D16y8 turbo problem

Stevo8797

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I have a d16y8 with eBay turbo kit. Won't boost over 3 psi. What could be the problem. Bad wastegate spring? If so can I put a tial wg spring is a ebay wg? Boost leak maybe? How do i check for that? Or is it because I didn't get the p75 ecu chipped and tuned yet, witch I just ordered everything to do that. I don't drive the car hardly at all just once in awhile after I get done working on it and thinking I fixed the problem when I didn't.
 

XpL0d3r

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Or is it because I didn't get the p75 ecu chipped and tuned yet
This. Don't drive an untuned car! You're going to damage it. Get it tuned first. Your ECU has no idea wtf is going on right now basically.

The tune is THE most important part of forced induction, imo.
 


HeX

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This. Don't drive an untuned car! You're going to damage it. Get it tuned first. Your ECU has no idea wtf is going on right now basically.

The tune is THE most important part of forced induction, imo.
Agreed. Thats turbo Basics 101. Think of it this way: your ECU is receiving crazy input with no programmed idea as to why so it doesn't know what to do. Stock ECUs are only capable of adjusting to minor changes from airflow, exhaust & fuel sensors, for the most part. Prepare to spend a few hundred dollars to get it properly tuned and make sure they don't tune to work too hard as eBay unbranded turbo's have a reputation not to handle heavy load.
 

XpL0d3r

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^ Exactly. eBay turbo's nowadays are hit or miss, mostly miss. After we boosted my Civic, I drove my untuned car about 30 miles to the tuner, but making sure to did so very carefully, and stayed in vacuum the entire time. Once you try to hit boost untuned, the sensors see WAY more air than it knows what to do with, and doesn't know enough to add fuel to compensate. As such, the car leans out and detonation can occur. Tuning is very, very important!

For the record, we supercharged my buddies 5.7L Dakota. He decided to drive it around untuned for a bit. Day 3, it detonated, and the entire engine was toast.
 


mc360

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I'm surprised it even boosts to 3psi, I thought stock ecu goes into limp mode at +0.1 psi boost and throws a cel
 

XpL0d3r

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I'm surprised it even boosts to 3psi, I thought stock ecu goes into limp mode at +0.1 psi boost and throws a cel
In theory it should, because the ECU should be seeing a lean condition once boost starts building. So yeah you're right. I suppose if the O2 sensor isn't hooked up it wouldn't detect the lean issue though? idk
 

Jailbird

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Great stuff. Many D series guys either have them because they're unaware or because they're new to tuning. As soon as many of them become aware, they swap. I'm glad to see guys that stick with the mighty D. And I appreciate y'all looking out for people like you guys do.
 


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