Is the boost elbow something that can be purchased alone or does it only come with some of the boxes? Will it work with my Bully Dog programmer?

 

www.tstproducts.com

 

I just picked up a couple from NAPA for $4.00. They are cheap and a fairly common fitting. Actually, any hardware store will probably have them as they are used on a lot of air compressors and such. I also picked up a couple of allen plugs from Home Depot. Drill the side of the boost elbow, screw in the allen plug, and you have yourself an adjustable boost elbow for less than $5.00. Just another option.

All your doing is partially plugging the wastegate tube with a more restrictive elbow. It will work with all performance boxes if more boost is your intention. The stock turbo can only handle so much reliably. Be careful.

 

AK Ram,

Would you sugjest as a safe boost level with out defueling or causing a over boost code?

Bryan

 

Sorry dude, but I have absolutely no idea what would be considered acceptable on your 05. The turbos on the 03s and 04s are different than the turbos on the 04.5s and 05s.

On the 03s and 04s, it is widely accepted that you do not want to see over 30 lbs of boost MAX on that turbo if longevity is a concern. I know with my B1 and no box plugged up, it will trigger an overboost code at 30 lbs of boost, but no defueling as the truck will continue to accelerate and boost will continue to climb. I have set one as low as 29.2 lbs, but no telling how accurate my X-Monitor is. Guys with the 04.5s and 05s are getting boost into the high 30s stock, so there is quit a difference in capability there.

 

Thanks AK Ram,

Mine is an 04, so I will try and stay under the 29 psi area. I get around 24 now so 5 more should a little more power and help cool things down as well.

 

Oh, sorry dude. Just scanning your signature I thought I picked up 05. My bad.

 

Can you give us the part # from NAPA?


Thx

 

Sorry, I don't have a part number. If you were to go to NAPA, they have an assortment of fittings in little bins. I just look through the bins until I find the correct elbow. It is a brass "L" shaped fitting with 1/8" NPT threads on one end and a barbed 1/4" hose nipple on the other. Really common fitting. The elbow at NAPA is exactly the same as the one currently on your turbo, which will not raise boost at all if you just screw it in. You need to be able to plug it, preferably adjustable so you can tweak it. That is where the allen plug comes in. I picked up a couple so I could play with them and still be able to put a stock elbow back in if I wanted. I would just take the elbow off and run it down to NAPA and tell them to give you a couple of these. That will give you a few to play with in case you mess one up.

You can order them on-line from McMaster-Car ( www.mcmaster.com ) for less than $2.00. Put the following part number in the search string on the main page: 44555K149 . You want the "Brass Double-Barbed Tube Fitting 90 Deg Elbow Barb X Male For 1/4" Tube, 1/8" NPT". They even have a picture of it.

 

is it something that can just be installed without a programmer or chip on a 04.5 and actually see results?

 

T&T,

Adding a adjustable boost elbow will allow you to simply build more boost. It can be added to any truck with or without a box. If you do not have a box than you have to be careful not to cause an over boost code or de-fueling event. I have heard that 1 psi of boost is worth about 10 HP not to sure if that is correct on our trucks or not, I read that on a 2 gen posting awhile back. IMO the extra boost will help the turbo run at a lower temp while accelerating and at crusing speed. Plus you should get a few more ponys.

 

Geeeee. With the electronic wastegate on the 04.5s, I don't even know if they have a boost elbow. I have never looked at the 04.5 setup.

For the folks that don't know, plugging the wastegate to get more boost is not the best approach to performance. The stock 03/04 turbo is already giving you all it can in stock form while remaining reliable. You consistently spin it up into the high 30s and its gonna pop sooner or later. If EGTs are not an issue, leave it alone. If EGTs are an issue, you would be way ahead of yourselves to get a better turbo. There are some cheap turbo upgrades out there.

 

Theres a man over on TDR's classifieds selling an adjustable elbow for around 15 bux.

 

Well looky there. I just saw that they made theirs available to order on-line. That makes it handy. http://www.tstproducts.com/index.asp...PROD&ProdID=33