Is it normal to still see stock boost?

Question

After fixing my blown head gasket, I put everything back on(K&N filter, full 3 inch exhaust from turbo). Drove normally for the next 1000 miles, never boosting. When I finally decided my motor was ready for some boost, 2nd gear WOT I only saw 6psi on my boost gauge. Before my head gasket fix I was seeing 8-10 with my mods. I did a boost leak test using a air compressor and found no leaks at all. I just put a MBC on and turned it up to 10psi and it deffenetly feels like 10psi so I doubt theres any leaks. Could my wastegate be operating better then before, not letting boost go over stock from my mods? Would you consider this normal? I know with my previous supra I saw a increase in boost by adding a divorced downpipe.

Car is a 87 toyota supra, stock turbo ct-26

Answer 1

Could something be blocking the boost gage, or could you have a leak in that line?

Did you do anything that removed resistance in the waste gate? If you freed up the linkage, it could be opening sooner.

There may be other reasons for less boost, but putting on a  better exhaust should not have affected boost. Nor the engine work.

So I suspect a leak in the gage line, or that the waste gate is working freer.