Homemade Manual Wastegate Controller Question

[Crusty]

Hello,

I am new to the forum and have already got alot of good info just from browsing the tech. library and other posts.

I found the thread for building a DIY Turbomaster and have a question that I can't find the answer too:

Once I install the manual wastegate controller what do I do with the vacuumn lines that were originally in use by the stock wastegate controller? Do I just pull them off and leave it?

What do I do with the sensor (or whatever) they are connected to?

I have a boost gauge and am waiting on the boost bolt so I can install prior to installing the manual controller so that is covered but I don't want to throw a code if I can avoid it.

Is there anything else I need to do with regards to the manual controller install (like is a boost fooler necessary?)

Thanks

 

[NVW]

Remove the vac lines but leave the wire connected to the boost sensor.

A fooler will be needed if you go over 10 psi sustained. It could be a bit more or less, depending on the vehicle.

BTW, Welcome to TTS

 

[Burning oil]

:welcome5:

I just sent a TBB to KY. Was that to you?
You can remove vac pump and use a shorter belt.

 

[Crusty]

Thanks all I appreciate it! I was planning on doing the pump delete later on for sure.

Ya it was probably me lol. I got the gauge yesterday and am hoping the bolt might be here today. I'm really wanting to see what it is doing.

I can hear the turbo spool up when it's working and I hear it working less and less. It seems that it only works in the morning for a little bit now and never hear it the rest of the day. Between that and seeing smoke out the mirror under even light acceleration I'm pretty sure the vac wastegate system is giving up.

One weird thing about the whole deal is that if you aren't pulling the trailer (which is rare for this truck...it lives under a trailer) I hear the turbo spool frequently. Once it's under a load I hardly ever hear it spool up after it warms up to operating temps. Thus the reason for the manual wastegate controller.

I thought about just wiring it open. I have a buddy who has a large landscaping company and he has a 99 with the wastegate wired open. He hasn't had any problems with that but I don't want to overpressure and break something, especially without a gauge to see what it is doing. I don't have a fleet of trucks like he does.

 

[robzombie4551]

You probably hear the engine fan not the turbo, especially if you're blowing black smoke all the time. Either way the TM will fix the problem.

 

[handcannon]

The PO to my PO did the intake snorkle delete and turbomaster. He also towed with this truck so he may have done other not so apparent mods. The SES light would come on any time you pushed the throttle too far for too long. This "go over 10 psi sustained" fits with this scenario. I changed to a 4" Diamond Eye exhaust and the SES light would come on much easier than before (shut the motor off and restart and the SES would be off). I went down to Radio Shack, got the 10K pot others have listed, installed it and no more SES coming on without a real reason. The cost, $3 for the pot, less than a dollar for a male/female spade crimp on shielded set, a short piece of ground wire with a crimp on ring on the end, and about 30 minutes of time.

Don

 

[Turbine Doc]

I thought about just wiring it open. I have a buddy who has a large landscaping company and he has a 99 with the wastegate wired open. He hasn't had any problems with that but I don't want to overpressure and break something, especially without a gauge to see what it is doing. I don't have a fleet of trucks like he does.

Your buddy has it wired shut, if wired open the turbo would not make any boost, wired shut can be done, you will make max boost even when you don't need to and mpg can suffer, also depending how hard into throttle you are you are putting engine at risk, when I was running with a GM turbo and TM set for max boost I could easily make 17 psi boost, I self limited however to 12-13 psi as a general rule as high boost adds to high cylinder pressures and stresses engine to point of failure if running sustained high boost.

With high boost also comes high IAT, which adds heat burden to an already "heat challenged" engine by design.

High boost requires some sort of post turbo charge air cooling, WMI-ATA/WTA IC are common methods for that, so depending on your skills making a TM is an option, but you MUST HAVE some way to monitor boost pressures to make sure it is set correctly, & at below 10psi where IAT really climbs depending on how cold ambient air is, or you can buy a TM from www.heathdiesel.com for a set & forget installation.

 

[Crusty]

The PO to my PO did the intake snorkle delete and turbomaster. He also towed with this truck so he may have done other not so apparent mods. The SES light would come on any time you pushed the throttle too far for too long. This "go over 10 psi sustained" fits with this scenario. I changed to a 4" Diamond Eye exhaust and the SES light would come on much easier than before (shut the motor off and restart and the SES would be off). I went down to Radio Shack, got the 10K pot others have listed, installed it and no more SES coming on without a real reason. The cost, $3 for the pot, less than a dollar for a male/female spade crimp on shielded set, a short piece of ground wire with a crimp on ring on the end, and about 30 minutes of time.

Don

I have read the sticky on installing a 10k pot...it even has a wiring diagram (like electronic diagram) that I don't really understand. Is there some directions somewhere that are a little dumbed down for a guy that doesn't read electronic diagrams? For example hook this color wire to this color wire type of instructions?

Thanks

 

[Crusty]

Your buddy has it wired shut, if wired open the turbo would not make any boost, wired shut can be done, you will make max boost even when you don't need to and mpg can suffer, also depending how hard into throttle you are you are putting engine at risk, when I was running with a GM turbo and TM set for max boost I could easily make 17 psi boost, I self limited however to 12-13 psi as a general rule as high boost adds to high cylinder pressures and stresses engine to point of failure if running sustained high boost.

With high boost also comes high IAT, which adds heat burden to an already "heat challenged" engine by design.

