Trying to make a manual boost controller that works

I made a manual boost controller. No it's not a Grainger based one. I wanted to adjust without any twisting of the line. I still have my G-valve, because it was a gift from Gus long ago. But I wanted to try this one. Anyways here is the page:

http://www.dodge-srt4.com/howto/diyboost.html

Well I went to Home Depot and bought all the same parts. The ball came out of a Lazy Susan hinge. Seats nicely in the barb end. Anyways, I didn't use teflon tape, but if I understand correctly, it shouldn't matter. It seems airtight for one, and for two, until the ball is pushed by enough PSI to defeat the spring, the actuator canister won't see any boost. As long as the spring is tensioned right.

Well no matter how deep I set the bolt to, I still see no more than 7psi. I find that interesting since I was told by a turbo shop that the actuator canister's spring is 7psi rated. So this thing is passing through the boost pressure to the actuator can obviously... Or I mean *I think* heh.

So I wonder if the spring is too weak...??? Whatcha think?

Right now there is a hose coming off of the barb on the stock T3's compressor OUTlet, and that hose T-junctions to I thin the cruise or brake booster or something, and the other T to this MBC. I thin the T is also some kind of mild restrictor or something but it obviously passes boost through to the wastegate canister.

Thanks in advance for advice.

[xrattiracer]

i make my grainger valves with the outlet on the side rather than the top so that they can be adjusted without twisting the lines. you could do something like this as well.
for the setup you made, i would guess that the ball is the wrong size or isnt seating correctly for some reason. you should be able to just try to blow through the controller (without it hooked to the wastegate can) with it adjusted all the way out but not with it adjusted in.

And so I could... and I was up around 13psi at first, and now it won't work.... I took out the ball.. I wonder if it's getting caught up on something and not seating like you suggested.

I know the "fluttering ball" test... you open it up, blow through, and turn the screw, until you hear the ball vibrate on the brass seat when you blow. Then you turn the screw a tad more and the vibration goes away... along with the ability to blow through it.

[cky]

i can't remember why right now but when i made mine everyone told me to drill a small hole on the outlet side barb. i think its for when the air gets past the ball it doesn't spike the boost up past where its set but i don't remember.
here's a pic of mine i made in machinist school out of aluminium with a .25inch ball bearing and a random spring inside. works perfectly.

[xrattiracer]

this is to bleed some of the air off, since the boost controller is effectively a check valve the wastegate would otherwise never close again.

[fish2222]

I just paid $13 shipped for one off Ebay... Seems to be a good item. Works well for me. Cant say that I would want to waste the time building one for that price...

I'm telling you guys, the thing bleeds off again through the adjustment bolt... I know because I consistently get 7psi. The problem isn't the bleed, it's the ball and spring. I can't understand it. The ball is steel. I'm gonna look more at it this weekend.

[CaptTurbo]

I payed $15 shipped with a money back guarantee from a member here.....and it doesn't kink any lines when adjusting it....I can pull over to the side of the road in the middle of the night, using the force to find the adjustment knob, and make all kinds of adjustments...there's a locking nut on the top, the lines aren't integrated into it at all....there are lots of MBC just like it...I'd say more than of the type that you're talking about, where you twist everything together and get the line all twisted up.....I really see no point in making some cheap experimental home depot thing when you can get a good one for the same price, if not cheaper.... not to say you can't make your own, but if you make it wrong, you could make big problems for yourself, and it's just not worth it....it's a sucker's bet if you ask me.