IRB Developments Td5 Dual/Two Channel Turbo Booster Box adjustable tuning instructions?

[twr7cx]

Anyone have the instructions handy for adjusting/tuning the IRB Developments Dual/Two Channel Turbo Booster Box for Td5? I bought and fitted mine in around 2013 and seem to have misplaced the guidance since then (thankfully I haven't had a need to touch it). I'm currently have intermittent issues with the vehicle including surging and power cut off (suspected due to over boosting) so am trying to determine if the fault is the MAF or Turbo Booster Box is faulty or requiring adjustment.

Nanocom Evolution spat out the following when I read the codes yesterday (it's been a long time since I've pulled them):
 

 

(1,5) DRIVER DEMAND PROBLEM 1, (LOGGED LOW).---
(2,8) AMBIENT PRESSURE CIRCUIT, (LOGGED LOW).
---
(3,5) DRIVER DEMAND PROBLEM 1, (LOGGED HIGH).
---
(3,7) AIR FLOW CIRCUIT, (LOGGED HIGH).
---
(4,1) INLET AIR TEMPERATURE CIRCUIT, (LOGGED HIGH).
---
(4,3) COOLANT TEMPERATURE CIRCUIT, (LOGGED HIGH).
---
(15,2) HIGH SPEED CRANK (LOGGED).
---
(16,2) HIGH SPEED CRANK (LOGGED).
---
(19,3) CAN TX /RX ERROR, (LOGGED).
---
(20,2) TURBOCHARGER OVERBOOSTING, (LOGGED).
---
(20,5) EGR VALVE STUCK CLOSED, (LOGGED).
---
(22,1) ROAD SPEED MISSING, (LOGGED).
---
(26,1) ROAD SPEED MISSING, (CURRENT).
---
(27,4) INJECTOR 4 PEAK CHARGE LONG, (LOGGED).

Todays code read:
 

 

(3,5) DRIVER DEMAND PROBLEM 1, (LOGGED HIGH).---
(20,2) TURBOCHARGER OVERBOOSTING, (LOGGED).
---
(22,1) ROAD SPEED MISSING, (LOGGED).
---
(24,3) OVERBOOST HAS OCCURRED THIS TRIP, (CURRENT).
---
(26,1) ROAD SPEED MISSING, (CURRENT).
---

On the drive home today I pulled over while it was underpowered and disconnected the MAF sensor which instantly fixed it. Hence why I have narrowed it down to either the MAF or Booster Box.

[twr7cx]

I wasn't able to get the instructions from Ian/IRB Developments, but a members of AULRO had a copy and forwarded them to me. For future reference for anyone else, they are:

 

Quote

> Instructions:
>
> 2 channel adjustable 'Anti Limit Box'
>
> Red - 12volt Ignition live or permanent 12v feed (seperate from any feed into the ECU)
> Black - Earth (good)
>
> Yellow (orange) and white are the channel wires - one is for MAF and one is MAP (as per standard boost box). It doesn't matter which way round (obviously they need to be used as a matched pair).  
>
> MAF is pin 11 in the red plug (grey wire, green chaser on post 2002) (one from end of the bottom row)
> MAP is pin 6 in the red plug as per a standard boost box. (middle of the bottom row)
>
> The box is set in a safe setting.
>
> The channel connected to the map sensor will be somewhere close, but the maf sensor channel will need quite a few turns clockwise (usually about 4 turns)
>
> Your are aiming to see around 220kpa on the manifold pressure and 620-630kg/hr on the maf sensor under full throttle acceleration when set correctly. This should also stop you killing MAF's.
>
> MAF sensor must be a genuine part, and at idle it should be reading 57 - 62 kghr
>
> To get the pins out of the ECU plug, remove the white anti back out plate and use a pick or small flat bladed screw driver to release the standard pin - look from the front of the plug (not the wire side) and you will see the small tab holding the original wire in place.
>
> Regards
>
> Ian Baughan
>
> IRB Developments
>
> or follow us on Facebook - IRB Developments - Home | Facebook

Using my Nanocom Evolution to data log while driving it would seem that both my MAF and MAP are over where they should be. I've seen above 650kg/hr reading from the MAF and then it's flashed down to O, which I suspect might be due to overload or more air through than it can read?, and the MAP reading has been well above 220kpa which I suspect is triggering the overboost issue.

