Alot of work, many boost leaks and some embarrassment

[bmoha2]

The Talon hasn't run right for a while now. It runs but stumbles and stutters under boost. I took to a friend outside Eau Claire WI to help troubleshoot. (Thanks Dave!) A young kid that has a lot of talent with DSMs. He's got a real nasty 95 Talon TSI AWD. He kept saying... Did you do a boost leak test. I kept saying no but I can see it's leaking right here. And he kept saying "you need to do a boost leak test." Wise words. He kept emphasizing the importance of doing a boost leak test. So we did a boost leak test and the system wouldn't even pressurize it had such a big leak. A few seconds of feeling around and Dave discovered that the nipple that I had blocked off right on the turbo was gone. My friend had helped me setup my vacuum lines when installing my boost controller and had simply put a t into the vacuum source running from the intake manifold to the BOV. It had vanished. Fallen out some where so I had an almost 3/8ths of an inch big leak right on the turbo. Dave had a spare one sitting around.
I had already fixed a couple big leaks right at the BOV and at the throttle body. Those stock throttle body gaskets don't seal very well. I cut new gaskets out of a sheet of gasket material and rtv'd them on back and front.
Later on I got rid of the T in the vacuum line and used the nipple right on the turbo for my boost controller.
Dave datalogged the car and while it ran better it still wasn't right. We adjusted the base idle because now since that hole was plugged on the turbo it was idling higher. My car was running constant CELs so he read the CELs. I had a code for the stock MAF. I had gotten the one I was using thru a junkyard and it was dead. he had a spare sitting around so we installed it. Ok. MAF code gone but still running CELs. I had done some rebuilding to my wiring harness previously due to an electrical short/fire and had mistakenly deleted the stock boost control sensor.
We did another boost leak test and still weren't able to pressurize the system very well. I felt around and felt air leaking from every part of the intake manifold gasket. I had reused the stock intake mani gasket when Had upgraded my injectors to FIC 550s. Again I guess that was a no no. That thing was leaking huge. That stock crush gasket just doesn't like to seal after being taken out. Maybe if I applied rtv all over it. I dunno.
With that big of a boost leak there wasn't much more trouble shooting that could be done so I headed home. A couple nights later I replaced the intake manifold gasket with a handcut one. Gotta love exacto knives. I applied rtv both sides and voila huge boost leak gone.
I could hear some whistling at idle so I started checking all the intercooler pipe couplers and pipe clamps and found a few that didn't seem to be sealing right. I ordered all silicon four layer reinforced couplers and t bolt clamps thru verocious motorsports and unfortunately was sent all the wrong size couplers and clamps. I got sent all 2 1/2 inch clamps and couplers and I guess our car uses 2 1/4 inch. I finally got the right couplers but still have pipe clamp on right now.
As I was installing the coupler from the lower IC pipe to the bottom of the Hahn SMIC I noticed that while the Hahn lower IC pipe is 2 1/4 inch the input to the Hahn SMIC is smaller. Closer to 2 1/8". Sure enough when I checked with the old rubber coupler it must not have been able to come close to sealing there. Anyone else run into this? I double clamped it and tightened it down. But I think it is still leaking just a bit.
I have also been running into issues with the stock ecu air/flow cap. I said screw it and ordered a socketed 2G eprom ecu thru Keydriver with one of their stage 3 chips since I seem to have most of my boost leaks under control for now. Jeff O at Keydriver is a really nice and knowledgeable guy and isn't afraid to help out with advice.
Well that's it for now. I am waiting on the delivery of my ecu and chip and gotta get to work. Thanks for reading my first blog.

 

[Drifte]

Good to hear its getting all straightened out. I would still recommend gaskets made for the application, unless your a very talented person with the knife. When doing your boost leak test spray soapy water around things that can leak, makes it much easier to find those leaks. As for the coupler, just purchase a 2" <2.25" transition.
Jeff at Keydiver helped me out too and thanks to his chip my car runs nearly prefect A/F without any adjustment.

 

[bmoha2]

I didn't even have to spray because the leaks were all so big. . I think you're right with the coupler.

 

[bmoha2]

but i actually need 2 1/4 to 2 1/8 I haven't seen any yet.

 

[bmoha2]

or are you saying that I can make a 2" to 2 1/4" transition work?

 

[Fabian]

definitely should use felpro or better gaskets when replacing the intake manifold's gasket. Or any gasket for that matter. Leave the butchering to kids. These gaskets are there for a reason and you're just gonna run into more problems if you dont fix your already existing problems the RIGHT WAY.

 

[Drifte]

2" to 2 1/4" should work. Put some silicone spray on the inside to slip it on more easily.

 

[bmoha2]

i am an artist with and exacto knife. Well an artist with most mediums actually. The cut gaskets seem to be holding very well indeedy. I just got my socketed eprom ecu and stage 3 Keydriver chip!

 

[bmoha2]

Got the socketed 2G eprom ecu and stage 3 Keydriver chip today!!! What can i say? Amazing!!!

 

[wont_luz]

Glad to hear it's working out dude. How's that chip treating you? I wouldn't worry about the home made gasket though, I've been running one in my car for quite some time up to 26psi and it holds pretty good. Let's see some of those awd drifts now!!