Has anyone got any experience with the Big head actuator from banks? What are the gains and is it worthe the 185.00 price tag. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Welcome to FTE, best site around if you ask me, do some searches and a lot of reading and you are sure to go broke in a hurry with all the mods listed around here.

IF all you are doing is the actuator, the most you are going to gain is an increase in valve seat pressure from the larger spring. Very similar to this is unplugging your current waste gate by removing the red line off the end. Do a search for 6637 filter mods as well, definate improvement over stock filter for little money. Also, if you could take time to fill out the signature portion on details of your current truck setup, we will be able to help you out with questions that much easier.

 

I have one. Waste of money in my book. I bought it before I round the forum and realized that i can get more boost by unplugging the wastegate line on the stock actuator. That Big Head is just going ot give you more boost and quicker spool up times. Same thing is achieved by unplugging the stock part. I wouldn't do it again if I could go back. I'd just unplug the stock one.

 

Yeah baby...just like jt says ...unplug the wastegate...and...i would add to tighten the stock spring. Zap!...u instantly have the Bighead for free!

nut

 

I also have the big head, and could have saved a few bucks had i know sooner that unplugging the thing would do the job. Oh well, live and learn.

 

How do I tighten the spring?

 

Remove the threaded end of the actuator arm from the wastegate and turn it in a couple of threads.

Even with the actuator disconnected it will still blow open when the drive pressure overcomes the spring pressure in the actuator. Shortening the rod increases the seat pressure and holds the gate shut a little longer.

My wastegate is pulled down with a small chain and turnbuckle...it never opens.

 

Good thinking. I was wondering how to keep that thing shut -- for good.

 

Does any of this wastegate modification have any negative effects on drivability or engine life. Also are there any noticable gains to any of this moding.

Thanks for input.

 

No.The mod increases boost, a good thing, and helps prevent surge/flutter(but doesn't totally cure it).
Nut

 

The stock turbo supposedly doesn't like to see much more than 25 psi of boost. But, I've been hammering on mine, running 30+ psi of boost for over a year now and have not seen any ill effects of it; there's a couple other guys who run their stock turbo's pretty hard and haven't noticed any problems yet. Get yourself a boost guage though, and you can monitor it. Once more mods are done, like exhaust, Kwik filter, CCV, etc. you'll probably notice turbo flutter and you'll want to get rid of that with a Wicked Wheel or an ATS Compressor Housing.

As far as engine life, I doubt it will affect it enough that the engine is going to give up. You'll probably start losing other expensive pieces first, such as tranny, TC, etc...

There are very noticeable gains. You'll have more power and torque, all the time. The turbo will spool up quicker and produce more boost, which the truck will then add more fuel to compensate, and you have more power. I'm sure I'm missing something. Some others will surely chime in to pick up my slack.

Edit: Must be too early for me. Nut beat me to a post!!

 

Jt..how does this mod cause quicker spool up? Seems like your just preventing the gate to open and release drive pressure=less boost. No gate opening = more boost...how does that correlate to quicker spool-up? Isn't quick spool-up a function of turbo design?
Nut

 

Your quick bud but i'm gaining on ya!

 

The spool-up is mainly a function of turbo desing. However, as pressure starts to build on the actuator, the wastegate begins to gradually open. Even at low boost pressures, it could just crack open slightly, letting some of the exhaust gasses by instead of through the turbine wheel. If the wastegate functioned as an instant on-off switch, then it would be a different story. Unplugging the actuator keeps the wastegate from opening as soon, even before you reach higher boost levels, so it allows it to spool up to the higher boost levels quicker. Yeah.

 

I beleive it's calibrated by Ford to open at a certain level of boost...anything else is a malfunction of the actuator. Spool-up time is pure turbo design...look at the Garret 38R BB machine. Spool-up is actually more of an issue in racing/comp than towing/street...ehh?
Nut