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I suppose I may still have a boost leak, and will look again, but I don't think so. @RacinJasonWV , you've mentioned a few times that you found a hard-to-find plenum leak. Can you tell me more how you found it? Also, I saw your video of your boost leak test, and your pressure drops way slower than mine. Was that taken with the CCV plugged? I don't think I have a drive pressure leak. I can hit 45psi when using my 1200rpm hi-idle tune with the EBP valve closed (I have a tune that does that), with no sign of smoke, even when looking with a bright light.
No plugging of the CCV. Don’t want to pressurize the crankcase. That’s hard on the seals.
It took multiple tests to find the plenum leak. Finally spotted it with soapy water sprayed in the right spot. It actually shouldn’t have been so hard to find but I was still missing it. Not sure how you’d ever see one under the plenum.
I was trying to use a homemade tester with a tire valve to add my air. That was a bad idea as it filled too slowly. By the time it got up to pressure it couldn’t really maintain. It was just a “hot mess” as they say. I recommend using a ball valve to add the compressed air. It gains quickly and you can shut it off in a hurry or partially close the valve to just maintain a pressure while soaping up.
Before I made the repair (only to drivers side) I did a lengthy check of the the passenger side (Riffraff billets were going on if both were leaking). Had the pressure set to maintain and felt many times under the plenum for a potential leak. Also lots of water everywhere out of a spray bottle.
I also want to share something that should have been my clue. This may help you. Before all of this I had spotted some mystery oil on the outside of the intake tube. Could not for the life of me figure out where it had came from… Well it makes sense after finding my plenum leak. It would have been blowing the CCV oiled air out the plenum leak in that direction. Point is, as a quick check you could look around for any misty oily spots as long as your CCV is still going into the intake. Then maybe focus some extra attention in that area during a boost leak test if you find anything.
FWIW I was told by someone here that my video is a VERY good condition. So slightly quicker may be acceptable. I think with the leak it would go from 25ish to 0 in like 20 seconds. Biggest difference I noticed was how the good one kind of flattened off once it gets to like 10psi. It didn’t do that with the leak. It would just steadily keep going down.
No plugging of the CCV. Don’t want to pressurize the crankcase. That’s hard on the seals.
It took multiple tests to find the plenum leak. Finally spotted it with soapy water sprayed in the right spot. It actually shouldn’t have been so hard to find but I was still missing it. Not sure how you’d ever see one under the plenum.
I was trying to use a homemade tester with a tire valve to add my air. That was a bad idea as it filled too slowly. By the time it got up to pressure it couldn’t really maintain. It was just a “hot mess” as they say. I recommend using a ball valve to add the compressed air. It gains quickly and you can shut it off in a hurry or partially close the valve to just maintain a pressure while soaping up.
Before I made the repair (only to drivers side) I did a lengthy check of the the passenger side (Riffraff billets were going on if both were leaking). Had the pressure set to maintain and felt many times under the plenum for a potential leak. Also lots of water everywhere out of a spray bottle.
I also want to share something that should have been my clue. This may help you. Before all of this I had spotted some mystery oil on the outside of the intake tube. Could not for the life of me figure out where it had came from… Well it makes sense after finding my plenum leak. It would have been blowing the CCV oiled air out the plenum leak in that direction. Point is, as a quick check you could look around for any misty oily spots as long as your CCV is still going into the intake. Then maybe focus some extra attention in that area during a boost leak test if you find anything.
FWIW I was told by someone here that my video is a VERY good condition. So slightly quicker may be acceptable. I think with the leak it would go from 25ish to 0 in like 20 seconds. Biggest difference I noticed was how the good one kind of flattened off once it gets to like 10psi. It didn’t do that with the leak. It would just steadily keep going down.
This is a really helpful post! I'll film my test and post it tomorrow. Unless something has changed, mine drops faster than yours from 25-30psi, but does stall out and take a long time to drop below about 10psi. The only noise I can hear stops when I plug the CCV. Was your test on a hot engine? It makes sense we'd see less blowby on a hot motor. I ran mine for a few minutes before testing, but it was nowhere near normal operating temperature.
I had a similar experience with oil on the outlet tube, and it turned out to be a boot torn on the back side. With 700 mountain miles in the last week, if I have much of a leak, I should be able to see some telltale oil.
@Wes444, thanks for the additional info. I may end up trying another wheel, but I hate to throw money at a problem that's not a problem. As far as I know, no one else is running the 11+0/KC300 combination, so direct comparisons to other's experiences are tough. Looking hard, again, for leaks seems like the prudent course of action.
I have some more data, and am interested in your input. After this morning's test run posted below, I ran a boost leak test. What does this look like to you guys?
It seems fine to me. If you compare how long it takes to go from 25psi to 15, I count 25 seconds, and that doesn't seem out of line with KCTurbo's "after" test in their video. After this test, I used enough soapy water to make a decent bubble bath, and found a tiny leak at the MAP sensor, but fixing it didn't seem to make any difference. Also, per my discussion with @RacinJasonWV , above, all boots, pipes and plenum's were bone dry before and after the run, and that after 800 miles on a clean motor running up and down the Rockies. Can I confidently say I don't have a boost leak at this time?
