7.3 boost problem

[Bobs 7.3]

Hey guys I just did the ccv mod with the catch can from tractor supply and all 3?4 inch hose and after that (and before test driving it) I sprayed down the entire intercooler pipes, spider, hpop, and the valley with brake cleaner to remove all the oil and grime I could and search for my long lost oil leak. Well found the hpop line fitting is the oil leak but then I test drove it and could only hit 15 lbs at wot and before I always hit 18 lbs as the tune is still stock. Im wondering if either the catch can is too small and holding backpressure on the engine or if I got brake cleaner in one of the sensors or something. I have no idea where to even start looking. I checked the red tube from the wastegat all the way to the sensor on the spider (as I had it off to do the ccv plumbing) as the green tube too and they both look fine. The ccv mod comes out of the breather then up to the catch can mounted near the top of the firewall then then a hose from the canister back down to the stock hose mount in the intake. uphill then downhill so there isnt anywhere for any oil to (puddle) . Any ideas on what would or could cause this 3 lb loss of boost or where else to look would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance:fustrate:

 

[neverkickn]

You probably just have a boost leak somewhere. Do you have any way to pressurize the charge air side and listen for leaks?

 

[Bobs 7.3]

I was thinkin that but damn I was born with 30 percent hearing loss and cant hear for crap lol. If it blew on my face I could tell. I didnt have any intercooler pipeing off yet just cleaned the outsides up (as a jumpstart on the next project next week) that is (glow plugs,uvch,pedistal o-rings,clean intercooler piping and intercooler out,fuel bowl o-rings,fuel regulator spring upgrade,billet ther. housing, and hpop o-rings.) im just gonna do it all in one shot and be done for a while lol. That is after I solve this boost loss problem since its my daily driver.

 

[Bobs 7.3]

All I had off was from the air filter to the turbo (to turn the breather around). It has me stumped. It actually feels like the engine is running stronger and pulls harder at 15lbs then 18 it had before but its taking alot more time and pedal to get it to spool up. Before it would start showing boost on the gauge at about 1/4 throttle and now itsa more like 1/2 throttle

 

[Arisley]

I bet the brake clean opened up a weak spot in a boot. If I was guessing (which I am) I would bet on an intake manifold boot.


Sent from my truck while eating, adjusting the radio and passing a Mustang sideways.

 

[Justin@DP-Tuner]

Did you, by chance, accidentally kink the hose going to your boost gauge? This would only be the case if you use a mechanical boost gauge.

 

[rustbucket]

X2 on the boost gauge line being kinked or a small hole, if your boots are weak enough for brake klean to blow through them i would think you would be loosing more then 3psi.

 

[Bobs 7.3]

Good thought there. Ill have to check them boots and I checked the boost gauge line last night and seemed fine but if the boots arnt the problem then IM thinking about running the copper line to the boost gauge instead of the nylon and see if that cures it. Id rather the copper anyway

 

[Viking]

I bet the soapy water trick will work on the boots.

 

[Bobs 7.3]

Well I changed out the nylon line to the boost gauge to the copper and still reading 15 to 16 so im betting one of them intake boots to the heads is possiably leaking a little. Im going to try the soapy water trick and see if I can pinpoint it. Im doing the glow plugs and 2 uvch within 2 weeks along with every o-ring from the billet thermostat cover (thanks dieselsite) to the turbo pedistal. Looks like another item will be shipping here shortly (dieselsite engine boot kit & 203 thermostat) as the boot kitis out of stock at the moment. Midas well do it all and be done for a while lol.

 

[2000wa250]

Double check the clamps on the boots. Its a long shot, but possibly the break clean got rid of some grit between the clamp and the boot, and the clamp loosened up just enough to bleed off some boost.

Other thing to remember is pressure is a measure of restriction. Could be that you eliminated a bit of a restriction with the CCV oil and you're still flowing the same air, just with lower restriction causing the lower numbers but "stronger" feeling truck. Doubt it though.

Is the red line plugged into the wastegate? Or do you have it plugged on a clamp? If its on the wastegate, was it on there before? Could you have bumped your wastegate and loosened it a hair, causing it to bleed drive pressure, causing your lower numbers? Honestly 3psi doesnt seem like too big of a deal. I mean barometric pressure can fluctuate that much just with different weather, which would also change your read pressure. The spool up factor though is whats throwing me off. If you have a leak that is effecting spool up that much, you should be losing more than 3psi.

Good luck tracking it down, but I wouldnt sweat it that much since you're going to be pulling everything again soon.