bdohaney

So, as I have posted before, I bought a 99AE with just under 40k miles on it, with an already built, modded and turbo (SHITTY China)'d engine running a Microtech LT-10S, racing clutch, lightweight flywheel, COP, and a 3" FM turbo exhaust.

Took it in to finally be tuned yesterday. Was a case of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good:
Managed to make 205 hp on the Mustang dyno (off of the severely restricted compressor outlet pipe)

Got to running well after a marathon tuning session (more on that...)

The Bad:
The turbo is maxing out at 8 psi @ 5600, and falling off to 6 psi through the rest of the range

After running smoothly on the dyno, and a test drive... Car wouldn't start/idle...

All of the piping from the turbo to the intercooler

The Ugly:
The intercooler pipe blowing off

The brief cloud of white smoke (thinking that it is oil going through the PCV into the intake)

Now I am looking into getting a different ECU, getting better piping fabricated, and at getting a T25 to replace the Churbo that can't seem to hold its boost.

nitrodann

You didnt ask any questions so thankyou for the update on your build?

Dann

dustinb

What type of boost control are you using? A $15 manual boost controller might save you a bunch of cash.

bdohaney

Yeah, we hooked the boost controller up to it, and no avail. Got up to around 8psi at 5600 rpm or so, then dropped to ~6 and stayed there to redline.

So my near term plans are to get an ECU that I (and the tuner I am working with) can get it properly tuned, replacing the PCV and breather with a catch can of some sort, replacing the turbo with one that can hold around 10-12 psi, and replacing the hot side IC plumbing with a custom fabricated system.

Long term plans are to pull the power steering/AC, replace the exhaust mani/downpipe with an ARTech system, better radiator, add big brakes, bigger (at least wider) wheels, rollcage and racing seats

nitrodann

Your tuner is rubbish. The lt10s is almost the only ecu ever used on rotaries so he should have seen it HEAPS. plus he cant work out your boost leak issue. If it were the turbos fault there would be something obviously wrong with it like a missing blade or rooted bearings.

Everything you plan to do is all good stuff but either read and learn yourself or get a mechanic who knows what hes doing. Do this before you spend money on other ****.

Dann

bdohaney

The tuner is pretty sure that the boost leak is from the shitty, constricted plumbing leading to the IC from the turbo. And as to losing him, I actually like the work he was doing.

As to the Microtech issue, there are NO tuners around here that have seen/used one more than once or twice at the most... It is an old system, as you said, predominantly used on rotaries.

nitrodann

My god, please view your other thread to get an idea as to the truth, which your last post wasnt. It is the same age is my computer. My god a computer is a computer. It just takes a few inputs and turns them into pulsewidths, they all work the same. FIRE HIM.

Why is he pretty sure its a boost leak? Why doesnt he find out? he doesnt know that a bottle of soapy water will find out if this is the case?

Unless your 'leaky' pipe is 2 inches or less it isnt restricting your 6 psi setup. also imagine if you were losing 6 psi through a boost leak, wouldnt you think youd notice? it sounds like a kettle whistling on crack.

Dann

bdohaney

Ok, regarding the pipe, it IS smaller than 2 inches... Probably about and inch and a half. The reality is I am continually finding out more about the car as I go along, as all of the work that was done to it, was done previous to my ownership of it. As to the boost leak, it does actually sound quite loud, and somewhat teakettle-ish. Whether it is just the piping (which coming off of the turbo was really poorly done), or it and the turbo itself, not sure on yet... But... Putting in a decent turbo will improve response, and power as well, as even if it were working perfectly, that .42 compressor isn't doing me any favors at all.

Likewise, I started this with very little real knowledge of turbo-upgraded cars, or actually working on/improving cars at all. I am new at all of this, reading up on it constantly (to the point that the amount of time I spend doing research and trying to figure all of this out at once has started getting on my wife's nerves).