ESS 625 low boost - findings

[bvrider1]

I was fighting a low boost issue for weeks and wanted to share what I did and how I fixed it.

Lets start with what changed.

I had a white top injector ESS Kit. I went to a smaller 94mm pulley on a blue top injector. I swapped these out and that is when my problem started.

I have a P3 gauge tapped inline and I was only able to get 2.5 - 5.0 for boost readings. About 20% of the time I would see boost at 7psi or better.

Purchased a boost leak tester:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Purchased a smoke tester:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Smoke test yielded no leaks. Don't expect to see anything unless you have a good size leak.

Boost leak tester installed on the plenum and a bottle of soapy water was up next.

I ran the psi up to 10psi and made sure all 8 intake boots were sprayed. Saw a couple clamps that could be tightened up some more. Intake boots were replaced a couple of years ago by me so I did not expect these to be bad.

Searching old posts on here, it seems like a T to the boost gauge worked well for others but I wanted to rule that out.

I installed a velocity stack Awron type from iTsEpic. Awron does not show these in stock anymore so for you supercharger guys might not be a bad idea to pick one up before the used market is depleted.

On doing so, I noticed that the T under the plenum was kinked more than I would like. I broke the plastic T fitting and went with a new brass one. Replaced the hard brittle vac line that leads to the bypass valve.

Root:
The kinked vac line under the plenum had a leak that was in the inside of the bend.

Boost levels are higher and well above 7psi where they should be now. I did lose my vac readings since I using the velocity stack to read boost.

I had a file revision performed by BPM to address the injectors and pulley change.

The car runs great now. That's all.

[amrazM]

I had similar issue with my Gpower kit, I ended up replacing all of the plastic T fittings with brass and braided lines.

[Properstyle]

would have been a nice add on to buy the ess manifold tie downs.

and personally I think the 94mm pulley is a waste of money, they sell it as a 650k boost achievement but in reality you need a 91mm to match the boost level of a ess 650kit.

[bvrider1]

I actually have the tie downs installed now.

There is always the case of how much you can push and I wanted to go with a smaller pulley.

As for now I am pretty content.

I would not turn down the offer to try a 91mm pulley though.

Originally Posted by Properstyle

would have been a nice add on to buy the ess manifold tie downs.

and personally I think the 94mm pulley is a waste of money, they sell it as a 650k boost achievement but in reality you need a 91mm to match the boost level of a ess 650kit.

[Properstyle]

Originally Posted by bvrider1

I actually have the tie downs installed now.

There is always the case of how much you can push and I wanted to go with a smaller pulley.

As for now I am pretty content.

I would not turn down the offer to try a 91mm pulley though.

I may end up having an extra one after this week. I'll let you know but when I was doing testing after installing my ess 625kit. I ordered a 3.6 pulley and with both a dyno and boost gauge after ensuring no leaks car hit right at 8 psi top of the rpm band at sea level.

I think ess sells the 94mm just to shut people up from asking for 650kit boost numbers as the only way to actually get close to the same boost and driving pattern of a true 650kit you need to run a 3.48 a 88mm.

Gain is when you go 3.48 which is a 88mm. Not so much for peak boost but power comes in alot sooner. People rant and rave about harrop tq when its achievable from ess kit just by dropping pulley size. I currently run a 3.1 (78mm) pulley and when I say it hits hard down low i mean it. I am however full e85 tune car on large injectors.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by bvrider1

I was fighting a low boost issue for weeks and wanted to share what I did and how I fixed it.

Lets start with what changed.

I had a white top injector ESS Kit. I went to a smaller 94mm pulley on a blue top injector. I swapped these out and that is when my problem started.

I have a P3 gauge tapped inline and I was only able to get 2.5 - 5.0 for boost readings. About 20% of the time I would see boost at 7psi or better.

Purchased a boost leak tester:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Purchased a smoke tester:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Smoke test yielded no leaks. Don't expect to see anything unless you have a good size leak.

Boost leak tester installed on the plenum and a bottle of soapy water was up next.

I ran the psi up to 10psi and made sure all 8 intake boots were sprayed. Saw a couple clamps that could be tightened up some more. Intake boots were replaced a couple of years ago by me so I did not expect these to be bad.

Searching old posts on here, it seems like a T to the boost gauge worked well for others but I wanted to rule that out.

