Connect the pump to the line at the TCV and put pressure on it. You should see the waste gate bar move. You need to loosen the locknut. Apply 7.5-7.75 psi on the pump and adjust the thumbwheel so that it reaches mechanical stop. Tighten locknut. Then reach back there apply 7.75 psi and check to see it doesn't open until just under 8psi. No movement until desired psi is reached. You might need to do minor adjustments because tightening the locknut can throw it slightly out. Make sure it is adjusted to less than 8 psi or you will experience reduced performance.

Pull fuses 6 and 23 before you start, put them back in when your done. ECU should be set after a few trips.

Before you start put your finger back there and find the psi it starts moving at, that will indicate what your set at. Nice to know where you start.

 

Pull fuses 6 and 23 before you start, put them back in when your done. ECU should be set after a few trips.

Fuses 6 and 23? This needs to be clarified too. From which fuse box?

 

How do you know when this needs to be done, and how common is it for the wastegate to be set inproperly ?

 

Do you have a boost gauge installed? If so, an easy way to check if your wastegate is currently set within a reasonable range, e.g. 4.5 to 7.5 psi, is to simply unplug the electrical connector on the TCV and take the car out for a drive while monitoring the boost level at full throttle. With the electrical connector unplugged the TCV simply acts as a pass-thru on the boost/vac line between the intake manifold and the wastegate actuator.

In other words, the pressure/vaccuum in the intake manifold will directly control the wastegate actuator. As such, when the intake manifold pressure hits the pressure that your wastegate is currently set to, the wastegate will open and limit max boost to approx. the wastegate pressure setting.

Take note of what the maximum sustained boost level is during your drive with the TCV unplugged and that should be approximately equal to your current wastegate setting.

Once you're done, don't forget to reconnect the electrical connector for the TCV.

Hope that helps,

Jeff

p.s. credit goes to stealthys60R for coming up with this quick way of testing your base wastegate setting (at least he's the first forum member that I recall having proposed this test)

 

it's a mechanical system in a high temperature environment. There's going to be some change over time and temp cycling. This system is very sensitive to change, so it's always good to check it. You can also get some free HP by setting it slightly higher than the factory spec. Not too high, though, which would cause fuel to auto-detonate (ping).

Thanks for the help Dave. I'll try it out this morning. One thing that should be clarified in your statement. Tightening the thumb wheel to a mechanical lock.. in which direction? Lengthening the rod or shortening the rod?

 

6 & 23 sound correct for my '05 VR...

 

I just checked the owner's manuals and you're correct: engine bay fuses 6 and 23 are correct for 04 and 05 Rs and engine bay fuses 12 and 19 are correct for 06 and 07 Rs.

 

where is this Video?!? i search and search but can't find it. I really hate our search compaired to the normal vBulletin forums search

 

Go here. I link IPD's youtube page, because there's plenty worth watching.
Specifically watch Turbo 101 and Turbo 102

 

Doh! Post didn't go through.

I can't remember if your shortening or lengthening the rod???

Anyways you attach pump, loosen locknut, then apply slow pressure( with finger on rod where it goes into the waste gate). When it nudges forward you have reached the stock setting. Probably 3.5-5 psi. Then set Your pump to 7.5 psi and turn thumbwheel a couple turns till it stops. Your pulling the rod out of the waste gate. Then apply more pressure and it should move again. Release pressure and check to see the bar should not start moving until 7.5-7.75 psi. If it is good, tighten locknut, then check again to see if the bar moves exactly at 7.5-7.75 psi. If it is locked down and set your done. Otherwise loosen and adjust again.

I will try to find the old thread and double-check. This is all from memory and I can't remember exactly.

And blame Shortcircuit on the video! I did his waste gate adjustment and he didn't video tape it!

I played with mine a while to get it just right, small movements throw it off and even locking it down can change it slightly.

 

Ok, guess it is shortening the rod.

