Turbo on protege es

[green dart]

I just installed a turbo on my protege and am currently running only 3 psi because when i get up to about 4 to 4.5 psi the engine shuts down at WOT. I have no fuel management just the stock ecu and i know that i am hitting the limit on something but dont know what. Can anyone tell me why its doing this and if there is any way arond it. I am on a budget and dont want to get FM if i dont have to. Also when i took off the stock airbox there is a small plastic sensor, i left it connected but is just hanging in the engine compartment. What is this sensor for and do i need to hook it up in the new intake pipe.

 

[Boston5761]

I just installed a turbo on my protege and am currently running only 3 psi because when i get up to about 4 to 4.5 psi the engine shuts down at WOT. I have no fuel management just the stock ecu and i know that i am hitting the limit on something but dont know what. Can anyone tell me why its doing this and if there is any way arond it. I am on a budget and dont want to get FM if i dont have to. Also when i took off the stock airbox there is a small plastic sensor, i left it connected but is just hanging in the engine compartment. What is this sensor for and do i need to hook it up in the new intake pipe.

get the msp ecu...dont go turbo until you are ready! You will blow something up....that sensor is prob the intake temp sensor..

 

[green dart]

thats what i figured
Thanks

 

[joka1]

damn, ya i drove my es for about 1 day on the stock ecu. i would say dont drive it until u have a way to add more fuel. best of luck

rob

btw the sensor is probally the iat.

 

[igdrasil]

The hanging sensor....thats the IAT like joka said, no big deal with it and its placement.

You need a Rising rate fuel pressure regulator or a MSP ECU, I think the ECU will do better.

 

[Killer 8]

can the regular ecu really be able to run all the way up to 2.5psi without letting go? i wish i could see what the wide band says about your AFR. any guesses?

 

[igdrasil]

I wouldnt do it, this engine runs hot and advanced timing.
You can get an FMU from a board member here, I think hes selling it for $50.00 which I think is a great deal.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

running any amount of boost on this car without engine management is foolhardy to put it kindly. the stock computer is not mapped to add any fuel or pull any timing above 0 inches of mercury (no vacuum). in fact many times as soon as the MAP sensor sees the pressure exceed 0 the car will throw a check engine light for "map sensor voltage too high" etc.

the wall or the 'limit' you are hitting is likely running too lean. this will induce wonderful experiences like ping, misfiring, detonation, knock and eventually an invoice for a new engine. you say you are on a budget, which is fine. so think of it like this - you either spend 200 to 300 on a fuel management solution or 1000 on a replacement engine from a junkyard and thats if you put it in yourself. you cannot even run 1 psi on a car without some kind of management to support it.

sorry if i come across harsh, but forcing more air into the system means you have to compensate with more fuel. its pretty basic science. this kind of project is not something anyone should cheap out or take chances on because its pretty much guaranteed you are going to blow something thats going to cost even more money.

 

[Jeph]

Very informative post. If you are on a budget, maybe boosting a car isn't the greatest idea. There are so many things that can go wrong, and if this is your daily driver, then you are SOL if something goes wrong.
Just out of curiosity, what mae you think that you could boost at all without some way to add fuel to compensate for the greater amount of air going into your engine?

 

[djarkitek]

you i had all the oparts and when then i was like...wtf ..wait.. i need an msp ecu now....so yea get an msp ecu at the very least.

 

[BBSF2]

You need to get some sort of a way to add fuel into your motor, via it be a FMU, msp ECU, or some other type of fuel management. you can proally get a FMU the cheapest, and if you are on a budget, that might be the way to go. be careful with the car, s*** can, and will go wrong, beleive me, i know! if you have any other questions, let me know and i will see what i can do!
craig

 

[Doodsmack]

for the non-turbo ecu the cheapest option is a rising rate fuel pressure regulator along with a FM o2 clamp. this is what i've been using, although the clamps do go bad sometimes.

 

[buhavis]

I have an 02 protege es that i put a turbo on but i am having problems. With the stock ecu I got the engine cutting out at about 6000 rpm in 1st and 5500 in 2nd but i just got the msp ecu and now the engine is trying to cut out on me at 4500 in 1st and 5500 rpm in 2nd gear. Any help would be greatly apreciated.

 

[BBSF2]

what kind of boost are you running? you could be hitting fuel cut, thats kind of what sounds like is happening? if you are running more than 11-12 psi, you are going to need to get a fuel cut defender, but if you get that you should also upgrade your fuel management to a piggyback, bc all the fuel cut defender does is trick the ecu into thinking that it is only flowing so much air, but in realtiy you are flowing more and the fuel wont be there. no fuel plus too much air equals big problems. if you have any other questions, you can pm and i should be able to help!! i turboed my 2002 es as well, check my sig!
craig

 

[igdrasil]

I have an 02 protege es that i put a turbo on but i am having problems. With the stock ecu I got the engine cutting out at about 6000 rpm in 1st and 5500 in 2nd but i just got the msp ecu and now the engine is trying to cut out on me at 4500 in 1st and 5500 rpm in 2nd gear. Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Be careful, you could blow the engine.

Looks like a fuel cut. Sounds like you have a boost leak somewhere after the MAF, check that the BOV is sealing correctly and all pipes and hoses are tight. Also check all vacuum sources.

If you have an intake just before the MAF, check that it has at least the same diameter as the MAF, if its smaller, that could be also an issue.

Another thought is...fuel pressure or lazy fuel pump.

 

[buhavis]

Be careful, you could blow the engine.

Looks like a fuel cut. Sounds like you have a boost leak somewhere after the MAF, check that the BOV is sealing correctly and all pipes and hoses are tight. Also check all vacuum sources.

If you have an intake just before the MAF, check that it has at least the same diameter as the MAF, if its smaller, that could be also an issue.

Another thought is...fuel pressure or lazy fuel pump.

all my pipes and vacuum hoses are sealed and tight. so is my blow off valve.
i have an exhause pipe running up to the MAF ans it is a little smaller but i used a pipe that goes bigger to fit the MAF so i dont think that it would affect it.

 

[buhavis]

this is my setup

 

[BBSF2]

ahh rear mounted turbo! if that aint custom, i dunno what is!!, looks pretty good though, good job!!
craig
p.s. that is one hell of a return line!!

 

[buhavis]

Thanks man. Yeah, that took a lot of work to do but its awesome. I just wish taht i could get it running perfect.

 

[igdrasil]

o, that could be your problem!!!

If you use a smaller diameter pipe before the MAF...the MAF will read more air while the actual air is entering is less.
If you want to be sure about this, chec MAF voltage when boosting, if it reaches 5v, thats your cut.

This has happened to me before. Chec the voltages if possible.