I installed a velocity stack Awron type from iTsEpic. Awron does not show these in stock anymore so for you supercharger guys might not be a bad idea to pick one up before the used market is depleted.

On doing so, I noticed that the T under the plenum was kinked more than I would like. I broke the plastic T fitting and went with a new brass one. Replaced the hard brittle vac line that leads to the bypass valve.

Root:
The kinked vac line under the plenum had a leak that was in the inside of the bend.

Boost levels are higher and well above 7psi where they should be now. I did lose my vac readings since I using the velocity stack to read boost.

I had a file revision performed by BPM to address the injectors and pulley change.

The car runs great now. That's all.

We made the velocity stacks for the Awron/ESS combo and still have them in stock.

[bvrider1]

That car has to move!

Yeah man keep me posted if you want to get rid of the pulley.

Originally Posted by Properstyle

I may end up having an extra one after this week. I'll let you know but when I was doing testing after installing my ess 625kit. I ordered a 3.6 pulley and with both a dyno and boost gauge after ensuring no leaks car hit right at 8 psi top of the rpm band at sea level.

I think ess sells the 94mm just to shut people up from asking for 650kit boost numbers as the only way to actually get close to the same boost and driving pattern of a true 650kit you need to run a 3.48 a 88mm.

Gain is when you go 3.48 which is a 88mm. Not so much for peak boost but power comes in alot sooner. People rant and rave about harrop tq when its achievable from ess kit just by dropping pulley size. I currently run a 3.1 (78mm) pulley and when I say it hits hard down low i mean it. I am however full e85 tune car on large injectors.

[Lambro]

Glad the velocity stack worked out for you.

I just took a Awron stack I had bought and took it to a machine shop with 7 ess stacks I had from my old plenum and he machined it to the same specs as the awron stack. I think I have 6 left or so.

[Lambro]

Originally Posted by Properstyle

I may end up having an extra one after this week. I'll let you know but when I was doing testing after installing my ess 625kit. I ordered a 3.6 pulley and with both a dyno and boost gauge after ensuring no leaks car hit right at 8 psi top of the rpm band at sea level.

I think ess sells the 94mm just to shut people up from asking for 650kit boost numbers as the only way to actually get close to the same boost and driving pattern of a true 650kit you need to run a 3.48 a 88mm.

Gain is when you go 3.48 which is a 88mm. Not so much for peak boost but power comes in alot sooner. People rant and rave about harrop tq when its achievable from ess kit just by dropping pulley size. I currently run a 3.1 (78mm) pulley and when I say it hits hard down low i mean it. I am however full e85 tune car on large injectors.

Yeah I have the 3.6 and 8psi is what I see. I was thinking about going down to a 3.48 and giving that a try. I'm on e85 with flex fuel kit at the bpm e85 tune also.

[Properstyle]

Originally Posted by iTsEpic

Yeah I have the 3.6 and 8psi is what I see. I was thinking about going down to a 3.48 and giving that a try. I'm on e85 with flex fuel kit at the bpm e85 tune also.

drop the flex fuel and get larger injectors and an actual e85 tune you will see more power gain then you will just going to the 3.48.

[gilberjj]

Good to know. Thanks for posting. The G-Power SKII kit car I just purchased has low boost and is also blowing off couplers.... I’m having it shipped to my house m, so I can’t open it up right away to see what’s going on...

[Lambro]

Originally Posted by Properstyle

drop the flex fuel and get larger injectors and an actual e85 tune you will see more power gain then you will just going to the 3.48.

i have the 590cc bosch injectors with the BPM e85 flex fuel tune. I only run about E50-65ish. I can probably go higher as my AFRs are staying on point but I havnt tested it yet.

[Properstyle]

Originally Posted by iTsEpic

i have the 590cc bosch injectors with the BPM e85 flex fuel tune. I only run about E50-65ish. I can probably go higher as my AFRs are staying on point but I havnt tested it yet.

Sell the flex kit get a real tune and bigger injectors. Those flex kits only increase duty cycle they do nothing for timing maps. To use on effectively you end up running a extremely aggressive 93 octane tune that is right at or actually knocking, the motor reduces timing on 93 due to the knock and on e85 because the octane rating is higher, the knock goes away and the car appears to make more power when in reality its just seeing its target timing mark.