HD Actuator-How To Test?

[Scoobum]

How do I check this actuator to make sure it's working correctly?

[Steve Wood]

how much pressure does it require to fully open?

[Scoobum]

What tool do I require to check for pressure?

[Scoobum]

I found a hand vacuum/pressure pump at Canadian Tire for 70 bucks. Gonna check at Princess Auto tomorrow for a cheaper one. If not, I'll stop by a friends garage and have him check it. I'll get back with an answer ASAP.

[Steve Wood]

yeah, you need a low pressure source to see when it starts to ease open and at what point, it has made full travel

[daveismissing]

One of those really cheap 12v tire pumps might work if you have a decent gauge you can plumb in

[motorhead]

You can buy a regulator w/gauge (like a that used for a HVLP paint gun) and hook it up to a compressor line.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=how+to+bench+test+a+wastegate&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=hKRsV--6KMnGetLTi7AF

[Steve Wood]

if you suck on it and it does not hold a vacuum, it's bad

[Scoobum]

No one sells a pressure gun...and I tried several garages in town..to no avail. I emptied the air in the compressor and hooked the blow gun up with a screw in adaptor...and hooked a vacuum hose up to the actuator. I fired up the compressor and watched the pressure gauge. I doubt the pressure gauge is all  that accurate...but the arm began moving ABOUT 15 PSI...and hit full extension ABOUT 33 PSI. There were no air leaks when pressurized.

[daveismissing]

I didn't think of it earlier, I  guess a plumber would have one to pressure test his installation, at least the commercial guys used to do it.

[Steve Wood]

No one sells a pressure gun...and I tried several garages in town..to no avail. I emptied the air in the compressor and hooked the blow gun up with a screw in adaptor...and hooked a vacuum hose up to the actuator. I fired up the compressor and watched the pressure gauge. I doubt the pressure gauge is all  that accurate...but the arm began moving ABOUT 15 PSI...and hit full extension ABOUT 33 PSI. There were no air leaks when pressurized.

Too bad you don't have another one to test to compare.  Do you have a stock actuator laying around?  There should be about a five psi difference between stock and hd. 

33 seems high to me but I don't know how far they should move to have the wastegate open. 

[Scoobum]

Steve, the guages on the compressor are incredibly small, so those numbers are a guesstimate. I haven't got a stocker to compare it too. I wanted to make sure it was working. Changing headgaskets isn't something I enjoy doing on a regular basis.

[larrym]

The boost pressure actually helps the spring open doesn't it?
If you were to disconnect the line it would hold the puck closed longer until the exhaust pressure over came the spring?
33 psi overcame the spring would you not have to account for the exhaust gas pressure as well.

[Steve Wood]

The spring is what keeps the wastegate closed.  Boost pushes on the actuator causing it to over ride the spring pressure and open the gate.

It sounds like the actuator is working to me

[earlbrown]

if you suck on it and it does not hold a vacuum, it's bad

Man, if i had a dime for everytime I said.....