My gauge saids 15ish its a 0-60psi guage. A friend of mine has a 0-30 that he let me use to double check mine and his said 13psi and was a lot easier to read driving down the road. As some of you may know I have a van turbo thats been sitting on my floor for about 8 months, I finally broke down and bought the adapter flange last night along with plenum reinforcements and T-bolt clamps for my boots and thats all my budget will allow. When I change the turbo out Im gonna put new gaskets on the uppipes for now (I know its a bandaid) but hopefully thatll take care of my boost leaks. Its always blown a lot of smoke in 80e which is what I ran my test in. Now my question, How is it possible for me to only be making that low of boost!? Under the hood isnt covered in soot just a small bit on the fire wall and around the passenger side up-pipe. The only thing I can think is that my WG is staying open. Does anyone know what boost I should be seeing with the tunes I have? Thanks

 

With a sealed system and stock turbo I could make almost 30 lbs of boost in 80e. Now with injectors and a 38r I have seen it at 36lbs. I think Joey limits it to 38 lbs.

 

A van turbo does not have a wastegate.
Also, turbochargers are driven by exhaust pressure and any sort of leak between the exhaust ports on the engine and the inlet of the exhaust housing on the turbo translates into reduced drive pressure for the turbo to operate.
Want good boost? You are going to have to make sure the exhaust system is air tight.
Bellowed up pipes come to mind.

 

I know the van turbo has no WG. What I dont get is how there is nothing visable loosing that much boost. I know my uppipes are leaking but WOW! My truck will still get out of its own way with ease so I can only imagine whatll run like once its all sealed up. How does the van turbo blow off extra boost or does it still feed it threw the turbo reguardless?

 

You should consider, bellowed up pipes, while your already in there. JMOP

 

I have considered them and I would love to have them but my budget doesnt allow for them right now

 

Do you know where to get the better chevy gaskets? I'm in a similar predicament as you.

 

Somebody has the part numbers for those Felpros Chevy gaskets here, seen it posted here many times. My up-pipes are starting to leak just a wee bit now, trying to save up now for them. Call Clay, he might be able to get them Felpros for you ASAP, or sell you the never again have to replace the IH pipes.

 

I think they are FelPro8194 which this is what Napa crossreferenced.

https://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...216274512&An=0

 

Riffraff Diesel: Fel-Pro 8194 Up-pipe Gasket

 

Wow Clay, see I didn't know you had them, would have been alot easy to find than digging through threads.

 

Not your fault I just added them the other day. Have had several people calling lately down on there luck that can't afford to fix them correctly so I have been stocking them.

 

Just a small loss of drive pressure equates to a large loss of boost (just look at the tiny waste gate the gp38 uses!) seal up that exhaust and hold on!
Jim...& fat Monty

 

You got that right. I recently repaired a Passat 1.8t that couldn't get out of it's own way simply by repairing a leak at the soft plug on mount for the EGR valve, rear of engine.
Even I was surprised at how much difference that made.

 

got nothing to add, but would be interested in the stock turbo, if you wanna dump it...