I really don't think its the flange holding you up, you must have a leak somewhere...cold side hot side or you blew out a intake manifold gasket( i've done it so don't laugh...intake bolt in the rear didn't get tq'd down all the way)
I had a leak at the IC where my silicone coupler managed to squirm its way free from the T bolt clamp, but I couldn't see it from the bottom of the car( was leaking at the top of the coupler/tbolt), only found it when I pressure tested the entire set up on the car.
Unless the merge/turbo flange is a complete cluster fuck of a transition and totally killing flow then I really don't see it choking that turbo....but i've been wrong before and i'm no engineer
Hope you find it buddy as I know how frustrating this crap is
I've had leaks on the hot side and cold side and a melted cat
When I got all that fixed I blew the tranny up with the new found power
