Turbo Honda, How much boost you running?

[JM PRO]

Curious on how much boost everyone is running? We know 10 pounds of boost is just about max for a stock bottom end.  If you are running more, leave your engine specs and let us know how reliable it has been.

Finished my engine this past summer and have my boost controller set with settings 10, 12 and 14 pounds of boost. I drive at 10 pounds and have a blast. I have only logged roughly 2 hours at the 14 pound setting. I nuked several engines last year so I have been reluctant to turn past 10 pounds. I've got another trip on March 1st weekend I plan on running at 12 or 14 all weekend.

My engine:

forged rods and pistons

chromoly head studs

block guard

1000CC Bosch injectors on E85

billet fuel rails and larger fuel lines

AEM computer

11x18 core intercooler with 10" fan

ball bearing turbo

 

[LtPyro]

Just 6ish psi but probably going to bump it up to 10

 

[ChasingSand]

Curious on how much boost everyone is running? We know 10 pounds of boost is just about max for a stock bottom end.  If you are running more, leave your engine specs and let us know how reliable it has been.

Finished my engine this past summer and have my boost controller set with settings 10, 12 and 14 pounds of boost. I drive at 10 pounds and have a blast. I have only logged roughly 2 hours at the 14 pound setting. I nuked several engines last year so I have been reluctant to turn past 10 pounds. I've got another trip on March 1st weekend I plan on running at 12 or 14 all weekend.

My engine:

forged rods and pistons

chromoly head studs

block guard

1000CC Bosch injectors on E85

billet fuel rails and larger fuel lines

AEM computer

11x18 core intercooler with 10" fan

ball bearing turbo

P2R rods and wiseco pistons 

AEM ECU with a Dardan tune

e85 through p2r rails with Bosch 1k injectors

16x28 intercooled

10lb spring in waste gate but hoping to go to 14 over the summer. 
 

car is a blast to drive but gear ratios are chit. Was geared for a rotary that reved to 10k. That’s the other summer upgrade. 
 

 

[Bgchlln]

Running a 5lb spring on pump gas. AEM computer, big fuel rails, injectors, and pump. Spools fast and is a blast to drive, but of course I want to turn it up. I want to stay on pump gas, not sure what the limit is. Stock j32 s type motor

 

[EastMT]

Knowing what fuel (E85, race fuel, or pump unleaded) and the turbo specs, parts number, or size would be helpful info.

 

[ChasingSand]

Knowing what fuel (E85, race fuel, or pump unleaded) and the turbo specs, parts number, or size would be helpful info.

Im on E85 and my turbo is a TO4. Not sure what trim but I think closer to the 60mm size. it spools super quick

 

[Ganzo]

i have a question for you guys. i see everyone talks about i have a 10lbs spring etc, i assume everyone is confirming how much boost they are pushing via a boost gauge right? reason i ask is because when i had an ej20 motor in my baja i installed a turbosmart wastegate and had to test out different spring combinations because i noticed that a 10lbs spring i my wastegate didnt necesarilly mean it would only boost 10lbs. i cant remember what springs i combined to get the wastegate to only allow 15 lbs of boost.

 

[Rockwood]

i have a question for you guys. i see everyone talks about i have a 10lbs spring etc, i assume everyone is confirming how much boost they are pushing via a boost gauge right? reason i ask is because when i had an ej20 motor in my baja i installed a turbosmart wastegate and had to test out different spring combinations because i noticed that a 10lbs spring i my wastegate didnt necesarilly mean it would only boost 10lbs. i cant remember what springs i combined to get the wastegate to only allow 15 lbs of boost.

Yep. Wastegate position and diameter have a LOT to do with this.  Since a significant amount of exhaust flow bypasses the turbo (which muddies up the exhaust flow anyway) when you're at full-tilt, giving the exhaust a "wastegate priority" path is best for accurate boost control and worth some ponies.  

As you can see, the wastegate is in direct line with the exhaust flow.  Why is it better than something like this:

Because the preferred flow path is through the turbo, meaning your wastegate will need to open more in other to provide an alternative path.  Air is lazy, so asking it to turn 90* (nevermind that cylinders 2/4 are effectively blocked on this setup) to get to the wastegate, then another 90* to exit is a lot.  Your wastegate exhaust is also the most efficient air leaving the engine, so giving it the best flow path is critical to power production.  

Sometimes packaging means you have to make compromises, especially on a rear-mounted turbo.  If you find that you're having trouble keeping boost under control, you might need to look at how the wastegate interacts with the manifold, as well as overall sizing.  The lower the boost, the larger the wastegate needed and the more critical the flow path is.  

