Goodbye Torqstorm, hello Spoolius Ceasar

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Swapped to a milodon 8qt low profile pan kit from Mancini.. came with everything and a new hv pump. So far so good. New Maxima rs1550 oil. Oil pressure doesn't drop off like before. Also seems to take a bit longer for the oil to get hot. So that's a win, also had to purchase another fuel pressure regulator, the one I had would hold pressure but wouldn't rise with boost like it was supposed to.

And while all this was happening my cheapo speed master electric water pump decided to become a spray nozzle from the motor housing. Replaced that with a moroso pump, at least this one is rebuild able.
 
Has anyone tried to wire up a shift light and trigger it via the megasquirt? I have it wired up and it works during testing.. but when being used it TAKES FOREVER to activate. Basically set at 2500rpm it doesn't light up till it's passed 4500+. Or maybe it's a setting, I dunno it's weird.
 
Toluene56 said:
Has anyone tried to wire up a shift light and trigger it via the megasquirt? I have it wired up and it works during testing.. but when being used it TAKES FOREVER to activate. Basically set at 2500rpm it doesn't light up till it's passed 4500+. Or maybe it's a setting, I dunno it's weird.
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I’m not sure how mega squirt works, so i don’t know if it’s applicable. But can you log when outputs are commanded to turn on? With Holley you can log when you tell “X” output to turn on or whatever it is the ecu is controlling. If you can in fact see when the ecu is triggering it you may have a modifier that’s keeping it delayed until “X”. Again, it may not work that way or even be the issue, but could be something to look into
 
Turbosmblk said:
I’m not sure how mega squirt works, so i don’t know if it’s applicable. But can you log when outputs are commanded to turn on? With Holley you can log when you tell “X” output to turn on or whatever it is the ecu is controlling. If you can in fact see when the ecu is triggering it you may have a modifier that’s keeping it delayed until “X”. Again, it may not work that way or even be the issue, but could be something to look into
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megasquirt is similar.. there is an actual shift light setting and I can select the output wire. Which I have done so it grounds the wire and activates the light.. but it's REALLY late. By the time it activates and the light turns on i'm like 2-3000rpm passed the point.
 
Toluene56 said:
Has anyone tried to wire up a shift light and trigger it via the megasquirt? I have it wired up and it works during testing.. but when being used it TAKES FOREVER to activate. Basically set at 2500rpm it doesn't light up till it's passed 4500+. Or maybe it's a setting, I dunno it's weird.
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Are you lighting the bulb directly from the output or going through a relay?
 
I'm using the Tach Out to my external shift light
shift_light.png
 
Toluene56 said:
I tried it with a Relay.. works perfect.
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I was going to say I think the bulb may be too much of a load for the output. I guess it is. Glad you figured it out.

I know yall are turbo so I assume you are using the launch control with timing ramp. I just set mine up on the clutch switch. I’m going to tune the ramp on the street so I can try to minimize wheel spin when I start at autocrosses and also on the drag strip at Moparty grand champion competition. We have run on the same tire we autocross with. It’s a pedal fest leaving the line even rolling into it.
Have you had anything weird happen using the launch control ch control or does it work pretty good?
 
racerjoe said:
I was going to say I think the bulb may be too much of a load for the output. I guess it is. Glad you figured it out.

I know yall are turbo so I assume you are using the launch control with timing ramp. I just set mine up on the clutch switch. I’m going to tune the ramp on the street so I can try to minimize wheel spin when I start at autocrosses and also on the drag strip at Moparty grand champion competition. We have run on the same tire we autocross with. It’s a pedal fest leaving the line even rolling into it.
Have you had anything weird happen using the launch control ch control or does it work pretty good
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I have not setup a timing ramp for launch control. I don't really build boost till about 4300rpm.. which is about the flash stall of my converter. Also the EFi is new so I don't have any track trips yet. I have tested the 2-step and set it up, but that's about it.
 
I have been messing with my boost control for a bit now. Trying to get my low boost setup to work. I just realized that my "boost psi" gauge on my tunerstudio doesn't match what a normal kpa for boost is. So my base kpa at this elevation is 83kpa, by the time I'm at 100kpa i'm essentially at 2.5psi ish. I have a 6.2psi spring (according to my wastegate mfg) in the gate, currently it runs about 10/11psi according to my tunerstudio. But because tunerstudio is taking a base reading of 83kpa to start it's calculations, the spring is pretty close, opening at 7.5-8.5psi (if we were to assume 101kpa base). Does that make sense? at 10psi my tunerstudio is reading 155kpa. I've been trying to chase a 7-8psi low boost setup, but my 10psi really is about 7.5psi. I'm just trying to figure if I need to add another 50mm wastegate, lol.
 
