Turbo Problems...
 

Hey everyone! I just put a DIY turbo kit in my 97 Miata. I went with the Voodoo box (I know its crap but I got a good deal) and 305cc supra injectors. Im running a T25 Garret turbo with a custom stainless manifold and downpipe. After putting everything on and turning the car on it sounded great. Everything appeared to work but when I put any load on the car the boost gauge wouldn't move into positive pressure. I hooked the boost gauge to the intake manifold and put a T fitting and split it and ran the other end to the Voodoo Box. I thought it would be a boost leak so I checked my piping and everything was nice and snug. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar problem and figured it out.

yes

Get a boost leak checker. Just because your hoses are tight doesn't mean you don't have a leak.

You either have a boost leak, a leak at the boost gauge (still a boost leak), or a junk turbo. Do you know the condition of the turbo?

How's the condition of the engine otherwise? Any issues or maintenance done recently?

WG isn't closing or you have a boost leak. I'm assuming you've taken the most cursory of diagnostic steps (i.e. "does turbo spin") before posting a thread here.

I had the turbo looked at by a professional and he said it was good to go. I also rebuilt the engine in the Miata so it has all new internals. Where would I get a boost leak checker?

I check the WG and yes the turbo does spin lol.

https://www.google.com/#q=boost+leak+checker. I'm a wizard, I know.

Please try to be nicer to the new guy.

I got mine here: Boost leak checker

Homedepot high HP turbo accessories:

Oatey 2 in. Gripper Mechanical Plastic Test Plug-33401 - The Home Depot

do you hear the turbo spooling when you floor it? do you feel any power gains in the car?

or it simply doesnt boost and no added power and turbo noises?

honestly I haven't floored it because I figured out the BOV I bought wasn't working so I took that off and have stopped until I get one. but I did bring it up to around 2000 rpm and didn't really hear anything. I made sure to let the throttle down slowly so that no damage was done to the turbo after I didn't hear the BOV. Once I get I new BOV i'll update the thread and let you guys know whats up. Thank you all so much for your help!

Wait, you only took it to 2 k ? Well that's probably your problem.

Well, you won't get any boost feathering the throttle at 2k, you're not supposed to be in boost until you floor it at 3k rpm.

Be a man, floor it. (As long as tune is decent).

Not saying take it to red line, but floor it from 3 to 4k rpm and you will see if you are making boost.

Your bov might be fine, you will never hear it feathering throttle at 2k.

Stop granny shifting and start double clutching lol

Double clutching? What the hell are you driving, an 18 speed Kenworth?

Hahah, I should have known.!

Really, really dumb question here but... Did you hook up the vacuum line to the BOV? The right port of the BOV? How you doing the BOV is not working?

Were you actually driving when you brought it up to 2k or just sitting reving in the driveway? You aint gonna build boost with no load...

What does load have to do with anything? The engine is still putting out exhaust gasses and spinning the turbines, load or no load.

Turbo spinning doesn't necessarily mean its making pressure above atmospheric. Your fuel map depends on load and unless you have a hell of an inefficient system reving it in neutral will not flow enough exhaust gasses for it to build any boost. That's why anti-lag systems were invented.