the 50 trim with the internal actuator acheived
25PSI no problem.

----

So now he thinks I have the heavier one. Is there any way to test these Josh? I mean can you take them off and hold them on a scale and push down and see what # of pounds she begins to open or isn't it as simple as that? Does the vacuumn line need to be hooked up as well. I'd like to test it. I wouldn't know how to tell if it was a 10 or 18# by looking at it.

Thanks.

[JET]

Why not just pressurize your intake to 25psi and listen to see if the wastegate is opening?

[Onefast99gsx]

Yes, I guess that would be the smartest thing to do rather than tearing stuff apart This would be the same as a leakdown test, correct? Set #1 cyl at TDC, cap off the turbo inlet and pressurize the system ???

If so... I did this late last year and I could always hear bubbling in the oil pan. Sent turbo back under warranty thinking the seals were bad and they said they were just fine. Bubbling was normal. Hmmm...

[Onefast99gsx]

I just called a guy I met from dsmlink. We were talking in general about setups. I brought up the leak down test. He said you goto TDC and then go about 13-15 degrees past TDC. I've never read that. I always thought TDC and that's it.

He said it probably wasn't going past the turbo seals, it was probably going past the rings. Maybe tommorow I'll redo leak down test it again.

[Shane@DBPerformance]

Just pressuring the intake/boost port won't work. The backpressure in the exhaust housing is very high and has a huge affect on the amount of boost it can hold.

[niterydr]

I would put a vacumm "pump" on it. (I can't think of the term, but we have one for testing wastegate actuators). You just squeeze the handle a few times and it "pins" or shows you how much pressure, or vacumm (pending what you are doing) it has/can hold.
Works awesome.
Now if I could remember the actual name for it....

[Shotgun!]

Penis Pump? Whoa, buddy.

[carltalon]

I've been looking into a new actuator because I was haveing problems with mine blowing open. I'll have to look into this. what I really need one that is can be adjusted when you reclock thhe housings

[Onefast99gsx]

Ok.... I did another extensive boost leak test today. I found 5 leaks. I wanted to do this before i tear into the internal wastegate just in case that isn't even the problem. I used a doctors type stethiscope for listening to the leaks.

* 2 joints of my TurboXS blow off valve (At the 90* connector and the hose that connects the bov to the FP intake pipe). I will have to seal with silicone and retighten. Not a huge leak, but IS a leak.

* The little recessed screw on the 1g TB. I believe this is called the BISS screw. Not much i can do about this leak. It's hardly anything anyways.

* The valve cover is leaking where the cam humps are. I think its just the front hump. Will have to take valve cover off and re-silicone over the humps. Considerable leak. 2nd loudest leak.

* The Magnus SMIM has a nice needle sized hole on one of the weld joints. Might be able to weld it without removal. This is probably the loudest of the leaks. Even though the hole is only needle sized.

* Air is coming out the dipstick tube. Not much can be done about this either.

I guess it could be possible that these are why my boost goes nicely to 26psi but then drops down to 20psi through 3rd gear and the traps. I guess I don't know what kind of leak it takes to drop 6psi.

[s1ngletracker]

ive done a lot of boost leak testing and what not, it sounds like it should take a lot more than what you have for leaks... I'm pretty sure its still your actuator.

[Onefast99gsx]

I have the part number off the actuator that I have. I'm gonna call PTE in the morning and see if it's the right one that I have. I agree with you. I don't think those leaks should give me the psi loss that i'm seeing. I could be wrong. I almost hope that it's the actuator even though they aren't cheap just so i can put some closure on this.

[Onefast99gsx]

Ok, I spoke to PTE this morning. I do have the higher spring wastegate actuator. 18lb. spring rated at 30psi. All SCM series of PTE's come standard with this actuator. He thinks that i'm not getting pressure at the top of the spring. I have a "T" in the vacuum line that goes to the BOV. From that T, i goto my Hallman MBC and then to the actuator. If you're familiar with the PTE SCM turbo's, they have the nipple in the compressor housing with a hose going from that to the actuator. Right now, I just have that nipple replaced with a cap. I wonder if it would be better to intercept that line with my Hallman. I was always told to source off the intake and not the compressor but now i'm beginning to wonder if i'm not getting enough pressure to the actuator.