Hey all. I am probally tuning in late here, but....
Can someone explain boost in layman terms? The good, the bad, what to do, what not to do. I do tow a trailer about 8000 lbs ish. No gauges. Will be doing an Attitude, hopefully soon.Edited by: Max Owner

Boost is the term used to describe extra air being forced into the engine in this case.


Think of the turbocharger on the Dmax as a big exhaust driven air compressor for the engine's intake system. It takes air at whatever atmospheric pressure it's at, and increases the pressure going into the engine.


The boost figure is usually given in PSI, although there are other measurements available. Putting extra air into your engine allows it to produce more power. This is really helpful if you live in, or travel to areas above sea level as it helps to prevent as much power loss due to the declining atmospheric pressure as you go up. Depending on the design of the system, it can maintain sea level performance to a significant altitude.


Clear as mud?...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif

Hey Zeeb. Thanx. What about all this talk about pressure? Higher boost is good, to a point. Under what driving conditions(towing) can you build too much? When/how can you do damage when building too much?
I'm not a racer, or a heavy footed driver. I will put my foot down when passing (unloaded) and accelerating onto the highway with our trailer, as needed.

Max, as long as you don't disable the wastegate you will theoretically never build too much boost. The wastegate is basically a pressure actuated valve that diverts exhaust gases around the turbine section of the turbo to control turbine speed hence controlling boost.


More boost will only do good if there is fuel to mix with the air. On a stock max your boost will usually be limited because there is not enough exhaust energy to build any more. Thats where the boxes come in.


Basically, lay into it all you want!!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif You wount hurt it unless you change something.


Jason

Unless you're really getting into the high horsepower mods, boost is not a concern for you.


If you are, as you said above considering a Juice/Attitude, your primary concern would be EGT's, followed by transmission problems due to slipping of the clutches and or torque converter.


If you'll do a few searches on the Juice, you find lots of information about guidelines for max EGT, and Juice power levels for towing. Keep in mind that no two trucks are the same, so what works for one may not work for another truck.


In a stock configuration pulling a trailer, I'd just be more aware of terrain and the trans shifting patterns. If it's doing a lot of shifting, go ahead and use the tow/haul mode. GM says you don't need it until you reach 75% of GVWR, but I use it in hilly type country, or lots of stop and go with a trailer.


Some of the questions you'd like answered require much more space than one post could answer. Try some searches and I think you'll get a much better idea of what's happening with your truck when you start working it or adding performance mods to it.


edit info:


I was writing my post while Jason got his up, too slow I guess...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif


He's got a point on the waste gate, but that is something I hadn't considered you doing since you seem new to the performance arena. The other part is that if you have an LLY engine, or a 2004.5 year model, it doesn't have a waste gate.Edited by: Zeeb

Zeeb and Forced Induction.... thanx for the replies. I won't be touchin the wast gate. I have read in some other posts about boost, and too much, and too little. Was wondering what it all meant.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif