Turbo + again.

Many of you may remember my questions about Turbo+ in the past.

The auto is a 1990 780 Turbo+ that is supposed to boost to 14.3 to 14.7 lbs stock......

Now I would like to know if the controller only controls the additional boost and time it is applied.

My turbo plus only goes to 7.5 in most cases and sometime however rare 9.5/10.0 lbs. the rod that is attached to the wastegate does not have the amount of threads needed to adjust to the 14.3 to 14.7 lb boost level that is stock for this motor.

Can I just remove it from the harness and go with a Dawes Device?

I would be MORE than willing to help you measure what I am getting off of my 780 turbo, but I don't know how

Right now, what I can tell you is that I feel the boost is somewhat insignifigant during acceleration, but the needle goes about 40% into the yellow line max.

Boost pressure was 14.7 psi stock???

Are you sure?

Yea, I always though the stock boost was around 7.5.... *shrug*

Hey guys,
Check this link out:
http://www.thedodgegarage.com/
I know it's Dodge and everything, but go ahead and browse a bit. This site has TONS of "hints" and "do it yourselves" for turbo cars. Including increasing boost, fuel pressure, etc. with tools you have at hand. Very informative. I KNOW it will help!!!
Good luck.

For around $25 US, you can go and buy a small 30psi pressure gauge, rubber vacuum tubing, clamps and fittings. Tee into your factory boost gauge line (off of the intake manifold). Then, route the vacuum hose into the car and attach it to the gauge. Even if it's temporary, you will get an accurate measure of what your boost pressure is. The whole project should take you no more than two hours once you have the parts. the gauge can be found at an industrial supply store or welding supply shop. The tubing and fittings can be bought at an auto parts store.

bitjockey said:

Boost pressure was 14.7 psi stock???

Are you sure?

Click to expand...

Such is the joy of a 780T.... :wink:

The ~12psi pressure is due to the turbo+ boost controller (in front of the airbox), and is not set at the wastegate.

That said, Turbo+ is kind of a PITA. Only at WOT, and only above ~4000rpm... bypass it with a Dawes Device and you'll be much happier. (even set to the same psi...)

-Paul Demeo
1990 780T

Boondoggie wannabe said:

Blah blah stuff I don't understand

Click to expand...

Paul,

Could you translate that to idiot speak for me? I have NO idea what you said except for the "you'll be happier part". And thats what I want... To be happy

Turbo+ increases boost from 10.5psi to 14psi. Power/torque goes to 180@5400/187@2900.

I don't understand how they measure torque at 2900 if it kicks in above a certain rpm that's higher than 2900, but according to Volvo, "Performance is only enhanced when accelerating and passing, but the unit is not activated under normal or city driving conditions, thereby saving fuel." It sounds like it bumps boost at WOT, any time, not just above a certain RPM.

I've heard figures of 3750-4000rpm as for when Turbo+ kicks in, but maybe that was on earlier models? This info came from a '90 Accessories catalog.

okay, gimme a second to stop chuckling....

Turbo+: Look in front of your air-filter box, you'll see a little tan round thingy with three hoses connected to it. One comes from the front of your turbo, one dumps into your air cleaner about two inches away, and the third goes back to your wastegate actuator.
Basically, what this does is block the air from getting from your turbo to the actuator when it wants to raise your boost from ~7 to ~12psi...
Problem: the "when it wants to" part. only above ~4000rpm with your right foot halfway thru your carpet.

Solution: http://www.dawesdevices.com/boost.html
This is a simple metal arrangement built from parts from a pnuematic supply catalog, and does the same thing, without the "when it wants to" problem. (WARNING: you can blow up your motor with boost. get a boost guage with numbers on it. 12-14 is a nice safe range to shoot for, if your car is in an otherwise good state of tune.)
Install this in place of the tan round thing, and otherwise follow the instructions on that site.

-Paul Demeo
1990 780T

I have an 83 volvo turbo. When i bought it, it had nothing done to it. It was just stock. I bought an intercooler that had a turbo plus with it. Now, when i added the intercooler i found out that my volvo was only putting out about 4-5 pounds of boost. The turbo plus just pushes the pounds up. so if you are putting out 7.5 pounds and then it goes up to 9.5-10, then that is your turbo plus working. If you want it to go to 14.75 or whatever, then turn up your turbo to 11.5 and the turbo plus should put you around 13.5-14. However, before you do this, i would make sure your car is ready. All hoses are fine, A/F gauge and a boost gauge....better do it right the first time, saves money.
Kevin

Is 14+ psi with a rating of 188 hp @ 5400 rpm
& 206 lb-ft torque @ 3900 rpm.....

Vitals on my motor are as follows...

VDO 30 psi gauge shows the pressures mentioned in early post,
AF ratio @ WOT is 12.7,
% of injector use at WOT is 80 to 90 (need bigger injectors),
Fuel pressure is 46 psi @ WOT.

I am sure, if I ever get the full factory boost it will be a nice ride indeed.

