should i boost in 1st?

[Alex Bland]

stock pretty much everything, just hacked air can.. im not sure if i should be getting boost in 1st gear no major boost leaks but i think there is 1 somewhere but i couldnt find it

 

[joshrww]

you should be getting boost in every gear, past 3100 rpm. build a boost leak tester and make sure you manifold is not leaking!

 

[Alex Bland]

i did a boost leak test there was a leak comeing from behind the bost that holds on the cam gear and i think that was cause i blocked the vent on the VC, tomarrow ill do a test again on the tb i didnt really test there last time just did the turbo inlet.

 

[DSMopar]

Don't block the vent on your VC...

 

[Friend-O]

You have to be at almost WOT to really get enough airflow in first to make some decent boost before you hit redline due to such a small window in 1st. But if your getting boost in every other gear then try a BLT but minus a major leak you should be good. Also get some new cam seals and a catchcan.

 

[supravw]

You have to be at almost WOT to really get enough airflow in first to make some decent boost before you hit redline due to such a small window in 1st. But if your getting boost in every other gear then try a BLT but minus a major leak you should be good. Also get some new cam seals and a catchcan.

What? No, wrong, a 14b can easily build boost at partial throttle. There is a pre-turbo exhaust leak or boost leak somewhere if your not able to build boost by 3500 rpm in first or any gear for that matter. And leave the pcv system alone unless your going to install a catch can properly, the breather system is needed.

 

[Blaze2gDSM]

Start with the throttle body and manifold only. Take off your upper intercooler piping. Leave your throttle body elbow on and connect your boost leak tester there. This will show if your throttle body, fuel injector o-rings, lower injector seals, or intake manifold is leaking. You will find leaks here. After you have fixed those leaks re-connect your intercooler piping. and connect your tester to the turbo intake. This will show if your piping or intercooler is leaking.

If you are really blowin air past the cam seals you are building a lot of crankcase pressure which is not good. Change your pcv valve, and run a compression test to make sure it isn't your rings.

 

[90gst_sean]

If I'm not mistaken, as It has been a long time since my car was stock, but I think I remember not getting much boost in 1st gear ether... I mean 1st goes by so fast and all.

I now have a vr4 1st gear and that helps a little (lets NOT talk about my vr4 1st gear please).

I think once you open up the exhast and stick a 2G MAF on there it will start making some boost in 1st gear.

 

[4G63_Attack]

I had the same problem with my 1G as well. No matter what i do and try to fix it I would never build boost in first gear. But the funny thing is when i upgrade to a FMIC, I started to build boost in 1st gear now.... Very odd.

 

[rlacasse1]

My car doesn't boost much in 1st. It will hit maybe 7lbs from time to time. My understanding is that there is so little engine load in 1st gear you won't build much boost. Where as in higher gears the engine is under more load so it will build boost.

 

[Alex Bland]

my pcv valve is blocked off. Also i blocked the vent only for the test its not always blocked, i blocked it cause air would just leak from there and i have a small air compresser to work with. ill do the tb and stuff like you all said see whats going on there

 

[shockracer]

just go out and brake boost, hold the car at 4k in 1st gear hold the brakes well flooring it, i bet you will build boost then

 

[jlr2196]

I had the same problem with my 1G as well. No matter what i do and try to fix it I would never build boost in first gear. But the funny thing is when i upgrade to a FMIC, I started to build boost in 1st gear now.... Very odd.

Not really odd...You had a leak somewhere in your system then when you put a FMIC on it fixed it.

If your car doesn't boost in first gear something is wrong, to all that say it's normal, IT'S NOT!! Your car is screwed up if you don't, my car has always boosted in first gear from the time it was stock all the way through my progression of mods. Personally I've never ridden in a dsm that didn't boost in 1st gear.

So listen to all that are telling you to check for boost leaks.

 

[jrohner]

The higher the gear, the earlier boost will come on since there is more load on the engine and it revs up much slower. 1st gear probably won't build as much boost as the other gears, since the engine revs so fast, and it takes quite a bit of RPM to hit boost.

Do you have a real boost gauge? If you're going by the stock 'boost gauge', you need to know that it doesn't really mean anything.

 

[jlr2196]

The higher the gear, the earlier boost will come on since there is more load on the engine and it revs up much slower. 1st gear probably won't build as much boost as the other gears, since the engine revs so fast, and it takes quite a bit of RPM to hit boost.

Do you have a real boost gauge? If you're going by the stock 'boost gauge', you need to know that it doesn't really mean anything.

This is true to a certain extent such as running over 18-20 psi of boost you won't have enough time to get there but on a stock setup there is no reason not to be hitting at least 12-14 psi by 5500-6000 rpm. With my current setup I hit 18 psi in first gear no problem by 5K rpm but then again my car has tuning software
But if you guys feel it's normal than I guess his car is running great.

 

[Demon33]

This is true to a certain extent such as running over 18-20 psi of boost you won't have enough time to get there but on a stock setup there is no reason not to be hitting at least 12-14 psi by 5500-6000 rpm. With my current setup I hit 18 psi in first gear no problem by 5K rpm but then again my car has tuning software
But if you guys feel it's normal than I guess his car is running great.

