Guide: Fitting a manual boost controller

[306Puggy]

Please note: This guide has been amended with the following information:

It has been drawn to the author's attention that it would be significantly easier to access the actuator pipe with the downpipe unbolted and engine removed from the top engine mounting, allowing the user to push the engine into a forward position. Therefore, some new information has been added to the guide in light of this, but information is not available on the best access to the pipe in this position. So you will have to use your own judgement for this part.

Right, this is what you will need for this job:

Specialised tools/parts

Manual boost controller
2 metres of 4mm ID silicone hose (so that you have plenty left over incase of mistakes)
A small serrated kitchen knife or similar STIFF blade (a hacksaw will not fit and the blade on it's own is too floppy)
Cable ties
13mm DEEP socket
10 inch extension bar
Universal joint

Estimated time for the job:

4-5 hours

Benefits of a Manual Boost Controller:

Slightly reduced turbo lag
Stops wastegate creep
Easily adjustable boost control

Also if you take the turbo off at any time it is recommended that you cut the pipe then in the appropiate place instead of when it is on the car as it is highly awkward to cut in situ. But this guide covers the installation in situ anyway.

Step 1

Remove the intercooler and intake ducting from behind the engine. Jack the drivers' side of the car up, support on axle stand and remove the road wheel. Taking the jack from underneath the fully supported vehicle, place it underneath the engine sump in a supporting position. Carefully untighten the engine mount bolts and remove the engine mounting bracket. Working from underneath the car, using a 13mm deep socket on an extension bar and universal joint, unbolt the bolts clamping the turbo exit pipe to the exhaust downpipe. Once this has been done you will able to push the engine right forwards to gain easy access to the turbo wastegate pipe.

Step 2

Getting underneath the car, locate the thin metal pipe running from the intake side of the turbine housing to the wastegate actuator. There is only one such pipe on the turbo. It is on the drivers' side of the turbo unit. You will have to get your arm in there over the steering arm and track rod, or, with the engine in the forward position it might be accessible from the top.
Step 3

Once you have located the pipe, grab the knife and sufficiently maneuver your arm into position so that you can start cutting the pipe. This will probably make the skin on your forearm wear away a bit as you have to use the back and forth motion to cut the pipe. Again, this might not be necessary with the engine in the forward position, so if you can find a more comfortable access point by all means use it.

Step 4

Once you have cut right through the pipe you must then bend the bottom part of the pipe downwards to allow you to get your silicone hose end onto it. A suitable lubricant, such as Vaseline or washing up liquid will help you to push the hose onto the metal pipe. The top pipe is attached to the turbo with a 12mm bolt. This bolt must be slackened (slightly) to allow you to push the pipe upwards so that it is pointing to the sky. Once the pipe is in position remember to retighten the bolt. It may also help to make a short slit in the ends of the diameter of the silicone hose to allow you to push it onto the metal pipe more easily.

Step 5

Once you have pushed the silicone hose onto both ends of pipe, you may secure them with cable ties. I did because I didn't fancy them coming off and having to get back underneath the car/remove the intercooler again to refit them. Once both pieces of silicone hose are on the metal pipe, cut them to the appropiate length to fit up into the engine bay. For maximum efficiency, you want the pipes as short as possible, whilst still keeping the boost controller in an accesible place. Be careful to have a proper look at how long they need to be, if you cut them too short you will have to buy a brass joint to fit them back together which is a pain.

Step 6

Right, now the fun part! Time to fit the manual boost controller. The side connector needs to go onto the pipe coming from the intake side of the turbo (the pipe pointing upwards behind the inlet mani) and the bottom connector needs to go to the pipe going to the wastegate actuator (the piece of pipe underneath the car). Once you have your boost controller you do not need to adjust the wastegate, the maximum boost that the wastegate is set to will be the minimum boost you can achieve with your boost controller. The boost controller will only allow the pressure signal to reach the wastegate once the specified boost level has been reached at the boost controller. The device is small enough in my opinion not to require a mounting bracket.

Now for pics:

The pipe, after it has been cut (it is hard to pick it out from the other metals)



The top bolt that you will need to to slacken to point the other part of the pipe upwards:



Hose fitted onto bottom end of pipe:


Hose fitted onto top end of pipe:


Controller in situ in the engine bay:

[306Puggy]

Estimated time 4-5 hours!? Really jesus! I wouldnt advise you ever open a garage lol

20-30mins tops haha

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Just drop engine off mount rock forward and job done

If you drop the engine off it's mount you will also have to unbolt the downpipe to rock it forwards. But even with that come to think of it it would probably be quicker. I might have to edit the guide a bit

[CJ_Derv]

Estimated time 4-5 hours!? Really jesus! I wouldnt advise you ever open a garage lol

20-30mins tops haha

---

Just drop engine off mount rock forward and job done

If you drop the engine off it's mount you will also have to unbolt the downpipe to rock it forwards. But even with that come to think of it it would probably be quicker. I might have to edit the guide a bit

Ive never had to unbolt downpipe the exhaust rubbers allow the movement lol

[Chris_90]

Great guide gona do this to my k14 soon i think, what difference did it make boost wise? how much quicker did it come on boost?

[Tom]

Im not sure if this is completely correct but i think you should mount it as close to the turbo (thats still easily accessible and doesnt defeat the object) as possible to prevent boost spikes!

[306Puggy]

I did my t2 without even taking wheel off in 5 mins lol

T2s are easier since you can just cut the rubber hose and I assume you don't have to get underneath either since jacking the car up and supporting it properly takes 5 minutes in itself. So yeah, nice and easy for T2 owners!

Great guide gona do this to my k14 soon i think, what difference did it make boost wise? how much quicker did it come on boost?

There is slightly quicker spool and less delay of boost when changing gears. Plus I achieved 19psi boost on standard fuelling but it was slow because I didn't have the fuel to match it but it goes to show how easily you can control the boost with them. So if I wanted a lean setup I could have easily have had standard fuelling but 19psi boost even though it would be completely pointless!

[Check30]

Might be a silly question but what size hose are you using when i tried to order it asked me what o.d x i.d thanks

[Sambarker]

Alternatively

Buy mbc and 4mm pipe.
Jack car up enough for a fat lady garden to get underneath
Axle stands
Get under and remove old pipe
Man the f*ck up and fit new pipes to correct places without even popping bonnet
Lower car back onto ground

10 mins tops

[Piggy]

Coz cutting it in two is the pikey way...why have more potential boost leaks than necessary?

I did my k14 in 25min...the t2 was so easy...was probably 10min easy.

[306Puggy]

It is not the pikey way. You won't have any leaks from cutting the pipe in two. the only other way would be to get some banjo fittings with nipples for the pipe on but why spend the money when you don't need to.

[306Puggy]

Okay maybe 10 minutes is slightly too long maybe 5 minutes with a low entry jack but my point is that you shouldn't rush these things and it's not a competition for who can jack up a car the fastest or who is or isn't competent based on how long it takes them to do one task.

[Sambarker]

Maybe in your next guide instead of telling us how long it will take you should just say "confidence levels will affect time taken" ??

[darrenjlobb]

People, cleaned!

[ADV_93]

Tbf, on a K14, a massive factor is the access you don't have... Luckily i have skinny arms so this wasn't as much of an issue