How-to: +2psi for a cheap $5

[SpeedBeaver]

Admins and Moderators, please feel free to move this how-to to the proper section since I can't post in it.


This is a translation I did from the original "How-to" written by SoundTest on www.mazdatuning.com
It was his idea, and his idea alone, I do not take any credit for this how-to. I only translated it.
Original How-to by SoundTest

For the "Nay sayers" please refer to the following scan taken from Corky Bell's "Maximum boost" book.

Here is how to turn up the boost on your MazdaspeedProtege by using a carburator spring. You don't even need to jack the car up. You'll need a ratchet with a 10mm socket, long nose pliers, and a carburator spring (part #24-5582-8 at canadian tire / Prt # 59002 from Autozone- You need to curve both ends to make hooks so you can install it properly). You use the biggest one in the pack. Mechanics gloves (in case the mainfold is still hot)

Ok, you must first visualise what needs to be done, mainly where the spring must be installed. On this picture you can see 3 color circles. The red one shows the wastegate's actuator, the green one the wastegate control arm, and finaly the blue one is showing the wastegate's valve command. When the boost is rising, a pressure is created in the actuator, the actuator then pushes the control arm to open the wastegate's valve. By installing a spring between the valve and the actuator itself, you increase the pressure needed to open the valve. This is due to the tension the springs put between these two points. Different springs could be used. The I recommand using is a 2lbs one so that the boost wil be raised to 8lbs or 8.5lbs depending on your stock boost level.

First, remove the exhaust mainfold heatshield so you can see and access the actuator's control arm.

Here you can see the control arm between the intercooler's piping and a radiator hose. (yeah, that picture is crappy I know...)

here you can see the actuator, the spring will be attached to that goldish metal peice protecting it.

Here you see how to hold the spring with the long nose pliers so you can install it.

If you got big hands, you should consider removing the intercooler's hot-pipe (the pipe between the IC's top and the turbo), so that you'll have enough space to work. With your right hand, hold the spring with the pliers and you guide it with your left hand (here the guy putted a glove to avoid burning himself on the mainfold).

It takes lots of patience to be able to get the first end of the spring hooked up to the wastegate's valve that you can't actualy see. That's the reason why you must know what you're looking for (blue circle on the 2nd picure from the top)

Lots of patience....

Once the spring is hooked correctly on the wastegate's valve, you must stretch it to hook the second half to the actuator's goldish protecting metal peice.

Then you only have to bolt back the mainfold's heatshield and the intercooler's piping (if removed. Be sure not to forget anything in the engine bay! (glasses, tools, anything you could have forgot in the engine bay cuz at this point you must have used about all the patience you actualy can have in a whole day ). Take it for a spin! Depending on the spring used (tension specs -> lbs) you can get 2psi verry easily! Have fun.

SoundTest
Translated from French by SpeedBeaver

 

[Mr. Win]

that looks like the worst idea ever.

 

[SpeedBeaver]

that looks like the worst idea ever.

Why? So far many people tried this and none had even the slicest problem. The boost is more stable than with a MBC.
The worst case I can see is that the spring will break, returning boost to stock.

 

[Mr. Win]

Why? So far many people tried this and none had even the slicest problem. The boost is more stable than with a MBC.
The worst case I can see is that the spring will break, returning boost to stock.

thats because protege owners are tightwands and wont spend the money on a decent boost controller all that work to have the spring pop off and then have to do it again. If you mod like you prob shouldnt be uping the boost but you get what you pay for.

 

[Matthew]

i see what corwin is saying...why not spend a couple bucks for a simple mbc?

 

[SpeedBeaver]

I think almost 99% of the members here know that upping the boost alone is not good. Using this mod along with colder plugs, exhaust, intake and upgraded IC is the way to go.

SoundTest was only proposing a solution for the 8-9 psi range without spending $70 for a MBC that can spike and blow up your engine.

