i was on my way home and getting on the freeway and gunned it in 2nd, took the rev to 5000 or so and realized there no more power after that, which usually there is some thing, but the power wasnt even doing anything. didnt look at my boost gauge to much but a little later i was at a light, got on it a little in 1st and looked down i was only running 6psi, i dont understand. just put the 19% pulley on 2000 miles ago, the boost doesnt move, it just stays at 6psi on full throttle, usually 16psi. i dont know. its slower then stock. i checked the pulley belt, not that much movement at all, no wear or anything, i am thinking its a boost reg. or something. i dont know, if ANYONE has any info, PLEASE I NEED HELP ON THIS!!!! the mini dealership is 50 miles away. please only reply ABOUT HELP, that is what i need right now. thanks much

chris

 

I would check to see if you still have a head gasket, spark plugs are all tight and every seal from the SC to the exhaust are intacked. I've seen a few folks hear have similar issues when running a 19% pulley and its usaully something failing from over boost. By chance did you get an engine light?

 

Happened to me too. Exactly as you describe. Check your intercooler hose clamps. I forgot to tighten them down... leaving them only finger tight after some tweaking to my bypass valve.

Undoubtedly you have a boost leak. If not the IC boots, then the bypass valve could be leaking or defective.

Good luck!

 

Also, Check the Gauges Fittings, Someting may have slipped, causing the air to leak out.

 

I suggest checking the bypass valve, as others have mentioned. Also, have the car scanned with a diagnostic tool. It's possible that the throttle is not opening fully (limp mode). I find it unlikely that a boost leak at a gauge fitting or intercooler hoses could dump 10 psi at high rpm unless it was a *REALLY LARGE LEAK*!

 

I assume you changed your belt to the shorter one for the 19% pulley install, if not, that's most likely your culprit. Also, if any oil, wax or other substance made it's way onto the belt, you'd lose boost in a huge hurry, as the blet will slip easily.

Make double and triple sure that the pulley is tight on the supercharger shaft.

Intercooler boots and clamps play a big role. If they arent tightened down and in place, they will blow your boost.

You can temporarily zip-tie your bypass valve shut a la the Ryephix to see if it's cracking open and shuttling away your boost as well.

 

But a small leak on the boost guage line would cause the gauge to read low, even though he still has boost.

How is the car behaving? sounds, air noises?

 

Agreed, a leak at the gauge could affect its reading but:

 

it sounds like you have a leak some where in the intake path. intercooler clamps, the intercooler it self, by pass valve. you are just going to have to track it down. have you tried to listen to the motor with the bonnet up out side the car. if it is a big leak you should be able to hear it. good luck.

chad

 

From my experience, even a small leak (too small to be noticed on a boost gauge) would cause a big vacuum leak at idle. This will make the revs hunt wildly and cause fault codes and/or warning lamps. If there is a leak somewhere between the throttle and the cylinder head, the engine management will have a hard time maintaining idle.

 

the CEL didnt come on. the belt on the charger is smaller, its was the one that mini madness gave me when i got the pulley. as for the intercooler parts i dont know. i check them as well, some where a bit loose but i tightened them and nothing happened. it will not go above 6psi, its REAlly wierd. i called steve at Northwest mini and he said i could be the bypass valve. i did what he told me to do, to see if that is the problem, but i checked it out and it looks like it is working fine. at idle is the arm is all the way in and we put the idle at 2500, the arm had no movement, and when we stabed the gas the arm opened fully to the bump stop on the arm, i dont know if it might be leaking i dont know at all. i dont think it is the belt or the pulley because the boost would be change rapidly i would think??? i have 45k miles on the car so i dont know if anyone has had something go out at the same miles.as the the gauge fitting there all tight, i dont see how 10psi could be loost on out of a tiny fitting like that. the gauge is hooked up the the intake manifold and not at the fuel REG., so i think there is a leak some where between the intake manifold and the intake. i want to thanks everyone that is helping me on this. if anyone lives somewhere in the same area as me, i would be willing the drive there. i live near seattle, just east over the 520 bridge in kirkland. thanks again

chris

ps IM me if i can meet you. thanks

 

the noise of the engine sound like they usually do, it just feels under powered. when i get on it thought some times i can hear a wierd noise over the charger and the intake, but i dont know. thanks

chris

 

If it idles fine, I'd remove the bypass valve and examine its operation.

 

how exactly would i examine it, what would i look for exactly. rips in the diapham or something. i will check it later today when i get off work and tell you what i looks like.

chris

 

That's what happened to me and to jlm.

Start with the gauge. Check all of the connections. Mine used to seperate regularly.

Check the SC boots. They tend to leak underneath. If you don't assemble them just right of if they have oil on them they will slip as the clamps aren't holding them right. If it idles OK then you probably don't have a vacuum leak.

There is no clamp on the vacuum line to the bypass valve. It could have seperated. You may be able to see the top side without pulling the drivers side snoot.

Check the ECU for codes. Reset and test.

Listen in the engine compartment for sucking noises while someone revs the car. This may help.

There's other stuff to go wrong but we are starting to get pretty remote after this.

 

It's your bypass valve. I guarantee it. How's that for going out on a limb.

Examining won't do you a lick of good, there Mr. Ross-Tech. It's often impossible to tell when they are broken by fiddling with them. Do as the dealerships do and throw parts at the problem: replace the bypass. It's surprisingly cheap (I'm at home so I don't have an invoice with me for the exact amount). That'll fix your problem. If it doesn't, call me and I'll send you a 'Helix Sucks' sticker.

 

To whom do we send the SASE?

 

Let me know when the 'Helix Blows' stickers are ready! That would be most appropriate for the twincharged system.

 

I'd put my money on the belt slippage. I'm not familiar with Mini's that well, but from being around supercharged applications, the belt sounds like it's slipping on the smaller pulley. Did you recently spray any armor-all or other substance around your engine that may have gotten on the belt? How old is the belt?

What are the rpm's doing as you're accelerating?

 

Support Your Vendor. Put one on your Mini now!

 

D'oh.

Didn't see that one.

You'll be getting a call from the helix legal team: How dare you make a 'helix sucks' sign with the metal horns! How friggin 80's. When you're from the mean streets like me, you better do the below pictured hand contortion on a 'helix sucks' sign. Period. Please be advised that our legal team will pursue this matter until all metal horns are removed from your 'helix sucks' sign.

 

hahaha!!!

 

<----- Another Bypass Bites the dust....

 

How did your BPV "bite the dust" Pilo? Is this a plead for a famous Ryephix2?

 

Not sure.. just started getting 2.5 lbs boost..

I will take it apart this weekend and replace it with a spare that I have.

I have my own style Ryephix that I use too :-)... but it's not for sale.