+1
Back when I still had the 14b and my car was mostly stock, I could easily hit 14 psi in first gear. How does the car perform in other gears? Same problems or better?

Check for pre-turbo exhaust leaks, boost leaks, verify base ignition timing is set at 5 degrees BTDC. It's also possible that your turbo is on its way out; check for shaft play.

 

[Alex Bland]

+1
Back when I still had the 14b and my car was mostly stock, I could easily hit 14 psi in first gear. How does the car perform in other gears? Same problems or better?

Check for pre-turbo exhaust leaks, boost leaks, verify base ignition timing is set at 5 degrees BTDC. It's also possible that your turbo is on its way out; check for shaft play.

It hits full boost in all other gears, im not sure how to check ignition timing but ill look it up, english racing rebuilt my motor but didnt do anyting with the turbo. also i rebuilt my own turbo.

 

[supravw]

It hits full boost in all other gears, im not sure how to check ignition timing but ill look it up, english racing rebuilt my motor but didnt do anyting with the turbo. also i rebuilt my own turbo.

That could be a reason right there. Do you have much experience rebuilding turbos? What kit did you use? Also, unblock your pcv and reconnect it. That's crucial to oil contamination and venting blowby gases. Unless you want to change your oil more often put it back to stock or get a correct catch can setup.

 

[Alex Bland]

That could be a reason right there. Do you have much experience rebuilding turbos? What kit did you use? Also, unblock your pcv and reconnect it. That's crucial to oil contamination and venting blowby gases. Unless you want to change your oil more often put it back to stock or get a correct catch can setup.

my step dad (who has somewhat some experience) with turbos helped me and hes really good with fallowing step by step info and i printed out the rebuild vfaq thing. And theres no shaft play and it spins smoothly, Ah gosh sorry about saying i blocked off the pcv i was thinking egr gurr.. no i actule just replaced my pcv though. i found out every one of my injectors are leaking on the head so im ordering up the little rubber peice in there. oh and when i rebuilt the turbo we just took it apart and replaced the o ring in there because it wasnt good anymore and one more o ring it was just a little kit with a cupple o rings and a bearing i think (was a while ago i did it)

 

[Alex Bland]

im adding a video so you can all see what its doing. as you can see also it wont hit 10psi
YouTube - VID 00001-20100415-2028.3GP
shifted at 4-4.5k

 

[atruepretense]

You definitely should be boosting in first. I can bet a good amount that you have some kind of leak. In first, if you WOT or even just step on it, by red line you should see full boost. Actually, you should see full boost pretty quickly after 2,500rpm or so. Homemade boost leak tester time! Go to the Vfaq.com and look under "turbo". They have a good writeup. Then just follow suit from there. Check timing, shaft, etc..You will hit it eventually.

 

[TJCTalon]

This sounds ridiculous. Maybe im just wrong but this doesnt sound right. If you think about it, its pretty much impossible to NOT boost in first gear. Unless you have a MAJOR boost leak. Which would affect all gears, not just first. We all understand how a turbo works. Exhaust gases turn a turbine which then turns a compresser wheel which compresses air. Far as i know, the same amount of exhaust gases in first gear are the same as in 2nd. Why would 3000rpm in first be any different from 3000rpm in 2nd or 3rd. The exhaust gases dont have a mind of their own. Same amount of gas. Its not like just for first gear theres a special exit for the gases.

And if im wrong please someone shed some light on this. Teach me something please
Taran

 

[Alex Bland]

i did a boost leak and all the injector gaskets (in the head) are leaking as well at tb shaft seals and biss screw...and just today i left water on the exaust mani and theres a little crack in that found that out when i started it. im gunna fix the first 3 then see what happends.

 

[thomcasey]

Not really odd...You had a leak somewhere in your system then when you put a FMIC on it fixed it.

If your car doesn't boost in first gear something is wrong, to all that say it's normal, IT'S NOT!! Your car is screwed up if you don't, my car has always boosted in first gear from the time it was stock all the way through my progression of mods. Personally I've never ridden in a dsm that didn't boost in 1st gear.

So listen to all that are telling you to check for boost leaks.

Agreed!! I am running a completely stock system on a NA motor swap. I easily build boost in 1st all the time.

 

[jlr2196]

The injector seals leaking are not enough to keep you from boosting to 10psi. It will have to be a fairly large leak such as the brake vacuum line going to the back of the intake or a intercooler hose about to come off. Sometimes large leaks can be hard to find because you can't hear them like the whistle of a small leak, more of a low rushing wind sound.
Did you check base timing? You mentioned hacked air can, not MAF right? Maybe check the wastegate actuator arm, perhaps it's bent (opening wastegate slightly) or stuck open. Try running the rubber hose from the wastegate actuator directly to the J-pipe nipple (if your still on factory boost solenoid setup). Don't worry, you will only be able to run 10psi of boost doing this.