Power Boost Valves?
Discussion
Hi - Has anyone had any experience of these so called power boost valves? They are linked to fuel system and regulate the fuel pressure to injectors on full throttle (apparently) There are numerous tuning companies offering these and most state that the standard valve operates up to 3 bar but the replacements go higher etc.
I am just curious as to if they do work or simply send your mpg into disarray?
n.b I did try a forum search prior to posting but the words Power and Boost are quite popular on Pistonheads as you can imagine!
I am just curious as to if they do work or simply send your mpg into disarray?
n.b I did try a forum search prior to posting but the words Power and Boost are quite popular on Pistonheads as you can imagine!
I once had a Ford Mondeo Mk1 Saloon (I know but wait for it...) that I fitted with a Duratec 3.0 V6 from the ST220, with a ST200 intake manifold. At christmas, I was gifted with a power boost valve. Upon reading the box, I was also very skeptical and thought it was just a hoax, but decided to give it a try.
After fitting, there was a definate change in the way the car drove. It didn't feel faster or more powerful, but the throttle response improved drastically. If you booted it in 2nd gear at 4000rpm, it kinda felt like winding up a big clock? The response was good, but you had to wait for the revs to rise. After fitting the power boost valve, doing the same thing had a very different outcome. The throttle response was instant, and the car would respond immediately and take off. I had the pressure dial at 3/4. Anymore than that caused the car to run rich, but did provide pops and flames on the over run, which was highly enjoyable.
Never noticed a change in MPG, but being a V6 and getting driven the way it did, it was most likely dreadful.
My advice would be to give them a try, but only if its already quite a powerful engine. I doubt you will notice a difference with a 306 1.4! Also, I done 30,000 miles with the valve fitted and never had any engine or fuel injector issues.
*puts on flamesuit*
After fitting, there was a definate change in the way the car drove. It didn't feel faster or more powerful, but the throttle response improved drastically. If you booted it in 2nd gear at 4000rpm, it kinda felt like winding up a big clock? The response was good, but you had to wait for the revs to rise. After fitting the power boost valve, doing the same thing had a very different outcome. The throttle response was instant, and the car would respond immediately and take off. I had the pressure dial at 3/4. Anymore than that caused the car to run rich, but did provide pops and flames on the over run, which was highly enjoyable.
Never noticed a change in MPG, but being a V6 and getting driven the way it did, it was most likely dreadful.
My advice would be to give them a try, but only if its already quite a powerful engine. I doubt you will notice a difference with a 306 1.4! Also, I done 30,000 miles with the valve fitted and never had any engine or fuel injector issues.
*puts on flamesuit*
NateWM said:
I once had a Ford Mondeo Mk1 Saloon (I know but wait for it...) that I fitted with a Duratec 3.0 V6 from the ST220, with a ST200 intake manifold. At christmas, I was gifted with a power boost valve. Upon reading the box, I was also very skeptical and thought it was just a hoax, but decided to give it a try.
After fitting, there was a definate change in the way the car drove. It didn't feel faster or more powerful, but the throttle response improved drastically. If you booted it in 2nd gear at 4000rpm, it kinda felt like winding up a big clock? The response was good, but you had to wait for the revs to rise. After fitting the power boost valve, doing the same thing had a very different outcome. The throttle response was instant, and the car would respond immediately and take off. I had the pressure dial at 3/4. Anymore than that caused the car to run rich, but did provide pops and flames on the over run, which was highly enjoyable.
Never noticed a change in MPG, but being a V6 and getting driven the way it did, it was most likely dreadful.
My advice would be to give them a try, but only if its already quite a powerful engine. I doubt you will notice a difference with a 306 1.4! Also, I done 30,000 miles with the valve fitted and never had any engine or fuel injector issues.
*puts on flamesuit*
Placebos have been proven to work After fitting, there was a definate change in the way the car drove. It didn't feel faster or more powerful, but the throttle response improved drastically. If you booted it in 2nd gear at 4000rpm, it kinda felt like winding up a big clock? The response was good, but you had to wait for the revs to rise. After fitting the power boost valve, doing the same thing had a very different outcome. The throttle response was instant, and the car would respond immediately and take off. I had the pressure dial at 3/4. Anymore than that caused the car to run rich, but did provide pops and flames on the over run, which was highly enjoyable.
Never noticed a change in MPG, but being a V6 and getting driven the way it did, it was most likely dreadful.
My advice would be to give them a try, but only if its already quite a powerful engine. I doubt you will notice a difference with a 306 1.4! Also, I done 30,000 miles with the valve fitted and never had any engine or fuel injector issues.
*puts on flamesuit*
balls-out said:
Sounds like it makes the mixture richer at full throttle.
I guess that might increase power, but one reason to control the mixture is so that the cat doesn't get things its not expecting? Do cats like an excess of unburnt fuel?
I guess that might increase power, but one reason to control the mixture is so that the cat doesn't get things its not expecting? Do cats like an excess of unburnt fuel?
A true point when referring to the cats. No, excess fuel reaching the cats can cause them to overheat, thus destroying the cats. Thankfully my Mondeo had no cats....at all.
@elise. While I understand how some things could determine a placebo (For example, a boyracer thinking his open air filter makes his corsa faster just because it "sounds" faster...), this valve could not. I knew exactly how my Mondeo responded to 4000rpm bootfuls in 2nd before fitting the valve and how much better it responded after fitting. Even my brother noticed despite me saying nothing about getting the valve for christmas. It's a shame the Mondeo is no longer with us, as I would of happily taken you for a spin chap.
balls-out said:
98elise said:
Placebos have been proven to work
My car was definately fast after I painted the brake calipers red.NateWM said:
A true point when referring to the cats. No, excess fuel reaching the cats can cause them to overheat, thus destroying the cats. Thankfully my Mondeo had no cats....at all.
@elise. While I understand how some things could determine a placebo (For example, a boyracer thinking his open air filter makes his corsa faster just because it "sounds" faster...), this valve could not. I knew exactly how my Mondeo responded to 4000rpm bootfuls in 2nd before fitting the valve and how much better it responded after fitting. Even my brother noticed despite me saying nothing about getting the valve for christmas. It's a shame the Mondeo is no longer with us, as I would of happily taken you for a spin chap.
The "power boost valve" will (or might actually) increase the fuel rail pressure. Hence your injectors will deliver more fuel for a given pulse width (on time). Hence your cars closed loop fuel control will simply shorted the pulse width until once again your car runs at the same AFR as it did before you wasted £70 on a PBV............
Well, a richer mixture (up to a point) will (should) make an engine produce a bit more power, with the downside that emissions (especially Co2 and NoX) will increase and fuel usage will go up. I also believe it'll wreck the CAT over time, and upset the ECU as the lambda sensor will record incorrect readings. The ECU might even just compensate anyway.
I have a graph at home of mixture strength/power and emissions, I'll scan it when I get home.
I have a graph at home of mixture strength/power and emissions, I'll scan it when I get home.
Max_Torque said:
The "power boost valve" will (or might actually) increase the fuel rail pressure. Hence your injectors will deliver more fuel for a given pulse width (on time). Hence your cars closed loop fuel control will simply shorted the pulse width until once again your car runs at the same AFR as it did before you wasted £70 on a PBV............
Ah - Hmm - interesting.So if not FI then it sounds like an ideal solution to booster power on an older car running carbs. Surely the higher pressure in the rail will add 10s of bhp
I know my MG midget was much faster after I polished the float chambers.
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