Car won't build boost, runs lean driving and super rich under load. Pros looks inside

[Funfettie]

There are no boost leaks whatsoever. I have checked 100 times over. I Have video proof if needed. No exhaust leaks either. None. That the hell is going on with my poor dsm.

The car is a 2g gsx fully built ready to make 600 at the wheels on e85. The issue is that when the car idles and drives, it runs super lean at around 24/1 afr. When I kick it down, it drops to around 8/1. The car drives pretty nice, and pulls a little until 4500 rpm then it sputters and wont build more than 5 psi. No boost leaks, no exhaust leaks. Had the injectors tested, passed perfectly. Ignition system is putting spark to every cylinder, all injectors are firing, perfect compression on the brand new engine. What would cause this??? I know it just seems like a big boost leak, but testing held 30psi for over 2 min before It very very slowly crept below 30psi.

I was running a cop system, made with 300m coils and I thought maybe it was a spark issue seeing that I didn't have a cdi box. Switched to a sparktech unit, no change. Switched back to the stock coils and wires. No change. Plugs are ngk NPR 7es, tried gapping at .024, didn't work. Brought them down to .020. Didn't work. Fuel pressure is prefect at 43psi, tune is in progress, just can't go further without figuring out why the afr is so out of wack. Ideas? Wastegate was recently upgraded to a turbosmart unit, and Is set with a 24lb spring. What is going on???

The wideband traces the front o2 sensor in the logs, so it's not the wideband. Coolant temp sensor is new, all sensors are dialed in, is there anything I should check?

I can post a log if needed. Anything else you need to see, just name it. I'm desperate to get my car back on the road with power. It started over 4 months ago, and I can't find my problem. Please help!

[grothe3297venge]

Originally Posted by Funfettie

There are no boost leaks whatsoever. I have checked 100 times over. I Have video proof if needed. No exhaust leaks either. None. That the hell is going on with my poor dsm.

I'm going to be writin this in segments cause my IPhone is my only source to Internet right now, and the browser crashed frequently. Don't wanna take 30 min typing this to have it crash and loose all I have written. So if you reason this and it seems incomplete, I'm typing more as you read this and it will be edited shortly

For anyone to help you, I think your going to need to post a log of your tune, people need to look at your variables to make sure everything is corrected and set where it needs to be!

[Funfettie]

Got it. Ill do a pull and Post the log first thing in the morning. Please check back guys and gals!

[ed1380]

I don't even think a car can even run at 24:1. Mine only goes that high when injectors get cut off(engine braking) I think it's your wideband

[KONEKILLER]

Wow, 24:1 is pretty lean. I dont know if I would even be trying to drive it under those conditions. I agree with the above post, it almost sounds like your wideband is not calibrated right. I know from time to time my Innovate LC-1 craps out and I have to take the wideband out of the exhaust and re-cal it to ambient air.

Fuel logs/maps would also help, but be careful driving around with 24:1 afr.

[Funfettie]

I thought it could be an issue with the wideband, but like I stated above, it traces the front o2 sensor. Does anyone know if the 2 run the same voltage that relays to he ecu? I think there both 5 volt circuits. Also, can anyone explain how to calibrate to open air. I did it before first installing, but the directions on there website we're a little confusing. Thanks

Posting a log shortly

[SY1100]

Check your TB and the connection of your WB, it may not be connected right/or is loose..

[Funfettie]

Here is a third gear pull

Originally Posted by SY1100

Check your TB and the connection of your WB, it may not be connected right/or is loose..

Throttle body is good, it's an aftermarket unit so it only has the tps sensor on it, and it's dialed in, 0% at .63v, wot 100% at 5v. The wideband connections all seem to be good

[Funfettie]

Any other ideas? anyone see any issues with the log?

[bryanwheat]

Have you done a boost leak test. A big vacuum leak/boost leak in the intake manifold would cause similar symptoms.

[Funfettie]

Originally Posted by bryanwheat

Have you done a boost leak test. A big vacuum leak/boost leak in the intake manifold would cause similar symptoms.

There are 0 boost leaks, like the first paragraph explains thoroughly. I think I said it in there somewhere else too. Haha. But thanks for the input!

[gotclutch23]

Id have to agree. On recalibrating it

[Yelwarc-]

Im thinking the WB is either not functioning (aem has done recall, free upgrade on quite a few)/ aswell as not calibrated properly ( search and you can see how to calibrate). Now are you internally gated? I ask because maybe the flapper is not operating properly and limiting boost. I would max out at 7psi due to that issue.
In essence just do a quick calibration check of WB, and checking your wast gate system

[Funfettie]

Yes, it is internally gated MAperformance EF4 evo9 10.5 split port turbo. I did find a small issue with the wastegate, it was cracked open a little due to the actuator arm being slightly too long. (it was a FP 25lb actuator)

I have ordered and received a new turbosmart actuator that should fit better, and should also function better. I have found a good link to calibrating the LC1 wideband, and i plan to check to see if the problem still there when i get the injectors back from flow testing. Results will be up in 1 week (next weekend)

Please feel free to post more ideas on what could be wrong in case these few small things dont solve the issue!

