Just finished my turbo install on my '97 1.8 Miata, took care of an oil leak and coolant leak, and took it out for its first spin. A few questions:

Turbo only seems to be hitting 5 psi. Should be hitting 8 psi. It's a Garrett GT28.

Fuel pressure only hits around 65-68 psi or so. I'm using a Pierburg inline auxiliary fuel pump. I can definitely feel the power coming on around 3000 or so rpms, but soon after that it just shits on itself, loses power, I'm guessing due to the fuel pressure.

After running, I looked at the turbo and saw some smoke coming from some seals, it seemed(i think), specifically around all the water inlets and outlets and the seals around them. Not a huge amount, just barely seeping out.

What could be causing all this? As for fuel pressure, is my Pierburg pump not wired up correctly(even though I'm pretty sure I got it done right), and therefore not pumping any extra fuel? Could there be another explanation behind why it's happening? Could that be affecting boost pressure? If not, how do I get it to the recommended 8psi?

How do I fix all of it? What should I check?

And is that smoke from the turbo anything to really worry about?

I wish Flyin Miata was open on Sundays. I guess I'll call them tomorrow, but it'd be great to hear some opinions from some of you guys as well.

Any help would be sincerely appreciated...thanks in advance.

Fuck. Why can't it just work right

 

Which GT28? R or RS?
You might have too much oil pressure at the turbo.. You may need to put an inline restrictor on the oil line. Do you have a clear downhill path from the turbo back to the pan so the oil is draining properly? I'm still lost, are you seeing the "smoke" from the inside of the compressor housing or the outside around the coolant fittings?? It's possible if the turbo is new that you're seeing residual oil (or something else) burning off when the turbo comes up to temp, kinda like the smoking mandrel lube from a new mandrel bent exhaust..

 

It was near impossible to get the oil drain hose barb fitting at an uphill angle. It is pointing just slightly downward, but the hose itself is all downhill, except for a very slight uphill curve close to the pan.

Mine is an R, I believe.

I have a few guesses as to what may be causing it, however. I'll get it checked out tomorrow.

Any ideas about the fuel pressure?

 

I wouldn't worry about the smoke yet, with everything being new. God knows what it could be burning off.

.. have you fuxed around with your boost controller to try to turn it up? How does your setup control boost?

Fuck your fuel pressure.

 

I'm pretty sure his set up just uses a waste gate spring. I told him to look at it, but apparently I don't know anything :x

 

No boost controller. All done with an adjustable wastegate

And yes, fuck my fuel pressure.

******.

 

That's fuckin' hood-rich.

 

Nigaplz.

 

An adjustable wastegate works fine, it just doesn't give you in-car control. You guys are too hung up on stupid stuff. An adjustable wastegate still works a lot better and more consistantly than a manual boost controller..

Do you have an adjustable fuel pressure regulator? How is the fueling changed under boost with that kit, I'm not familiar with the setup you bought.. I'm assuming it's probably a rising rate regulator?

GT28Rs are sweet, little bro to the "disco potato" 28RS.. I was thinking about getting one for faster response and a little more power on the WRX.. Not a big upgrade for power, just performance.

 

Update:

Fuel pressure problem was fixed due to fuel pump not getting any power.

Smoke from seals has stopped.

Now: Car is transitioning into boost better, however, as soon as revs rise much above 4000 or so, it stumbles a bit, making a fairly loud vibrating noise, which I can also feel through the transmission tunnel. Power backs itself down at that point.

Fuel pressure seems to be where it should, along with boost.

I keep hearing a constant squeaking/squealing/whining type noise coming from the AFPR ( I think) when I give it a fair amount of throttle. Not sure if this is normal.

Getting closer