I need a straight answer! How much boost is safe???

[adi]

I've done the search, and seen so many conflicting answers, I just want a straight answer. How much boost is safe on a 1.6TD with intercooler? I've seen people running well over 20psi on a standard HG, but then others say 17psi is the limit. Over on the UK TD forum they reckon 25psi should be fine as the 1.6TD engines are strong as hell.

[R.O.R-2.0]

i used to run 25 psi religiously on my 1.5TD

it has way smaller head bolts than your engine, meaning your engine is tougher than my engine..

i ended up cracking 7 head bolt bosses, almost lost the head off the engine..

i would say that 25 psi is fine, it has been for me.. just dont hold it at 25 psi for an hour at a time.. lol..

the 1.6 n/a (TD CONVERSION) im running, has seen upwards of 30 psi before, on a super long hill @ WOT.. im still running stock 11mm bolts, and fiber gasket..

[adi]

Thats good enough for me, tomorrow its going back to around 24psi again. When I got the pump set up reasonably well today, it was boosting at that, and it was an animal! Barely any smoke on boost, lower EGTs, and it sounded AMAZING! Now EGTs are higher, it smokes on boost, and if I keep it planted the coolant temp rises too.

I once had a Citroen ZX 1.9TD (excellent french XUD lump) with a bosch pump running 26psi, that was very quick, and never had a problem. Its just scary when it runs 10psi standard, then all of a sudden your running quite a lot more boost and the guage is reading nearly to the end  Makes me a bit wary.

[R.O.R-2.0]

only thing you might worry about, is blowing a tank off the stock intercooler. idk how much boost the coolers are god for, but i know that the engine will take ~2 bar without many mods.

i would wanna run head studs at 2bar tho..

[adi]

Thats 30psi! That is mad. I'd rather risk blowing the IC to bits than the engine. If that happened I'd just wind the boost down a bit and remove it until I found a replacement, which would probably be a dirty great big front mounted jobby. One thing I will say is, when it was peaking at around 25psi earlier, it felt quick, like quicker than a 16v quick!

[R.O.R-2.0]

29.4psi to be exact. lol 

like i say tho, i had to run almost 40 psi to blow the head off my 1.5D..

1.5Ds are way weaker than a 1.6TD.. block wise atleast..

you may blow a head gasket or 2 if you boost it to 35-40 psi.. lol.

[adi]

OK, I'm convinced, its going back up to 25psi tomorrow. Its scary how loud the turbo screams though haha

[R.O.R-2.0]

does it change tones? or just whistles louder? cause if it starts sounding like a supercharger, then you are over spooling it. and i just remembered you have a K14, that turbo isnt very efficient past 20 psi..

[adi]

I didn't let it boost over 20psi for long as I was too scared too, but I think it just whistled louder. By "efficient", how do you mean? It definately ran a lot better at high boost and went like a rocket...

[R.O.R-2.0]

after a certain point, the smaller turbos just pump out hot air.. there is a point where more boost is counter-productive with these small turbos..

[adi]

Isn't that where a larger front mounted intercooler would be useful?

[Fredrikkk]

1.2 bar is perfect for the K14.

1.6 bar is good for the K24, if I'm not wrong.

I'm going K24 soon-ish

[R.O.R-2.0]

1.2 bar is perfect for the K14.

1.6 bar is good for the K24, if I'm not wrong.

I'm going K24 soon-ish

18-20 psi is right at the top of the K14s efficiency range, iirc.

[adi]

How about when I've mounted the intercooler up front? Will that raise the efficiency of the K14 slightly?

[Fredrikkk]

Not really... Get a K24 or a T3 and then you can run high boost pressures