Hi all, I recently installed my kraken turbo kit and im running into boost issues

Setup:
90' vvt swap
gt2560r
mac EBC
6# wastegate?

On the dyno we struggled to get the car to make over 9psi. It makes 6psi on wastegate at around 3.5-4k rpm and when we add EBC duty it goes to 9psi at around 5k rpm but then tapers off until redline, about 7.5 psi. We tried running with no lines hooked up to the wastegate with same result. We tried taking the wastegate arm off, nothing. We tried changing the boost controller reference line to after the IC, nothing changed. We checked for boost leaks, spark plugs, etc. It was done by an experienced tuner who has touched hundreds of miatas. We were both stumped.

Any ideas? Attached is a tune and datalog.

 

Is it a real Garrett or a China knockoff? How much power did it make on the dyno? What valve springs do you have installed?

--Ian

 

I ordered it as a kit from Kraken, so I do believe its a legit garret. First pull we made 212hp but it had a little bit more boost somehow, maybe 10-11. Subsequent pulls were all 190-200 with the 9psi. Unopened motor.

 

This kit uses an external wastegate right? I'd try swapping to a stiffer wastegate spring and see if it holds better.

Not sure on the rest of your exhaust setup, but it's possible for the exhaust to push past the gate and bleed off boost as RPMS rise. A recipe for this would be something like a soft wastegate spring + restrictive exhaust + dumped wastegate.

Assuming the throttle is open and the car isn't mis-firing, there aren't a whole lot of reasons to be bleeding off boost as RPMS rise (especially with the wastegate reference disconnected). In my experience, boost leaks usually present as boost building slowly rather than peaking and dropping off.

 

Solved: It was a boost leak

 

where at?

 

It was at the charge pipe going into the intercooler. I have the Dark Additive 'cobra' intake that puts the air filter right above that, so when we smoke tested it on the dyno (in a hurry) we saw smoke coming from that area and I incorrectly assumed the smoke was coming out of the air filter and not the IC coupler right below it.

There were obvious signs looking back; It made 12lbs on first pull but then could only make 9lbs (coupler backed off on first pull), It sounded like a damn mac truck spooling up because the turbo was making 20+lbs with the duty cycle we had it on, though the dome could only see 9lbs.