Edited May 20, 2018 by twr7cx

[lo-fi]

Are you absolutely certain the real issue isn't that the wastegate is seized or partially seized? 

[twr7cx]

On 21/05/2018 at 6:08 PM, lo-fi said:

Are you absolutely certain the real issue isn't that the wastegate is seized or partially seized? 

Any advise on how to check? I'm running a Turbo Technics VGT supplied by Bell Auto Services. I have a boost gauge tapped into the inlet manifold and the boost levels are exactly as I would expect them to be with no change in normal driving.

I did some diagnosing this evening and I believe that the IRB Developments Two Channel Turbo Boost Box has failed. I adjusted it significantly and it has had no effect on the readings using the Nanocom Evolution, both my MAP and MAF readings are far to high and I can't get them down by adjusting. I have checked the wiring loom, connections and power and earth to it. Sadly due to the black stuff they put all over the circuitry I cannot test or see if there is any issue in there.

[lo-fi]

You've got two options really:

Pull off the retaining clip holding the actuator onto the arm, pop the actuator rod off the arm and see if the arm moves freely. 

Use a vacuum tester plugged straight onto the actuator, dial up some vacuum and see if it moves. This is a better test as you can check whether the actuator holds pressure too. If not, you have a punctured diaphragm and that needs replacing. 

I'm either case, if the arm isn't moving, you've found your problem and no amount of electronic trickery is going to fix it. Sometimes it takes just a little more force than the actuator can provide to get it moving, but don't force it! If it's really stuck, dismantling the turbo hot side and clearing the gunk is the best course, though I've seen people use oven cleaner in situ (!)

VNT turbos can get stuck quite readily, the black diesel nastiness gums the vanes right up. Worse on vehicles that are driven gently most of the time and don't have the vanes moved much. Same goes for the standard TD5 wastegate. It leads to the same faults as you're getting, I put a thread up about fixing my mates a couple of months ago. 

[twr7cx]

Thanks. I will check it over the weekend and test it purely so that I'm not chasing my tail by ignoring what could be the issue, but I'm fairly certain that it's not the case for the following reasons:

1. if the wastegate was seized or partially seized the turbo charger would have more exhaust flow going through it causing it to spin faster and increased boost levels. This is not the case. My vehicle is still peaking at 21psi exactly as it has done for the last five years. For general cruising and normal drivings it's usually around 10 to to 16psi as per normal since installing the VNT.

2. If the wastegate was seized or partially causing the additional flow the IRB Developments Two (Dual) Channel Turbo Boost Box, if it was working, should have still be intercepting the signals for the MAP and MAF and ensuring that they're not going high enough to upset the ECU.

I could see why on a standard TD5 a seized or partially seized wastegate would cause issues as it would result in the turbo running higher and producing more boost which if high enough would upset the ECU, but being standard it wouldn't have the electronic interception devices to prevent the ECU receiving a signal that it's too high.

Anyway, I do intent to still check to eliminate it as a cause.

[twr7cx]

I didn't get around to checking the wastegate arm on the weekend, ran out of time, but I ended up having the ECU tune adjusted with the software clamps for the MAF applied and the MAP range extended up to 4.80v. This has solved 90% of my issues. I have some minor stuttering and shuddering at highway speeds (above 80km/h) when attempting foot flat accelerating now. The vehicle actually looses road speed when trying this, but backing off a bit on the accelerator pedal and the acceleration picks back up. Not ideal but the vehicle is usable again now and I can drive accordingly (I rarely ever put my foot flat previously anyway).