Even if that's true, the test run showed disappointingly low boost for a "60H" tune (and the same one I've been running for years):
As best I could tell at a glance, EGT's topped out at 1100+.
EBP bounces around, and I noticed this morning it does it with KOEO, too. MAP and BARO will sit solidly at 11.5psi (remember my altitude), and EBP bounces between 11.6 and 11.7psi. I've cleaned the sensor and tube twice since May, so if this is aberrant behavior, replacement of the sensor may be in order.
I've attached the data file, and am interested in what you guys have to say. It seems like with my list of mods, I should be seeing more boost lower in the RPM range, less smoke, and better performance.
Mulling over your data here. Does the smoke you experience at shift points clear up as rpm climbs? Reading other's experience with the KC300X turbine - it typically does not spool faster, due to it's higher weight, but it should provide higher boost at a given engine RPM compared to the stock turbine once it does spool.
I think your EBP sensor is fine. My EBP reading is already higher by a few tenths of a psi from MAP/BARO as well.
It looks to me like you did gain almost 2psi of boost with the new setup. I think it's hard to see though with a WOT run. If you could do a steady tow at a few different rpm points, you could see this gain better.
Not sure if your leak check is normal. Doesn’t look too bad to me but mine seems to be super sealed now. I think a big difference between the bad and good on my truck was how now it basically stops at 10psi where before it would just continue down at a similar rate. Really wish I’d have taken a bad video now…
Like BWST I think your EBPS is fine regarding the slight fluctuation with KOEO.
I did notice it sort of varies during your charted run though. Is it possible the wastegate is partially opening? Just a thought.
I don’t know how the ported housing may play into this. Does it up the usable powerband any? I know your elevation is a factor as well.
Sorry, only enough time for a quick drop in and response.
Jeff and Jason, thanks guys, I appreciate your input. The fluctuations in EBP are odd to me, too, and the reason I was thinking the sensor was suspect. The wastegate is wired shut with a Turbomaster controller, so it can't open. I can't find a drive pressure leak, and it appears to top out the sensor's capabilities (51psi, right?) during a WOT run, so I'm thinking that side is good. Jason, your videoed boost leak test is extraordinary. Could it be that your valve seals, and perhaps piston rings, are in particularly good shape? That seems to be where most of the air escapes when doing these tests.
Jeff, yes, the smoke does clear up as RPMs increase, but it's unquestionably smokier now that it used to be in the same tune. I do need to strap a load on this thing and tow it up the hill to know how it's really going to work. My suspicion is that I didn't do myself the good I was looking for when towing (e.g. lower EGTs being the biggest thing) by swapping turbines, and that I may have gone backwards. We'll see. If that's the case, I can either go back to the stock turbine, or fire off a Buck$ooka round and try a 4+4 wheel to get the improvement I was seeking. I have no idea how that would play with the ported housing, though.
I did not see delayed boost or more smoke in the trucks I’ve added the KC balanced assembly to. Stock compressor housings. The KC compressor wheel has extended tips similar to Riffraff’s ported housing wheel.
I think the ‘heavier’ turbine wheel is compensated by additional surface area to help the turbo spin up as fast.
Just for a reference, here is my recent boost leak check after making sure of no leaks with soapy water. Sorry it is sideways, the boost is center bottom(if it were right side up at least....) Started about 30psi
Thanks guys!! It appears that both test show a drop from 25-15psi in about 20 seconds, which is roughly what mine does. I think mine above is 25 seconds, which I'm calling good. I realized that one can't just look at sweep speed, unless the gauges have the same max psi. My tester is from KC Turbos, with a 30psi gauge, and it looks like Eric's is 100psi. Eric, I loved the digital version!
The balanced assembly didn't help mine down low either. But it does come on good after 2000rpm's towing. Just used mine for about 4000 miles towing my 5th wheel. It is heavy for sure. I push around 30 psi when climbing hills of any size. I just thought it would come on stronger around 1500 rpm's. I do have the 1.0 exhaust housing on mine. Maybe the stock housing may be a bit better. Really thinking about changing when I put my new pedestal on. I broke the plastic plug that holds the plug on and I really want my exhaust brake to work again. Has to cool down a bit before I do that.
The balanced assembly didn't help mine down low either. But it does come on good after 2000rpm's towing. Just used mine for about 4000 miles towing my 5th wheel. It is heavy for sure. I push around 30 psi when climbing hills of any size. I just thought it would come on stronger around 1500 rpm's. I do have the 1.0 exhaust housing on mine. Maybe the stock housing may be a bit better. Really thinking about changing when I put my new pedestal on. I broke the plastic plug that holds the plug on and I really want my exhaust brake to work again. Has to cool down a bit before I do that.
Great to hear this balanced assembly is working for you - agree a 0.84 stock turbine housing would likely get you some lower rpm performance, Bonanza.
Sure wonder why the ported housing with Clay's ported housing wheel is not working for Mark yet.
Brokestroke was using a billet 9+0 wheel with his ported housing according to this thread - different from the 11+0 wheel Mark is using, right?
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