[GSTurbo1]

Did you try opening the throttle body while pressure checking? Could have a bad intake mani gasket

I had this problem on a hahn internally gated 16g, the actuator arm popped off the wastegate flapper causing it to stay open and not build boost until very high rpms

[Funfettie]

I didnt open the throttle body during testing, but the unit i use doesnt have a idle valve or anything, you just adjust the stop point of the throttle plate to set the idle. Therefor, i figured the pressure would easily get past the throttle body, and would show any leaks by the intake manifold gasket.

[Boostdriven]

At idle what kind of vacuum do you see on your gauge and did you degree your cams?

Little while ago I was helping a friend tune one of his customer's cars. It was a fully built 2.3L stroker, 58mm turbo. I can't remember what cams the car had but I know they were 272s. We ran 28psi with water/meth injection, the car made 300 fwhp at like 5k then the power would drop dramatically but the boost stayed at 28psi. Everything seemed right, air/fuel were at 11.3 timing at 15 degrees.
Initially I asked him if he degreed the cams in the car and he said that the customer didn't want to do it so he didn't. Now remember the cams are like 272s. At idle I was seeing 17-19 inches of vacuum at about 950 rpms and the car sounded like vacuum cleaner with no big cam rumble. I couldn't find a good cam specs for those cams so I just degreed them to the same specs as my car with kelford 272s. Both cams needed like 10 degrees of adjustment. The exhaust cam was way to advanced and I can't remember now what the deal was with intake cam but I know it was also like 10 degrees out. After I did that the car idled at 10-11 inches of vacuum and sounded good like a built motor should. So we took the car for a spin and the difference was heaven and earth. The car would loose traction in 3rd gear rolling in to it on the highway at 25 psi. He never took the car to a dyno again but I know that car made power to at least 7500 rpms.

I'm not saying this is your solution but I think its worth looking in to.

[Funfettie]

The cams are BC280's. and they are both set at 0 degrees. I honestly dont really know what adjustable cam gears do, they were just part of the engine i bought. I understand the change the timing of the valve opening and whatnot, but how this affects power is beyond me. I should probibly look into that.. haha but yea,

as for the the vacuum, ill check when the car starts up again next weekend. I think its around 15 inches, but again, ill have more accurate results this weekend. Anyone know what it should be around?

[Boostdriven]

With those cams you should see about 10 inches of vacuum +/- 1 at about 950 rpms, if you see more then that like 15 then I woukd say something isn't set right. Your exhaust cam can be to advanced and intake cam can be to retarded.

Now don't go wrenching on your cam gears with out knowing the actual position of your cams. There is a fairly simple and easy way of doing it with out the degree wheel. All you need is a dial indicator or whatever the proper name is.

First you want to start the engine and run it for a bit so it warms up to about 150 degree or so, this will get your litters filled with oil. As the motor is cooling off pull your valve cover off and turn the motor by hand till the cams on piston #1 are both in the closed position or just top read center (TDC) on the compression stroke.
I looked up the specs on BC 280 cams and it said intake is 218 degrees at .050" valve lift and the exhaust is 216 this means that the crank will rotate 218 degrees intake and 216 degree exhaust from the time the valve is .050" openings to .050" closing.
When you are ready to start degreeing the cams set your dial indicator on top of the retainer of an exhaust valve on piston #1 at closed position. Set the indicator to 0 so you know when the valve is closed. Turn the motor over so that the piston is at TDC going on the intake stroke,. In this position your exhaust valve has just closed or almost there and the intake valve just starting to open. If your cams are right on then your dial indicator should show about .050" lift on the exhaust valve.
Down by the crank pulley on the timing belt cover you have some timing marks, 0¡¡¡¡5¡¡¡¡10 make sure the timing mark on the crank pulley lines up with 0 and then loosen up the bolts on your exhaust cam gear, when the bolts are loose you should be able to turn the cam using a 17mm wrench. Turn the cam to where the dial indicator reads 0 again and the valve is fully closed just to make sure nothing got bumped in the process then turn the cam back to where the dial indicator reads .050" lift, tighten up the cam gear bolts and u have just degreed ## exhaust cam. If the exhaust cam has 216 degrees duration at .050" lift then this means your exhaust valve will begin to open at 36 degrees before bottom dead center (BBDC) 216-180=36

Now the intake cam. Set your dial indicator on the top of a retainer on the intake valve of piston #1 and make sure the valve is in closed position and set the dial indicator to 0. Turn the motor to TDC with piston #1 going on the intake stroke. In this position your intake valve has just started to open. You want to set your intake valve so it starts to open at about 6 degrees before top dead center (BTDC) set your timing mark on the crank pulley to 6 degrees BTDC and loosen up the bold on your intake cam gear. Turn the cam back till the valve is fully closed and the dial indicator reads 0 then turn the cam back to where the valve starts to open and the dial indicator reads .050". Tighten up the cam gear bolts and you have just degrees your intake cam. If the intake cam has 218 degrees of duration at .050" lift this mean your intake cam will be at .050" lift closing at 32 degrees after bottom dead center (ABDC) 218-6-180=32

If you set all that right your car should idle at about 10 inches of vacuum and sound like a camed car should

[Funfettie]

Wow! thanks a ton for that write up! This will help a ton! Ill be sure to get this done this weekend!