 

I adjusted several in Boston at the Ikea meet this past weekend using the IPD adjustment tool. If I remember correctly, you rotate the top of the thumb wheel toward the front of the car to decrease the pressure it takes to move the actuating arm. 2 of the Rs I did were at 8 and 9 PSI respectively and were supposed to be set to 4.4 (according to IPDs charts) and we rotated towards the front to drop to 4.4.
Both people reported increased acceleration at lower speeds. Dunno what happened a higher speeds but they can chime in on how things went on the way home to CT.
Oh yeah...PB Blaster made things Soooooooo much easier. Also, you can check where you're at pressure wise without removing the heat shield.
Hope this helps.

 

4.4 is not what I have ever heard for the R. Maybe for the 2.4t?

 

At the end of the IPD video are posted charts showing each motor type and a cross reference for the appropriate setting for the actuating arm pressure(s). The setting for engine B5254T4 (6th and 7th position of the VIN being "5" and "2") is 4.4 PSI.

 

That might be the factory setting.

 

At the end of the IPD video are posted charts showing each motor type and a cross reference for the appropriate setting for the actuating arm pressure(s). The setting for engine B5254T4 (6th and 7th position of the VIN being "5" and "2") is 4.4 PSI.

Correction: The "engine type" reference is a .pdf on IPD's web site. The cross reference for pressure is at the end of the video.

 

http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?104485-Wastegate-Valve-Adjusting

IPD-Lucky, "The base setting is about 4.5 psi, you can safely raise this to 6-8 psi. This will give almost instant boost production in response to throttle input."

 

Theses "pressures" are where the arm should start moving according to IPD. I don't know where they got these settings from but they do improve performance immediately and noticeably when applied.
I'm starting to think maybe we are talking about different things here dave_n_ruth?

 

Got it.
Seems most are set to about 8 or 9 stock. They sure do feel better around 4.4. Maybe due to lack of mods? Mine is pretty stock at the moment and so were the 2 I adjusted.

 

People turned them manually without using gages and over adjusted them. It reduces the performance when you exceed 8PSI.

 

so, is it recommended to raise the pressure that the waste gate actuating arm...well...begins to actuate as you add mods to the car ?

 

I'm getting ready to add 3" DP, exhaust, and stage 2 tune is why I ask.
Does anyone know the WG pressure they're running with similar set up? That would be a huge help going in.

 

I'm going to have the PhDP and PhMic installed and I wasn't going to change my setting. It should have no effect on how they perform. It isn't allowing more PSI or adding HP. As for the Tune??? I have no idea how they program the tune. I set ShortCircuits wastegate to 7.5 psi and he has IPD DP and Stage II tune, PhMiC.

 

Agree w/Dave - Set for 7.0 (I think that's what we reduced to, Dave, when we did round 2 w/my wastegate) with DP + Stage 2 tune. Lower if you don't have these mods. Believe stock is set at 3.5 psi (?). Never exceed 7.5 psi, however.

 

Funny thing is I thought I could make my own adjustment tool and, before figuring out that you can't do it on the open market for what IPD is charging, I ended up manually adjusting mine at first. I walked that adjustment arm from one extreme to the other and finally during that process (of burning the $h*t out of my arm) , I found a setting that made my car run like a bat out of hell! Problem was it was too aggressive; almost like she was going to blow up so I backed it off. After I broke down and bought the IPD set up, I found my final adjustment to be pretty close to what IPD (Lucky) recommended.
I'll give the 7.5 a try as a starting PSI when all of my bolt ons' are on and digits are digitizing.
Thanks!
Bob

 

XcalibR just confused the heck out of me. I was almost certain factory setting was 4.4, and Lucky said to increase 2 psi for safe gains.... I've been hearing everyone say 7.5psi is best.
4.4 better than 7.5 doesn't make sense. That's the pressure at which the wastegate opens and bypasses the turbo, thereby decreasing the maximum boost levels. So, higher should be better (to a point).

 

Do 7.0 !

 

concur. your right 4.4 is the factory setting it seems. didn't mean to mud the water. Out of curiosity, is your car stock or modded?

 

I got nothing but wastegate tweak and IPD HD TCV and a new Viva/Spec single mass flywheel for engine mods, so far.