Toluene56 said:
I have been messing with my boost control for a bit now. Trying to get my low boost setup to work. I just realized that my "boost psi" gauge on my tunerstudio doesn't match what a normal kpa for boost is. So my base kpa at this elevation is 83kpa, by the time I'm at 100kpa i'm essentially at 2.5psi ish. I have a 6.2psi spring (according to my wastegate mfg) in the gate, currently it runs about 10/11psi according to my tunerstudio. But because tunerstudio is taking a base reading of 83kpa to start it's calculations, the spring is pretty close, opening at 7.5-8.5psi (if we were to assume 101kpa base). Does that make sense? at 10psi my tunerstudio is reading 155kpa. I've been trying to chase a 7-8psi low boost setup, but my 10psi really is about 7.5psi. I'm just trying to figure if I need to add another 50mm wastegate, lol.
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Does your MS model have a built in MAP sensor? Does it need to be calibrated for your elevation?
 
subcom said:
Does your MS model have a built in MAP sensor? Does it need to be calibrated for your elevation?
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No it's external. I have just set it up per the instructions. It has the base setup in it, I was thinking about zeroing it out. But honestly it sounds about right, it's the right kpa and everything. I'm just thinking since the gate is mechanical and opens when it opens, the 10psi the "boost_psi" is showing is only 155kpa map in the system, which at sea level is 8psi. I was worried about gate priority and boost creep, perhaps I shouldn't be.

The kid loves the car
 
That’s awesome! When mine was smaller he’d fall asleep in the backseat coming back from the racetrack. I don’t know how. It was loud and had 4.30 gears back them and absolutely howled like a dump truck going down the highway.
 
Does your dash setup allow you to use mph data in tuner studio? For things like boost per mph type maps?
 
turbovan said:
Does your dash setup allow you to use mph data in tuner studio? For things like boost per mph type maps?
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it will log MPH when I Data log with the dash. I think if I used the tunerstudio on the dash I could probably set up the speed to do stuff. Haven't tried, I just wanted speed lol.

But.. I have come to the conclusion that I don't think my wastegate is enough or doesn't have enough priority. I think I might have to get another 50mm gate. There is almost no boost control... it acts like it hits a limit (sometimes) then just off to neverland.
I finally hit boost cut today, I had it set at 170kpa (12psi for my elevation). I know the gate does stuff, because I can change the boost table and get boost to come in faster, but it just doesn't limit it.

It is a 50mm piston style wastegate from Summit, looks identical to the VSracing piston gate. I doubt a diaphragm gate would be any better. I did also already take the gate apart and made sure everything moved freely.
Screenshot 2025-04-13 131747.jpeg
 
Was boost controllable before the megasquirt install?

I run a single 50mm gate. Priority is okay* but 10psi is about the lowest I can go with it.
 
turbovan said:
Was boost controllable before the megasquirt install?
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at first...yes. I THINK. The best track run I had was carburetor and AEM boost controller, max boost was 7.1psi. But later on like last year, I thought I had messed up a setting or something because my aem controller hit boost cut as well. Maybe the mac valve is buggered up? This is the first time in a long time that i'm doing heavy load pulls to see what it limits too... So it's possible it wasn't working all that well the whole time and now it's running way better with the efi it's making the issue more known.
I also know the wastegate priority isn't all that great, So I could probably fix it and add another gate just to be safe.
 
Have you ever changed the wastegate spring or taken the top off? Wondering if it’s possible that the diaphragm got torn/ripped/pinched.
Hard to see; Does that wastegate pipe attach at 90 degrees?

I’ll probably do dual gates myself if I ever redo the hot side
 
turbovan said:
Have you ever changed the wastegate spring or taken the top off? Wondering if it’s possible that the diaphragm got torn/ripped/pinched.
Hard to see; Does that wastegate pipe attach at 90 degrees?

I’ll probably do dual gates myself if I ever redo the hot side
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it's a piston style wastegate.. so just orings and piston. it's at about 55degree angle, BUT it has about a foot of pipe, so that might be a problem. I did take it apart yesterday, even lubed the orings. Everything was smooth and still looked brand new inside, aside from the carbon on the actual valve. It only came with 2 springs, a 4psi and 6psi. I BELIEVE I have the 6psi spring in it, cannot find the box with the other one. I do have another spring but i'm not sure what it is for LOL. I'm almost tempted to remove the spring all together and see if it even builds boost at all.
 
Can you just throw that 4psi spring in and plumb boost directly to the bottom of the wastegate as a test to see if it stays under control?

I’ve never tuned an electric boost controller so no clue lol!
 
turbovan said:
Can you just throw that 4psi spring in and plumb boost directly to the bottom of the wastegate as a test to see if it stays under control?

I’ve never tuned an electric boost controller so no clue lol!
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it's not electric... it's plumbed just like a diaphragm. I just took it apart again and made sure I could put pressure to the bottom and the piston opened.. so I put it back together without a spring. Shouldn't really build boost, so if it does I know there's a problem.
 
Toluene56 said:
Well, as much as I like the whistle and whoosh of the torqstorm. I wanted more than 6-7psi.
So I did something.
Magnum headers and some left over pipe from one of my old 2 1/2" exhaust kits, I made myself a turbski kit.
Now the hater pipe is going to be temporary, I think after everything shakes down and works right. I'll probably run through for a fender exit in front of the tire.

Cheap ebay Magnum truck headers
A bunch of v bands
Vs racing gen 2.5 7875 1.25ar
Summit racing piston style 50mm wastegate
Ebay blow off
Now for the weather to cooperate.
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Hater Pipe. Good one. Wrap it before taking pics & Haters got nuthin to whine about!
 
Boost is fixed. Modified the first gate mounting location and added another 50mm gate. 7.5psi on gate pretty steady now, or rather 130ish kpa. Now I feel much better about leaning on it.
 
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