5 ‘Facts’ About External Wastegates That Are Wrong
External Wastegates
External Wastegates are one of the most commonly misunderstood pieces of the turbocharging puzzle. Plus, these devices regulate boost by allowing exhaust gasses to bypass the turbocharger’s turbine. Therefore, making sure the compressor does not spin too quickly and produce too much boost.
However, many myths and misconceptions are floating around, so we picked five of our favourites that we have heard and let our engineers bust the myths.
1. You don’t need an external wastegate.
Well, if you aim to destroy your turbo or blow up your engine, then yes, you don’t need a wastegate! While, in theory, you could run a turbo system without a wastegate by carefully choosing a turbo that will only reach its maximum turbine speed and desired boost pressure at the engine’s max RPM, it’s not practical in the real world.
2. The more powerful the engine, the bigger wastegate I need.
False! A wastegate is possibly the only component in your whole engine package that can be made smaller as you increase your boost/horsepower output – in certain circumstances. A wastegate drives exhaust gasses away from the turbocharger to regulate turbine speeds and boost pressure.
Selecting the correct wastegate size depends on the amount of exhaust to be bypassed, the desired boost pressure, and the amount of exhaust gas the turbo requires to reach that boost pressure. Also, an engine that produces a lot of exhaust gas but runs low boost levels will require lots of exhaust to be diverted away by the wastegate, requiring a bigger wastegate. Higher boost levels will need less exhaust to be diverted away from the turbine, so smaller wastegate.
3. External Wastegates don’t operate in high temperatures.
It’s common to find External wastegates mounted at the hottest part of the exhaust, and it’s where all the exhaust gases meet, creating extra heat.
Mounting a wastegate permanently, somewhere it can cool off, rather than being choked with hot air, surrounded by hot exhaust and an engine with no airflow. Access to fresh air helps keep the wastegate at a safe operating temperature, extending its life and reducing the risk of failure.
Turbosmart tests and designs external wastegates to cope with extreme heat. Carefully selected materials and tolerances ensure that they are up to the job and can handle the heat of the most severe applications.
4. External Wastegates are responsible for turbo flutter.
5. Wastegate spring pressure is the highest boost level you can reach.
False! Wastegate spring pressure is the lowest boost level you can reach. Using a boost controller, you can quickly increase boost pressure over wastegate spring pressure. However, you can’t achieve a maximum boost level under the wastegate’s spring pressure.
If a wastegate is fitted with springs rated to 7PSI, it will open when it receives 7PSI of pressure from the actuator. Any pressure lower than that will not overcome the spring force, and it will remain closed.
Here is a handy self-help guide to helping you with your Turbosmart install and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get here. Turbosmart recommends that you get your products fitted and tuned by a qualified technician. If you choose to install the product yourself, ensure you have all the necessary tools and technical knowledge to perform this task.
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2x Sema Award Winning StraightGate 50
Engineered to Win!
The StraightGate50 eSG50 by Turbosmart is a 50mm (1.97in) butterfly valve style external wastegate for turbocharged engines.
About Turbosmart
From our humble beginnings to establishing ourselves as a global brand, Turbosmart is well on track to lead the future in turbo technology.
Our engineers build and track-test all products in-house. Therefore, we ensure we continuously produce the highest-quality, highest-performance Turbochargers, blow-off valves, wastegates, boost controllers, fuel pressure regulators, oil pressure regulators and more. Furthermore, our products are designed and built for track and street applications.
Turbosmart BlackBox
Engineered to Win!
BlackBox by Turbosmart is a dedicated Electronic Wastegate Controller which can be used in cooperation with a range of Factory, Aftermarket and Motorsport ECU’s.
Turbosmart Electronic Wastegate Range
Engineered to Win!
Surprisingly, there are no springs, no hoses, and no boost reference signal. Above all, there are no limitations associated with any of them.
Turbosmart External Wastegate Springs
Engineered to Win!
Are you looking for spares & accessories or available items for your Turbosmart product? Look no further! We carry everything to ensure that your Turbosmart External Wastegates are always running at peak performance.
