projecthatch92

Hey guys, I have a terrible boost leak. And by terrible, I mean usually I'm boosting 8 lbs, but now I boost no more than 1.5 lbs, and that's in either third or fourth gear. Here is my set-up:

D15B7
arp head studs
stainless steal headgasket
RX-7 460cc injectors
hf manifold
big 16g
1g dsm bov
starion front mount
all necessary piping and oil lines.
tuned with an afc.

Here's a picture of the set-up if that helps any:


I checked all the couplers three or four times. There are no cracks and everything is on snug. I checked the wastegate and it's working fine. When the car is off, the turbo spins very freely when spun by your hand. Checked the bov and all vacuum lines, still nothing. I'm beginning to think that maybe it's the intercooler. Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-projecthatch92

J-MAN

take that dirty filter off the turbo and se eif that helps any, use a piece of screen with a clamp on it

projecthatch92

no exhaust leak. i checked that too and i don't hear anything.

and with the filter, it's normally a really dark blue color. you think that just runnin with a screen might help?

projecthatch92

Here's a more upclose picture if it helps any:

J-MAN

it's worth a shot, my first set up years back i thought i would be crafty and use a piece of a shirt as a filter and it wouldnt build any boost, took it off and put soem screen on it and i was boosting liek a champ.

imburne

Might seem like a pain in the *** but check all the couplers. Probably a tear. Or you can make a boost leak pump and spray soapy water on all the couplers. It will bubble where theres a hole. That would be the first thing I'd check. After the obvious thorough visual inspection.

nikolass

i had a problem with about the same setup the gasket between the turbo and the adapter plate broke and i could barely hear that exhaust leak and it prevent my turbo from building boost

imburne

Same here. ------- hf mani + adapter plate + 14b = cracked the mani, blew the turbo @16psi spike.. Who knows how long the mani was cracked. Anyhow.. Use this as a excuse to take everything off and upgrade son.

projecthatch92

Yeah, i already checked all the couplers multiple times and nothing. no cracks and everything is fit on there pretty snug.

i also do hate the hf manifold, i hate how low the manifold makes the turbo sit. i'm at school so i don't really have many tools, time, or the garage needed to check everything out. i'm going to upgrade to a log manifold of some sort in the near future though for sure.

i'll check what happens when i put a screen on the compressor housing. that might be a possibility. any other ideas out there?