Weird scary boost fun...

[Audial@aol.com]

Driving my '86 5KCSTQ last night a strange thing happened.  I was taking an
on-ramp and was at the top of second gear, 1.2 bar on the boost gauge.
 Shifted into third and the boost levels out at 1.1 (I wasn't accellerating
full throttle) and then suddenly drops to 0.8 bar with no difference in
accelleration.  I give it a little more throttle and the car pulls
authoritatively ahead, the exhaust taking on a meaner sound than I remember
hearing, the boost still at 0.8 bar.  I think, wow this is fun, and plant my
foot and the car proceeds to accellerate like a rocket sled all the way to
redline in third!!  Much stronger accelleration than ever before, it felt
like what I imagine 1.7-8 bar or so must feel like. 

I put the clutch in to coast for a second and the engine promptly dies.  I
restart it but now the boost meter seems to be stuck at 0.8 bar.  I take the
next off ramp and it is tough to keep the car running in neutral below 2500
rpm - it shakes and backfires.  Suddenly, ten seconds later, the boost gauge
goes back to normal and so does the engine operation.  

However, the phenomenon is repeatable - just get over 1.1 bar in any gear and
the gauge drops to 0.8, give it full throttle, and the car takes off like it
was fired from a howitzer.  It is most impressive in third and fourth gears
because you go from 50 - 100 mph pdq. Then it takes a few seconds to "reset"
itself and goes from Mr. Hyde back to Dr. Jeckyll. I thought for a second
about going corvette-hunting but then made the wiser choice and babied it
back home.  

I got home and popped the hood.  I failed to locate any dilithium crystals or
any other obvious clues.  

Has anyone had a similar warp-drive experience?  It's a blast but I'm afraid
it's not exactly what the engineers had in mind.  I am amazed at how much
power this car can make when the turbo is fully unleashed, but I certainly
don't want it to blow the intercooler or grenade anything.

Thanks, 

Alex