[Vidmo]

Hi All, two topics for ya,

Topic #1:
I'm just starting to troubleshoot as possible boost leak and was listening to various parts of the engine to see if I could find anything obvious. While doing that with the cover off I noticed that the PCV line and value were quite noisy and rattling enough that you can feel it in the line. It's almost as loud than the engine itself while idling. Does that sound normal?

Topic #2:
What is the best method you guys have used to find a Boost leak? I know you want to pressurize the system with the engine off and either listen for the leak or use smoke to spot it.. But what steps did you use to actually do the pressurization? Where was the best place to insert the pressure, what did you use to introduce the pressure and where did you need to block off? With two turbos and lines it seems like this could be a bit more complicated.

Thanks for any advice or information.

 

[detriot]

Does it sound like this? Loud engine noises and possible vacuum leak noise? Video.

I think that may just be normal but you could be on to something if you figure it out.

 

[Vidmo]

Thanks @detriot I did read your thread prior to posting this. I can hear that hissing noise in your video, mine is different. The PCV value sounds like its vigorously rattling up and down again enough to where you can feel it in the line. I may just get a new value and line to be safe since they are cheap and easy to install.

But then again maybe this is a symptom of the possible* boost leak.

*I say possible as Torrie is believing that I have a boost leak. I'm on a 91 IC tune from him atm, but he gave me a few tunes previously that purposely reduced the boost as the iat2 temps we're so high on the initial tune. So even if I did have a boost leak with those tunes I would not have known about it.

Now I've got an UP IC on to combat the iat2 temps, but looking back at the logging I did prior to the IC, its hard to tell if there was a boost leak before the IC since he had it turned down anyway.

Last comments from Torrie from three separate emails. Hard to get more than a few words out of him at one time.

• WGDC is 100% 5000-up.
• In the beginning it could sustain 15-16psi. It can’t do that now.
• This is not fuel related right now, it lacks the ability to come close to achieving the boost target.

So, I'm just going to have to go by what Torrie is saying and see if I can chase down a possible boost leak.

Another point of reference for @metroplex , I also went back to the stock intake vs the Steeda to try and keep in the intake air temps down. I have logs that show the Steeda intake was raising air temps during hard pulls. But at the same time those same logs also show that the stock intake reduces boost by 1-3 PSI due to restrictions. So this could also be a factor as to why the lower boost levels to some extent. NOTE: I switched from Steeda to Stock and did logging on the same day with the same temps, DA and same locations, so I know the data is accurate. I will be switching back to the Steeda very soon, but it will have a custom CAD designed, 3D printed lid for it. More on that later.

 

[MY27FUSION]

A smoke test would be the easiest way to track down a boost leak and I would start the test at the throttle body inlet

 

[Vidmo]

Ugg dyslexic brain mixed up PCV vs PVC. Fixed in thread.

 

[maydk65]

Vidmo, I would think that you do have boost leak somewhere. I have both stock intake and FMIC with Torrie's 93 Octane Tune (with a couple of updates). I max out at 21 PSI on my WOT pulls. If you are maxing out at 15-16 PSI, I would think something isn't right.

We don't call that Steeda Intake the "Hot" Air Intake for nothing. Oreo did meticulous write up on the intake awhile back. If you haven't seen it, please take a look.

 

[Vidmo]

Thanks @maydk65 Please note that we're not looking at the max, but the sustained boost no longer holding around 15-16psi. These engines have peak boost for a second or two right after a shift, but that is not sustained. So the max numbers are not always a great indicator of anything.

 

[Vidmo]

A smoke test would be the easiest way to track down a boost leak and I would start the test at the throttle body inlet

Thanks @MY27FUSION. So when you say "start the test at the throttle body inlet" meaning take off the hose leading to the throttle body and inject smoke/compressed air into the system before the throttle body? IE Compress the system from that point back toward the turbos?

 

[maydk65]

Here is a graph of one run.

 

[MY27FUSION]

Yes I would start at the throttle body first , then smoke the charge pipe next

 

[Vidmo]

Yep that's how I was thinking about going about it. To pressurize the system I built these plugs. The intake hoses are right at 2.75" and these PVC fittings are just about perfect.

 

[MY27FUSION]

that looks good , make sure to regulate the psi to 25 or less if possible ..

 

[Vidmo]

So I ran a few compression tests today. Set the pressure in the line to about 10lbs or there about. I removed the oil fill cap just in case any pressure made it way into the engine itself and removed the breather line that runs from the intake to the manifold. To cap that breather line, I used my pinky finger. That way I had an easy way to drop the pressure quickly if I had to.

The result? Well I know that I had a pressurized system as the intake tubes expanded about 2 inches and stayed there and no sounds of any air leaking anywhere.

 

[WhiteGhost]

Why not test around 19-20psi to see if a leak presents itself.

 

[Vidmo]

The test was probably closer to 15psi if I had to guess. The gauge on my compressor is not that accurate down that low. Maybe I’ll see if I can find an in-line pressure gauge to know for sure.

 

[metroplex]

Which PCV valve do you use?

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10162078-0001.pdf This list for 18+ but it also relates to 15+ F150s in a way. Rock Auto needs to update their catalog. Tasca also lists the brown as the only PCV valve. That valve they sent you is for 3.5L Flex NON Turbo. You need the PCV valve for...

www.f150ecoboost.net

That thread has more info on the PCV valves than most people want to know, but the stock brown PCV should pretty much act as a check valve under boost. Under my lung pressure the EV-290/EV-297 was able to prevent flow. I may try the black EV-289 to see if it resolves my idle misfire issue, but it could just be the injectors needing some Redline SI-1 to clean them out. But that thread answered my question about whether EV-290 and EV-297 had any differences (they are identical). So MPC is most likely producing the PCV valves in different colors to signify flow/vacuum specs: gray, black, brown, and blue.