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Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Forged pistons
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Fri, 05 March 2004 12:01
 
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Hi,
It sounds to me like the mechanic is referring to the 3TGTE not your 3SGTE when he says keep the boost low, and the pistons will split at boost around 14psi etc (easy and common mistake to confuse different engine families in the Toyota range). This is a well known problem with the 3TGTE when people up the boost on stock injectors and ECU, there is plenty on the net to back this up (and is exactly what it sounds like the mechanic was talking about). The thing to remember is that its not the boost that will kill the pistons it's the lean air fuel ratios and associated detonation that will damage them if poorly tuned.
The 3SGTE is well and truly safe as can be up to 18psi as long as air fuel ratios are kept in order. The group A celica GT4's are mapped up to 17 or 18psi, and we all know that most of the time Toyota likes to over engineer a little too, so with after market or programmable ECU's they can be tuned to higher boost than that and have no problems at all.
There are a few guys on these forums that are running in excess of 20psi without problem on stock internals. I think there is a guy in the Celica club here in Canberra that has a well setup 3SGTE in a GT4 celica and it runs more than standard boost, he may be a good person to talk to locally regarding mods to the 3SGTE. One of the other Celica Club members may know how to contact him.
If you really want to talk to some people in Canberra that know the limits of the 3SGTE then head out to Neal Bates Automotive in Hume, they have had way more experience with this engine than most (they have had them in GT4's MR2's and the Corolla's they have at the moment).
I am interested in your boost control problem too, I was having a similar issue where my boost would spike and then drop down to levels well below what I wanted it set at (turbosmart manual boost controller). I was spiking to 20psi and dropping down to 13 or 14 psi. I tried a number of things to fix the problem and it is sorted now and will hold up to 19psi without spiking. I would do some investigation into the problem just in case you get your electronic controller and it doesn't fix the problem or only masks it (but the electronic controller would be cool, I would like one myself). The manual controller should be able to cope with 14 psi as the preset boost with no problems.
By all means get the forgies if you want them, but you have got a great toyota engine in your car that you can take a lot further before you really need them.
I am in Belconnen and was keen for a cruise to meet up with you new people tonight (friday) but I got home and saw no one had organised any meeting time or place. Oh well another time will be fine.
Cheers,
Shane.
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