07 Speed 3

Hey hows it going? I purchased my Speed 3 about a year ago. I work for GM at a Buick/GMC dealer as a technician. Customer blew up their motor and sent #4 rod out of the block. My dealer decided not to throw a motor in it and resell it. I picked the car up for 800 dollars. Not too bad if you ask me. The car had a AEM Intake, upgraded compressor wheel, Turbo XS Downpipe, and 3 Port EBC. Im pretty sure the idiot put those parts on and didn't tune it resulting in the engine failure.

Got myself a Gen 2 motor, turned out to have upgraded HPFP internals. EGR Delete, PCV Plate minus the catch can. Upon removing the engine I found the clutch and flywheel completely smoked. Installed an ACT Flywheel/Clutch setup as well as new slave cylinder. Purchased an Access Port at the same time to not make the same mistake the PO did. Installed a 3.5 bar BAT sensor so I wont have to worry about that later when I run more boost.

Car was extremely loud as they had done a resonator delete so it was basically straight piped. Put on a 3" Turbo XS exhaust shortly after as I felt bad for anyone driving near me, my neighbors, and the sheer embarrassment of being the loudest car on earth.

I found that my BAT and heat soak was an issue so I installed an FMIC setup. It seemed to help overall plus it removed clutter from the engine bay. Over the past weekend I installed an XS power turbo manifold and External Waste gate setup. I have been fighting issues getting the car to boost over 15 psi and for the life of me cannot figure it out. This has been happening before and after the Manifold/EWG install. I know the turbo can boost over that amount. There was a cracked vacuum cap on the IWG actuator which led to its opening being delayed. Corrected that issue and the boost level dropped down to 15 psi area when running the IWG. I wanted to upgrade the factory turbo manifold as it's design is crap which is why I went to the new setup.

I used Cobbs Stage 3 map as a base, modified the WDC, Boost Target tables. It should be running Boost Based targeting only per Cobbs instructions/map description. I understand that the ECU uses multiple logic to obtain peak boost. Cobbs tuning guide seems to be horrible as it doesn't exactly dive into many specifics. I have gone back and forth with using the OTS WDC/BTT tables to modifying those and back again. Just cant seem to get it to run more than 15 psi. I have smoke tested and boost pressure tested the engine and found 0 leaks. Boost also seems to come on late with my achieving peak psi at around 4200 RPMs then tapering off down to 13.5 up to redline.

I wont brag and say I know everything about tuning, however I have a turbo Miata that I run a Megasquirt 3 Pro ECU. The MS3 Pro is pretty damn simple to use IMO. I have a boost target table and a WDC table. Getting the Miata to hit its boost targets has never been an issue. If I want 20 psi but don't hit the numbers I can just increase or decrease WDC till I hit the target.

Im sorry for the long drawn out post but I figure the best way to introduce myself would be to describe the car, the issues it currently has, and to ask you the community for help. Thank you for any advice you can give. I look forward to working with you all.

 

Turbo is still k04 (stock)? Are you running it with an EWG as well or is the port blocked on the EM. What config is your 3port ebcs in?
I don't know much about tunning our platform as I'm not self tuned but I believe tuning in the speeds is load based not boost. @Enki would be able to tell you more on that.

 

These cars are indeed inherently load tuned; in order to do a true boost tune (and there's really no reason why you'd want to IMO as load tuning gives you consistent performance), then you'd need to remove load tuning from the equation by setting all your load targets (and limits) out of reach (except for throttle stuff). From there, boost tuning should be as easy as setting your boost and WGDC targets appropriately.

 

I believe the Cobb OTS tunes are set up to be boost based logic as you saw in the map notes.

Yeah, give us more info on how you have the wastegate/boost control solenoid hooked up...may be a simple plumbing issue.

And confirm you are running IWG only? You just got the manifold with EWG for down the road?

 

My guess would be that you are achieving the load target cap before getting to the targeted boost level. I don’t tune myself either but know others have had issues with that as each car will vary on amount of boost it takes to reach the set load caps. Is your motor built by chance or simply just had a few goodies on it? After building my motor my ko4 only hits around 17-18psi @ 100% wgdc lol

 

So I made the mistake of tapping the compressor nipple (restricted) and it was causing me to have higher than normal fuel trims. I had a friend weld a fitting to my upper IC pipe and got that as a boost reference now.

As for the turbo itself, the compressor housings been bored out. To me it looks like a 20g wheel but I'm not sure.

I am running external wastegate. Haven't made any adjustments to WDC yet because once I realized I made the mistake of using the port I used there was no point until I got a better boost source.

Thank you everyone who has replied. I will get some logs and see if it has improved.

 

Welcome! Hope you get everything lined out

 

Did I miss them- -Do you have any pictures? Mine’s an 07 speed3 as well. Cosmic blue they say


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Here's a few. The last one is my main project. A RHD 1990 Eunos Roadster (Miata)

I have more pictures on my Imgur account and will get them uploaded soon.

 

I included a picture of the turbo that's on the car. Maybe someone can identify it.

 

Update. It's been a few days and I have played around with the WGDC. I set the cycle to 100 percent pretty much all over to simulate a stuck closed WG.

