Thanks for the tips honestly. I not looking looking for a tune but I am just seeing my options as to replace my worn out filter . I may get a drop in filter then

 

If the air filter needs to be replaced just go with an OEM one at this point in time. Figure out what you want to do with the car and go from there is what you really want to do. If not you are going to spend a bunch of money multiple times as you change parts that maybe shouldn't have been bought.

If you are set on the apexi, the power intake re-uses the stock OEM charge pipe so it should be drivable with whatever tune is on there. Without the induction box it's not a great upgrade....with the induction box and a proper tune the reduced IATs are worth it. I've had that combo (intake + induction box) for years and the filters are lifetime so you just clean them out and they are good to go again.

TBH the stock ECU has had boost control for nearly 7 years now. Not sure why in 2015 MBCs are still being recommended for basic setups when the 3 port + ECU has been on everything from dailys to auto x, to drag and circuit cars with no issues for years now.

 

Because it's easy to work with.

FWIW, there's a well-recognized shop not too far from me that does ECU-controlled boost. Would I trust them to touch my car? Knowing things I probably shouldn't post, no frucking way! OTOH, the MBC has been running perfectly for ~8 years now. Never even think about it. YMMV

Edit: text

 

MBCs don't give you real control. You set them to hit what peak you want and then deal with the curve produced. MBCs need to be adjusted per weather, elevation changes, don't support per gear boost control etc. To adjust you end up having to make a change, watch a boost gauge or log (assuming a 3bar MAP senor is installed) tweak again and so on. No gain in simplification there except you don't have to flash back with the MBC but then you also loose control of the boost curve. So were this 2006 I'd agree with you since its not . Since a tune is recommended and agreed upon if the shop can't do a proper ECU-controlled boost tune in 2015 then why would anyone trust them to tune the car regularly in the first place?

 

I don't need to adjust my MBC at all. Never have. Zero knock. Car has power everywhere. Why make something a lot more complicated than it has to be? I'm not saying that folks shouldn't do it - it's solely up to them - there's elegance in simplicity that translates into more fun behind the wheel and less time tweaking the tune. YMMV

 

Agreed. Tuning the ECU's boost curve is not easy on the Evo. One has to mess with waste gate duty cycles which is painful without a dedicated dyno and lots of time. The MBC is much simpler. Now if the Mitsubishi ECU was say programmable by setting actual psi in the table then that's a different story.

 

I disagree, been doing it since 2007. For simplicity just stick with a MBC.

 

This tells me a couple of things either you live where the temp or elevation never changes much or you've never bothered to properly log your boost to see how it changes with weather and temp conditions.

Its not that hard honestly and if as FJF says he has never changed his MBC it means it's a one time deal. Unless you change your boost a lot the curve gets set and assuming correction is left on the car is more reliable and consistent than an MBC. For example, my car didn't change much between 2008 and 2012. During that time it ran the same basic curve that i set in early in 2008.

And an MBC doesn't have PSI settings either. You turn it up or down, you have to go and re-check the boost to see if its even right, turn it up or down again until it hits the number you want. Still a lot of work.

The only place the MBC made sense was pre map switching when you needed a DD boost curve, a drag/circuit boost curve and the like. With map switching its faster to switch between those maps on the ECU and know how that curve is going to run without having to go check/fiddle/check again.

 

I live in Upstate, NY. My car has been logged ad nauseam using a JDM MAP sensor to monitor boost. Time to stop this nonsense, don't you think? I'm beginning to get annoyed with the constant, ignorant badgering.

 

Do about 5 instructed track events before you begin modifying the car. Once you have a good handle on the car consider the following as this is usually the biggest bang for the buck:
1) tune
2) TBE
3) Boost controller

 

Was in your shoes 1 year ago and here is my advice definitely maint. First of course... But i based my build off of the modding for dummies and similar threads which have great advice but you really need to decide what your end goal is. in the last year I have spent at least 1500 dollars in mods that all ended up coming off my car because they didn't work wit my next mod for example one of my first was MBC then I found out what three port was and boom down 80 dollars haha just saying plan out your mods and don't rush it

 

Maintenance first. I've seen too many people fail on owning an evo because they neglected maintaining it properly. Diaqueen(ONLY) for Tcase, and rear diff. Redline MT-90/cocktail for trans.

1. Learn the car stock; autox is the best place to learn.
2. Decide what you want to do with the car; autox? track? drag?
3. Consult REPUTABLE tuner/EvoM for mod route.

Best mod i've done to any car i've owned is the Wavetrac for the evo; no longer need to worry about Tcase failure assuming fluid level is full and now i've got a badass front LSD. And the Weir LSD rear diff is shortly behind it.