I'm fine with the fact that this solution is not to your liking but it has been tested and proven to work.

 

[Mr. Win]

you could also just tighten what youve circled here in blue and yield the same results assuming theres enough thread.

 

[Matthew]

so wait...first off you can get MBCs cheaper than 70 and you can make your own actually. but youre saying that that rig up is more reliable than an mbc? i would trust an mbc before i started adding springs from the ace hardware store.

 

[SpeedBeaver]

That could also work. But the spring has the benefit of not altering the stock settings of the car, making it easy to remove it if necessary, instead of spending hours ajusting it, jacking the car at every try.

 

[SpeedBeaver]

Note also that you don't have to remove it everytime you pay a visit to you dealer.

 

[SpeedBeaver]

so wait...first off you can get MBCs cheaper than 70 and you can make your own actually. but youre saying that that rig up is more reliable than an mbc? i would trust an mbc before i started adding springs from the ace hardware store.

MBC's are know to spike up to 1.5psi. So you can hit over 10psi depending how you ajusted it. Most of the members here agree that 10psi without any management or forged internals is not safe at all.

 

[Mr. Win]

okay okay your mods awesome enjoy.

 

[122 Vega]

thats because protege owners are tightwands and wont spend the money on a decent boost controller all that work to have the spring pop off and then have to do it again. If you mod like you prob shouldnt be uping the boost but you get what you pay for.

This is actually one of the biggest SRT mods too. A lot of the people at srtforums.com used this for a long time. The SRT will throw a code after awhile, but I don't think the Mazda will because I don't think the PCM senses boost. Don't know for sure yet.

There have been some people here before that have done this too.

Britt

 

[CasopoliS]

The term we use locally is jerry-rigged. If people are too cheap to buy a MBC, they should not buy a turbo car and want to mod it. Hell you can even make a cheap MBC with Swagelok parts. That would be much-less rigged, and much more functional. If your mod works, then it works, I just don't know if its "how-to" worthy. Kinda like:

"How-To keep your MSP lip and ground effects from falling off"

Buy duct tape from your local hardware store part # 123xyz
Tape the top of the ground effects to the car.

It works...... but looks like s*** and once the tape goes bad or falls off then it wont work.

Functionality is only one factor for the how-to section. Quality and reliability are the others. Sorry to knock it man.... good pics and all, decent instructions, just not a good mod by any means.

 

[122 Vega]

What's funny is that the "renowned and respected Joe P" even told me that this was a usable mod and worked fine. I talked with him at great lengths about it awhile ago.

But then again, he did think that Magnus exhaust really would add 77 whp.

Britt

 

[CasopoliS]

But then again, he did think that Magnus exhaust really would add 77 whp.

Britt

Yes, now that is funny.

I agree, the spring mod works. But would you do it? There are a few mods like this... ways to change boost without getting a boost controller. I guess I just don't understand them. MBC's are cheap.

 

[StreakinOraNgeX]

See, Im thinking the main benefit to this would be that if you blow your engine, Mazda can't figure out that you altered boost and therefore would replace under warranty!!!!! that would be sweet.

 

[Notorious]

Yeah, it'll work. But just add a damn mbc. You are seriously ****** if something goes wrong with the wastegate.

 

[122 Vega]

In chapter 12 of Corky Bell's Maximum Boost he states that "adding a supplementary spring to the original" wastegate spring is and acceptable way to increase boost pressure and turbo response. He even provides a nice detailed picture, fig.12-18 to show how to do this exact thing.

Britt

 

[peepsalot]

This mod looks decent to me, I don't see why everyone is hating on it. As long as you use a spring that is not too stiff it seems fine to me. I'd just make sure to have a boost gauge handy to verify the added boost. And if this "jerry rigged" setup fails by the spring breaking or something, then oh no, you are at stock boost again!!! Safer than messing with the wastegate lines and possibly overboosting IMO(hooking up MBC backwards for example).