Turbo Boost Controllers - Any good?

What do you want to achieve with it.
Increase boost or control the maximum boost your system will go to?
As your research will provide there are many different systems available from a simple bleed valve through to electronic control.
The 1 HDT being an unsophisticated non electronic set up will probably use a bleed valve of some sort to fool the waste gate into staying closed until a higher boost is obtained.

Have a read here;
http://www.autospeed.com/A_0670/cms/article.html

http://www.autospeed.com/A_0685/cms/article.html

Julian plays around with various systems and generally does a clear write up on how to do it. The autospeed site also covers other useful go faster mods aimed mainly at the ricer boys but the background might be useful to you in your "Research".
A couple of other sites that focus on the 80 series and their problems / modifications are;

http://www.lcool.org/forum/index.php and

http://www.offroad80s.com/index.php

You will have to register with these sites to enter but its free.
Also this site can be a font of knowledge do a search on boost controllers and see what that brings up.

Good luck with the research.

cheers

Play with boost at your own risk.

That said, my mate runs 23psi in his 1HDT and an upgraded CT26 turbo with 3" exhaust, plus gas, plus vege oil and auto with lock up on 3 and 4th gear. It goes ..... and goes ..... and goes!

He, and I, bought the little bleed valves from ebay and it takes a few minutes to cut into the line to the turbo waste gate control, screw up the clamps, then go for a ride with a few spanners handy and find a long empty road. Cost about $30 memory.

You really need to have a boost gauge and preferable a pyro installed prior to doing any of this so you have some baseline data from which to work. ie, what EGTs are you pulling now as standard boost.

My 12h-t runs 7psi standard and the orange warning light is set to come on at 14 psi. I first bumped mine to 9psi, and then to 12.5psi. I'm happy with the outcome and unlikely to go higher.

There are better tech orientated sites around to give you better feedback than here. ihmud and Outer Limits for a start.

Tim