need your help guys!!
 

ok iv now fitted a prosport boost gauge...

car is only boosting 0.7bar.....it holds this rite through rev range...

now iv a polar chipped ecu set at 1.1bar so how could this happen???

full decat system
walbro
blitz delete pipe
KnN cone filter..

could it be actuator set wrong??? iv set rod and there isnt much adjustment left....

any idea guys???? :(

sounds like you have fitted the boost gaige to the actuator pipes instead of the inlet pipe.
you are seeing actuator cracking pressure, not actual boost pressure.

the boost vac pipe is connected to 1 of the vac pipes on top of inlete..?? it had already had a gauge at some point and i just used the pipe already plumbed in...

on my boost solenoid 3 port...the bottom pipe is cut short and goes no where..about 2 or 3 inchs....i can feel i think it still has the pill....should i connect to this pipe???

there are 3 vac outlets on top of the inlet....im useing the left hand 1 as you look at the engine...

Sounds like you are in the right place.
Does the car feel considerably slower then usual ?

It sounds like it could be one of a few things :
The BCS is not working or the pipes to/from it are blocked therefore the boost control is not bleeding way the boost from the actuator so you are only getting actuator pressure and not ECU controlled pressure.
The Green diagnostic connectors are connected under the dash.
The MAF is knackered and dropping the boost (seen this a few times on the early classics). Cleaning the MAF can help but it normally gives the same problems a short time later.

well this is the problem..i never had any way of telling boost till now...it feels same as normal...so clearly i have never had full boost...

supposed to be on rollers sat afternoon....fek sake :(

Check the green connectors, if they are not connected, then my bet is MAF.

Gauge not accurate?

the green connectors are disconneted.... is there any way top test the maf???

Try cleaning it with carb cleaner, it may bring it back for a while.
This is a problem I have only seen on Pre96 MAF/ECU, so not probably applicable to later models.

right checked cleaned everything....still the same..so I took bottom pipe off the 3 port... now im seeing 1.2bar.....so is it the wrong pill or can I leave it or run pipe to the delete pipe nipple with no pill???

what this has proved is it will boost...

Sounds like the bottom port pipe was pretty well blocked.
It should have a 2mm restrictor.
What I have seen done it screw a tyre valve cap onto the bottom port with a 2mm hole drilled in the top.

iv drilled out old pill 2mm going to fit it after work.. the old hole was tiny

Cool. Sounds like it had a later 97 onwards pill as thes range from 0.9mm to 1.2mm

lastest...fitted pipe drove home perfect 1.1bar...then...2mins from house..0.5bar!! so checked pipe hadnt got blocked and its fine...now i feel like im banging my head against a wall!!! sooo nearly fixed!! iv checked all my work pipes connections...cant see why???

Sounds like it could of been fudged to work with a faulty MAF.
As said before the ECU can limit boost if it detects problems with the MAF.
It may be that the car had the problem but it was found that running lower boost at 0.7bar prevented it from seeing/activating the fault condition.

See if you can boz a green MAF from someone. I used to have a good one here, but sold it when I packed up the mapping.

I have one here you can borrow to try. If your close or willing to travel more than welcome to give yourself u a hand getting it solved. Plus Scott the wizz man is close by to me.

0.5 is limp mode. Actuator pressure. Sure you haven't popped a hose of the bcs??

If you can get to the breakfast meet I can log the fuelling to see if it's running lean and can probably get Benji's MAF to you too.

Now that's just one of the reasons I remember joining this forum which you wouldn't get from scabbynet. Top job and offer guys. 10/10 for effort. Hope you get it sorted...

right further news.....i took the pill pipe back off and drove it again.....still 0.5...so now im devo thinking actuator or 3port...what do you think.....??

thanks so much for all your input...i had 10mins of the car running as it should!! had a big smile.. im convinced its gona be something stupid,,

yes 100% top people....

To run 0.5bar the actuator it stuck open or being told to open by the ECU i.e the ECU stops the BCS working (it acts as an electronic bleed valve)

Pull the hose off the actuator then go for a careful drive. This will force the actuator to remain closed and you will boost upto the boost limit/fuel-cut safety limit. Take it easy and just do it once or twice to confirm it will boost.

Eml light up at all? Have you checked that the top and middle pipes are going to the right parts of the turbo. And the pill has to be in there to work..

iv no lights come up... im going to refit the pill pipe and take off actuator pipe now...then report back what it does....

cheers again guys...

right chaps....took pipe off actuator and got boost..i didnt go mad just over a bar but it boost so...?? actuator??

No that proves the actuator is working.
I still say MAF.

just put another actuator on...now seeing 0.9 1bar....and i think if i adjust tension on rod it should be ok.....on the old actuator had 0.5 and wouldnt rev past 4000rpm now it revs all the way... you still reckon maf??

the car is boosting at 1bar....do I need to reset the ecu as it was in limp mode??

If it won't rev past 4 its in limp mode.
The actuator is working fine.
0.5 bar is actuator open which you see under ecu control.
1.1bar is actuator closed when you disconnect the vacum/boost hose.
The actuator is just a mechanical device that opens and closes based on the pressure seen on its diaphragm.
Your foot/the turbo control how much pressure is seen by the actuator. The bcs then bleeds air away from the actuator under ecu control to allow you to achieve higher then actator cracking pressure boost levels.
The majority of modern turbo cars apply this principle so that if a fault is detected the ecu can limit the boost levels.

You found the wrong restrictor in the bcs pipes which limited boost. The right one gave you the right boost. Dropping to 0.5 is a sign the ecu has detected a fault. If it were MAP sensor related the ecu would of logged code 45 iirc. As there is no CEL this is a good indication its MAF as I have never known this fault condition to give a CEL.

how do I get codes up?? and I how do I reset ecu?? I can get another maf... but im confused that when I changed actuator it came out of limp mode and started boosting and reving out...