High boost requires some sort of post turbo charge air cooling, WMI-ATA/WTA IC are common methods for that, so depending on your skills making a TM is an option, but you MUST HAVE some way to monitor boost pressures to make sure it is set correctly, & at below 10psi where IAT really climbs depending on how cold ambient air is, or you can buy a TM from www.heathdiesel.com for a set & forget installation.

I have been waiting on the gauge and boost bolt to be delivered so I can monitor boost before I mess with it for that very reason. Read about how easy it is to overboost in threads on this forum and the possible results.

The whole open/closed thing just shows how much I don't know about turbos and wastegate operation lol. I'm making the turbomaster from instructions in a sticky on this forum. The actual construction seems pretty easy although I may make my own bracket so I can keep the stock part in case I screw the homemade one up somehow. Well that and it would be cool to just make one from scratch. I like fiddling around with stuff like that just to see how well I can do it.

 

[handcannon]

I have read the sticky on installing a 10k pot...it even has a wiring diagram (like electronic diagram) that I don't really understand. Is there some directions somewhere that are a little dumbed down for a guy that doesn't read electronic diagrams? For example hook this color wire to this color wire type of instructions?

Thanks

I'll take some pics and give a description of what I did a little later today. I'm burning brush today and can't leave the fire for long right now. I just came in for a quick lunch.

Don

 

[Crusty]

Good deal, thanks

 

[handcannon]

Boost Fooler Pics

I hope this works, I am hopeless when it comes to figuring out how to do these pics, and it is my first time doing this on this forum. I am thankful for my kids help as they make it seem so simple.

I am not into electronics, but I can sort of understand auto wiring if I'm given enough time to build a picture in my mind. So with what I found online and what I could put together in my mind this is what I came up with.

Pic 1-- View showing completed install.

Pic 2-- View showing back side with the three wires soldered in place. I will be describing the connections going from right to left as seen in this pic.

Pic 3-- MAP sensor wire harness unplugged. The green wire in the middle of the connector is the one to tap into. I used crimp on bullet connectors so that if ever needed I could unplug the pot, reconnect the ends of the factory wires, and put everything back to origional configuration. I still need to add some shrink tubing for better protection to the bullet connectors.

Pic 4-- Refer back to pic #2. The black wire on the far right is the ground connection. There are other ways this could be done, but I chose this one because I didn't want to cut into more than one of the factory wires. The black wire in the stock connector is also a ground.

Pic 5-- I first clipped the green (center) wire in the stock harness and applied the appropiate crimp on connectors. I then soldered a 6" piece of green aftermarket wire onto the center lug of the pot as shown in pic # 2. This then had the appropriate crimp on connector applied so it could be connected to the green wire that came out of the wire harness.

Pic 6-- A 6" green wire was then soldered to the far left lug on the pot as shown in pic #2. This then had the appropriate crimp on connector applied so it could connect to the green wire coming out of the stock MAP connector.

The pot is set for the stock setting when it is turned all the way CCW. I turned it CW probably only about 30* to achieve what I needed to stop the SES light from coming on too early. I can't find the paper I printed off that had the Radio Shack part number for the pot so I'll have to search online in the morning (I'm way past my pumpkin hour) and post the number. As I remember it was called a 10K linear pot.

Hope this helps.
Don

 

[handcannon]

The Radio Shack number is 271-1715. This is for a 10K linear-taper pot.

Don

 

[Crusty]

Just what I was looking for thanks!

The only problem is...I'm not getting over 5psi boost...even with the wastegate wired shut...so now I have to figure out what is broke.

Dave

 

[btsayles]

Thank you! This is exactly what I needed. Thanks for making it so easy!

 

[handcannon]

Just what I was looking for thanks!

The only problem is...I'm not getting over 5psi boost...even with the wastegate wired shut...so now I have to figure out what is broke.

Dave

Glad I was of help to you.

As for the wastegate problem, wish I could help with that but I'm too much of a newbe to understand all that yet.

Don

 

[Crusty]

Well I went ahead and made and installed a manual wastegate controller...apparently I didnt have the wastegate completely shut when I tested it by tying it shut because I have boost now...woo hoo!

Only problem...lost the stupid clip that holds the rod in the wastegate lever lol (got in a hurry to test drive and forgot to put it on). Oh well a trip to tractor supply should fix that .

Thanks all for the advice and instructions everyone...saved me a bunch of money and I really like this truck (until it breaks again anyway lol)

Dave

 

[spollock818]

Hey guys. Sorry to resuscitate such am old thread, but I am in the middle of putting on my pot. I took off the plug from the boost sensor and wouldnt you know that all the wires are white. Looking at the pictures to see what wire I splice into I can not tell if its the middle wire or the end wire. Can anyone help me out here as I'm stumped. I could trace all the wires back, but that would be a lot of unnecessary stripping of tape and conduit. Thanks guys!! A picture of the plug and wires that goes to the sensor that has been modded would be great!!!

 

[greenmeanh1]

Although Hummer related its the same basic motor so maybe this will help
http://www.flashoffroad.com/Diesel/boost_fooler/boost_fooler.html

 

[charliebrown]

hello I know this is an old thread... but I made this and since it is supposed to be a manual wastegate controller and being mounted on the intake it isn't....so I mounted mine in the cab on my dash.. that way I can control the boost when I need it...weather at low end or high end.... with a slight turn of the pod you can get low end boost.....works great.....I pull heavy loads and sometimes I need that low in boost...and then on hwy speeds I turn it back and it stays on about 5 lbs of boost on interstate.....thx for all the pics and info....