Thanks for the input!
Andrew

It starts at 7 or so psi, and bumps it up a few psi, but maybe to 12 max, not 12 to start with! The overboost switch would be encountered if it went to 14.7....

In 1990 when the motors got the new exhaust manifold and smaller turbos the boost was lowered and the B230Ft would produced the same amount of power as a pre 90 motor. For a Pre 90 motor it may be that boost raises to 13PSI or so, but on a 90+ motor the factory pressure is set lower, and the turbo+ doesn't know any better, not to mention that volvo under boosted the 90+ probably because of the small turbos. IF you want more boost from this thing and really want to keep turbo+ (who knows why) you can put a G valve on the waste gate line going to this thing. Some sort of two stage solenoid would be just as advanced as the turbo+ system.

I would like to ditch the turbo+, period....

As for 1990 and newer B230FTIs getting the smaller turbo and different exhaust, that is a good thing, but information from many sources to include Volvo that the 1990 780 turbo does in fact have the higher boost of 14+ psi for short bursts giving the highest HP rating of any B230FTI....

I have been using the turbo+ solenoid triggered by a pressure valve at about 7 psi, but this setup does not give any higher boost levels than the turbo+ unit but is consistant in that it works always...

Dawes Device here I come....

945ti said:

In 1990 when the motors got the new exhaust manifold and smaller turbos the boost was lowered and the B230Ft would produced the same amount of power as a pre 90 motor. For a Pre 90 motor it may be that boost raises to 13PSI or so, but on a 90+ motor the factory pressure is set lower, and the turbo+ doesn't know any better, not to mention that volvo under boosted the 90+ probably because of the small turbos. IF you want more boost from this thing and really want to keep turbo+ (who knows why) you can put a G valve on the waste gate line going to this thing. Some sort of two stage solenoid would be just as advanced as the turbo+ system.

Click to expand...

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/6570/engines.html

The 1990-on B230FT+ made more power than the previous B230FT+. The max boost is/was 12psi for both motors. Turbo+'s set boost is not referenced to wastegate boost, it overrides it in exactly the same manner as any MBC.

Please show me data that says a TD04H-13C is smaller than a TD05-12B.
From what I have seen TD04H's are bigger in Volvo trim.

945ti said:

In 1990 when the motors got the new exhaust manifold and smaller turbos the boost was lowered and the B230Ft would produced the same amount of power as a pre 90 motor. For a Pre 90 motor it may be that boost raises to 13PSI or so, but on a 90+ motor the factory pressure is set lower, and the turbo+ doesn't know any better, not to mention that volvo under boosted the 90+ probably because of the small turbos. IF you want more boost from this thing and really want to keep turbo+ (who knows why) you can put a G valve on the waste gate line going to this thing. Some sort of two stage solenoid would be just as advanced as the turbo+ system.

Click to expand...

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/6570/engines.html

The 1990-on B230FT+ made more power than the previous B230FT+. The max boost is/was 12psi for both motors. Turbo+'s set boost is not referenced to wastegate boost, it overrides it in exactly the same manner as any MBC.

Please show me data that says a TD04H-13C is smaller than a TD05-12B.
From what I have seen TD04H's are bigger in Volvo trim.

Am I right that the 1990 & 1991 780 turbo+ did in fact have the highest stock boost of all, "above 14psi" :?: All the data I have states that the 780 turbo was the only model that came with such boost.....

The Turbo+ part # is 8360281

Or, was the 780 turbo+ info just a marketing ploy :?:
I sure hope not!

Where'd you read that? Most info I've ever seen on 780T's and Turbo+ gave 12psi for the peak boost. (making 188hp) I know I never saw my boost go any higher than that when I first got my car...

www.BadBricks.com used to have a printout of the Turbo+ install instructions, but it doesn't seem to be there anymore...

I agree with most of the messages, but if we assume 5Hp for every PSi of boost and assume that a 90+ B230FT is making 12psi to make 162HP, then you would need a 3.5psi in addition to make 188HP, this is a pretty pesimistic analogy, as 8psi was the most any B230Ft was supposed to make, and 5 Hp to the pound of boost is pretty pesimistic. If your car is supposed to make 188HP at 14PSi then volvo motors are really inefficant, as that would be low HP to the PSi, not saying that this is impossable but the B230FT witout a turbo is likely good for about 100Hp so 5 hp to the pound of boost seems pretty pesimistic. I would guess that you make closer to 7HP to the PSi so a B230FT without a turbo is likely just over 100Hp and at 8.8 PSi you would be looking at about 160Hp, then add about 3 and you have a turbo plus boosting you to just under 12PSi. The turbo plus I would guess has an RPM relay as the torque peak is acutally at 3900RPM@207, and on a B230Ft from thr factory is at 195@ 3450, mostly because of the really restrictive exhaust. But it may also be just a WOT switch. I plan to make my own EBC so figuring out how the turbo+ works is fairly interesting as I will try to lower boost in the parts of teh power band where my car pings.