While I am achieving higher boost levels, it isnt by much. It isnt so much of the amount of boost that bothers me it is the time it takes to make that level. I am not seeing 15 psi of boost until 5k rpms. This is doing 4th gear pulls starting at 3k RPMs and rolling quickly to WOT.

I have tried two different configurations of EBC vacuum lines. First with the lower EWG port T with boost source, the other port to EWG top and the center port to intake.



I currently have it setup where the top EWG is vented to atmosphere, the lower port connected to the EBC. I am yielding the same results.



Keep in mind I have had a decrease in boost pressure for a while. I have had the issue with the stock wastegate and the external. I am starting to suspect either a crack in the turbine housing (possibly near the flapper or somewhere else internal. I see this happen at work often on the Chevrolet Cruze 1.4 Turbos) or some other mechanical issue.

The car runs well and it does pull hard. However the car would make full boost much sooner and carry it through the whole RPM band. How often have people had issues with the flapper on K04 turbos? Can anyone identify the turbo I posted before. It clearly is a stock housing turbo but the compressor wheel has been upgraded.

 

Have your tried running the lot OEM Turbo without the EWG?

 

I dont have an O.E. turbo as this is the turbo that was on the car when I got it.

I did do some checking today to make sure the flapper in the turbo is fully closed and it is. I opened it up to check for cracks between the flapper and the turbine wheel. There are no cracks. Not sure if this is a stock exhaust wheel either.



I did find that one of the EWG screws backed out. I had spares so I put one back in and made sure all were fully tightened. I did a pull and boost response seemed a little better.

I have a feeling most of the issue is in the tune. I think I am hitting load target which is preventing me from hitting the peak psi I am trying to reach. Not used to tuning this way. Like I said in my previous posts I am used to standalone ECU systems. I haven't messed with Cobb AP before but my friend who owns a WRX uses one and has been helping me familiarize with it.

I have used Haltech and Megasquirt systems with good results on my other vehicles. They seem to be fairly simple in terms of logic and how they calculate things. Doing tuning with the AP has presented other challenges I haven't taken into account but it's going off the logic that Mazda uses in their computers.

 

DIsable load compensations, set a flat WGDC and then put those load values into the tune (or just leave load comps off, but make sure you up the absolute limits to compensate).

 

Welcome dude. I bought my red '08 for $800 with spun bearing(s). Just got the new block yesterday. Good to see you join and I look forward to seeing a resolution to your issue.

 

Hey welcome to you as well. I'm still working things out. I figured out one portion of the issue was my Boost Target table was still set low in the mid throttle ranges. This was preventing the wastegate from staying closed long enough to help get boost to build faster.

Due to the wastegate size I'm finding that in the lower throttle range I need to increase WGDC and target psi so it stays closed longer. Once it opens the slightest bit it really kills the spool.

 

Been a little bit since my last post but today the starter decided to take a dump on me at the gas station. I knew it was coming. It was slow to crank and was getting worse. The battery was also no good and I tried charging it with the GR8 but it failed. I wasnt able to get it warrantied out until the parts guy who normally gets my stuff showed up Monday.

Fast forward to today we had a crazy car count and he wasnt able to get a battery for me. I figured ok that's fine and it started up leaving work. Stopped at a gas station and it wouldn't restart. I ended up installing a new starter and battery. The car wouldn't start with a new battery and I'm fairly certain it was the original starter.

Other than that I have been having Freektune tune the car. It's the second revision and runs very well. So far I am happy. Now if only I can get time to build the Miata and not have to put money into the Speed

 

New update. Yesterday I was finally able to install my "new" wheels. They are Subaru STI wheels (made by Enkei) 18x8.5 55mm offset 56.1 CB. Our center bore is 67.1 so I had to use a 15mm wheel spacer to adapt the hub down. I always use hubcentric spacers as to reduce vibration and to ensure proper mounting.

Clearance is good. I am running 225/40ZR18 tires and while the sidewall was flush with the edge of the Gen 1 wheels, they are more rounded/stretched on the STI. Nothing crazy but I am sure I can fit a 245/40 tire in the wheel well but will probably have to roll the fenders if I go that route.

 

Second update. Some of y'all may have seen my chat message about hitting a heat shield or some kind of aluminum on the road which dented my intercooler. Last weekend I was able to install a new Treadstome TR8 core. I was using the CX core before hand and never noticed how bad it flowed until I compared logs and saw BAT climbing during pulls whereas now it stays low the whole time.

Since the TR8 doesnt have top mounting points as the CX does, I had to come up with a way to hold it. I used the lower brackets from the CX kit, wrapped the ends with a bunch of tape to prevent scratching or cutting the bottom of the core and braced it against the core support. It doesnt move or flex at all.

HKS Powerflow Filter


Comparison of the CX versus Treadstone


Treadstone mounted



Damage shots of my old IC

 

New update! A while ago I installed a BNR S4 turbo to upgrade from my BNR S1. I also went from a smaller 2" inlet to a 3" HTP intake. The car seems to be running well. I'm currently at 22-23 psi and this turbo runs well. I have also been working on the ported intake manifold with VTCS delete.

I finally got the block off plate to remove the EGR solenoid itself. It had been blocked off at the intake manifold but the larger intake required removing the solenoid itself.