Alright as most of you know I have a build thread about what all is done to the car. Here are a few specs in short...

B20B 8.8:1 Compression (all stock internally)
Old Series Skunk2 Intake Manifold
2.5" Down Pipe (open)

I have a .42 a/r and 48 a/r turbo (cold side is 42 and hot is 48 )...its a small t3. When I get close to redline, probably around 5500 rpm the boost pressure starts to drop. I am running 2 1/4" charge piping from turbo to manifold. When I hit redline of 7200rpm I am dropping about 1-1.5psi of boost. I am currently running a 7psi spring so therefor I drop to 5.5-6 psi. I am running a 3" thick intercooler with 2 1/4" inlet and outlet...measures about 8" tall and 26" wide...am I dropping pressure because the turbo can't keep up or do you guys think it is the intercoolers fault?

If any of you guys who actually know your turbo shit think the turbo is too small...what size would you recommend for the setup? I don't want to go too big because the motor will never see any building and the turbo needs to be matched to exactly what I have now (motor wise).

Help a white brotha out lol

 

are you sure there are no leaks anywhere?

 

Maybe a stupid question, but have you considered doing a boost leak test or putting the car on a dyno to see if you can feel air escaping from your blow off valve during a pass ?

 

I haven't gotten to the dyno yet due to a clutch that will slip sometimes...it is getting replaced tomorrow.

As for the boost leak test...I haven't preformed one yet but we did double check all connections before even starting the car and I know for a fact all connections are tight and there are no holes in the couplers.

 

Definately doesnt mean you dont have a boost leak. I've had people bring me cars that they laughed when I boost leak tested them only to find huge leaks. Where is the bottom line to the wastegate going to? What compressor and turbine wheels do you have (not a/r)?

 

How do you perform a boost leak test with a turbo that has a 5.5'' inlet?

 

The bottom line of the wastegate is tapped right after the outlet of the turbo. I do not know the actual specs of the turbine because it was an old turbo sitting around my friends place that he didn't use anymore so I threw it on my car.

I will build a boost leak tester over the weekend and update with that info. If it is a boost leak I am thinking it is coming from my hondata gasket.

 

Even if nothing shows up when doing a boost leak, I have seen blow off valves leak on several cars under load.. (ebay).

 

That's what I have is an ebay blow off valve. Do you think if I overpressured the system to like 16psi that the blow off valve may start leaking then for me to hear it or feel it?

 

Can't hurt to try the boost leak test at 20-30 psi or so...