 

[JM PRO]

I run a turbo smart E-Boost digital boost controller. It has memory recall. On my 10 pound setting the highest I have seen in 10.8. Average is in the 10.4 range

 

[Cookie]

I can only go by what the person I bought the car from 7 years ago, all on dyno (I never saw the numbers):  9lbs of boost at 425hp (flywheel) on E85.  Engine is stock, no idea on the turbo.  Car scoots well, would like to have a bit more hp.  Engine has only come out for tranny refreshes.  Car is still faster than all the stock LS1's in our group.

But I would love to jump it to 500hp sometime in the future...............it is only money

 

[LtPyro]

Just 6ish psi but probably going to bump it up to 10

I guess I'll elaborate since everyone else is lol.

BC rods with P2R pistons
Halferland blockguard
850cc FIC injectors
AEM series 2 tuned by Church Automotive
420hp running 6lbs on pump gas
 

 

[LtPyro]

i have a question for you guys. i see everyone talks about i have a 10lbs spring etc, i assume everyone is confirming how much boost they are pushing via a boost gauge right? reason i ask is because when i had an ej20 motor in my baja i installed a turbosmart wastegate and had to test out different spring combinations because i noticed that a 10lbs spring i my wastegate didnt necesarilly mean it would only boost 10lbs. i cant remember what springs i combined to get the wastegate to only allow 15 lbs of boost.

I think i have 10lbs springs but only hitting just over 6lbs at the manifold.  There is always some pressure loss over the system...

 

[Rockwood]

I think i have 10lbs springs but only hitting just over 6lbs at the manifold.  There is always some pressure loss over the system...

Assuming you have the reference in the compressor outlet, yep.  

BTW, running just a spring with no controller will have a slightly lazier boost curve since the spring will allow the wastegate to open linearly as it approaches maximum pressure.  

 

[ChasingSand]

Curious on how much boost everyone is running? We know 10 pounds of boost is just about max for a stock bottom end.  If you are running more, leave your engine specs and let us know how reliable it has been.

Finished my engine this past summer and have my boost controller set with settings 10, 12 and 14 pounds of boost. I drive at 10 pounds and have a blast. I have only logged roughly 2 hours at the 14 pound setting. I nuked several engines last year so I have been reluctant to turn past 10 pounds. I've got another trip on March 1st weekend I plan on running at 12 or 14 all weekend.

My engine:

forged rods and pistons

chromoly head studs

block guard

1000CC Bosch injectors on E85

billet fuel rails and larger fuel lines

AEM computer

11x18 core intercooler with 10" fan

ball bearing turbo

Any pictures of where you boost solenoid for the controller is mounted? Trying to figure out where to mount mine. 

 

[1newbie]

Running a 5lb spring on pump gas. AEM computer, big fuel rails, injectors, and pump. Spools fast and is a blast to drive, but of course I want to turn it up. I want to stay on pump gas, not sure what the limit is. Stock j32 s type motor

View attachment 95584

ballsy running a boosted j32 on pump.....

 

[EastMT]

Yep. Wastegate position and diameter have a LOT to do with this.  Since a significant amount of exhaust flow bypasses the turbo (which muddies up the exhaust flow anyway) when you're at full-tilt, giving the exhaust a "wastegate priority" path is best for accurate boost control and worth some ponies.  



As you can see, the wastegate is in direct line with the exhaust flow.  Why is it better than something like this:



Because the preferred flow path is through the turbo, meaning your wastegate will need to open more in other to provide an alternative path.  Air is lazy, so asking it to turn 90* (nevermind that cylinders 2/4 are effectively blocked on this setup) to get to the wastegate, then another 90* to exit is a lot.  Your wastegate exhaust is also the most efficient air leaving the engine, so giving it the best flow path is critical to power production.  

Sometimes packaging means you have to make compromises, especially on a rear-mounted turbo.  If you find that you're having trouble keeping boost under control, you might need to look at how the wastegate interacts with the manifold, as well as overall sizing.  The lower the boost, the larger the wastegate needed and the more critical the flow path is.  

Is there anything that can be done or changed with the second 90 degree setup to lessen its compromise, while keeping it at 90 degrees? (Please dumb it down for us turbos for dummies types if you can).

 

[ChasingSand]

Is there anything that can be done or changed with the second 90 degree setup to lessen its compromise, while keeping it at 90 degrees? (Please dumb it down for us turbos for dummies types if you can).

 

[Bgchlln]

ballsy running a boosted j32 on pump.....

I’ve done a few other things to the motor that I think help it live. I run a a1 intake and throttle body (smaller) and rev limit at 6500. It’s 350 to the wheels, where with the other stuff it would be over 400

 

[1newbie]

I’ve done a few other things to the motor that I think help it live. I run a a1 intake and throttle body (smaller) and rev limit at 6500. It’s 350 to the wheels, where with the other stuff it would be over 400

at least with the AEM you can retard timing which will help.