What are the symptoms of a Boost Leak?

[Arrowpoint]

I'm currently having some issues with my ms3. I installed an ETS TMIC and ever since I've been plagued with random KR accompanied by a brief studder. It feels like a missfire. The KR isn't high, usually .7 . It happens at low boost, medium throttle, like second gear @ 3000 or so and even at wot sometimes. I would really like to hear some thoughts on this. I would suspect my CDFP if it was only happening at heavy throttle but the FP numbers look fine even @ wot. It also is not weather related (happens at any temperature). The car is also more sluggish than before the ETS. Before in second gear if I rolled on the throttle too quickly the car would break traction. It doesn't do that now, almost but not quite.

In your replies, you don't have to have answers specific only to my situation. Any and all related information would be welcome.

I thought if I make a thread for peoples experiences with Boost Leak that it would be a good resource for me and others to be able to tell if we are experiencing boost leak. Any usefull info on how to check and identify the location of the leak would also be helpful, as well as surefire ways to elimnate it. If this has already been done please excuse this thread and kindly point me in the direction of that thread please. Thanks!

[reddeerspeed3]

check all your clamps and connections that you loosened when you put on the ETS. i dont think you should notice more turbo lag with an aftermarket TMIC, since the volume is roughly the same. (just guessing since i'm still on the stock IC) i know when i had my IC off to do my DP i had a leak and i knew right away since the car felt neutered on the test drive. tightened the one clamp that i missed and everything got better.

[Rutedown]

.7 is excellent. Have you logged your MAP(PSI) to see if it's dropping off. Seems like a lot of people have a stutter even some without mods. I also suspect you lost some low end torque with the CDFP so that's probably why you can't break the tires loose like you use to. I would imgaine that is normal and that you gained that torque in the mid to upper RPM range.

[JoshC23]

what are your mods, may need upgraded cdfp
what boost are you hitting, could be a leak, check clamps on the boost tubes
Some SU boost tubes and clamps are a good compliment with the ets tmic
step colder plugs are great
when did you do the install, the ecu may still be adjusting
the bigger IC is going to give you a little lag

[kingpin748]

The first time I noticed my fuel issues was a partial throttle. It felt like fluttering. Get a DashHawk and check your Fuel PSI.

[Arrowpoint]

Fuel Pressure @ wot is between 1600 and 1840 psi. I don't know what the fuel pressure should be at part throttle. Mine can be as low as 400 at idle and varies as the throttle increases. I've had the fp flash from Mazda. Mods: CPE NANO, ETS TMIC, TEST PIPE, TRZ RMM, TRZ TM, Cobb AP, HKS 1 step colder Plugs.

[wassup61]

Your fuel pressure is fine, the stutter you feel coincides with the PCM pulling timing during midrange spoolup. If you go WOT, it wont be as noticeable because you will go rich quickly and make torque. At part throttle in this region you end up with a lean spot of approximately 15.0:1 on the stock wideband hence the tiny bit of KR.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

-Jeff at PG

[Arrowpoint]

Originally Posted by wassup61 Your fuel pressure is fine, the stutter you feel coincides with the PCM pulling timing during midrange spoolup. If you go WOT, it wont be as noticeable because you will go rich quickly and make torque. At part throttle in this region you end up with a lean spot of approximately 15.0:1 on the stock wideband hence the tiny bit of KR. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help. -Jeff at PG

Is there anything I can do to smooth this out? Maybe I should just drive at wot all the time.LOL. Maybe you could define " stock wideband" for me. I'm not familiar with this term. Thanks for your input and everyone else's as well.