Ok here's the scenario.. i've had a turbo car for the past 6 years now but in a Euro car and now i've come into the japanese car world which is similar but different in many ways of turbo management. I see many people on here have MBC and at the same time tuning done which I don't understand.

In the Euro tuning world of VW and Audis we reflashed the ECU which was termed "chipping the car" to raise the boost by a lot from the factory 14psi to reflashed 23psi safely (yes, safely... i work at a shop and we've been doing this for about 8 years now via REVO Technik flashing software) Included in this is a different fuel map, etc etc which I assume is called "tuning" in the Japanese tuning world.

Back to what i'm stumbled with, Boost controller and having tuning done.. What's the benefits of that? In the euro world, any boost controller is pointless if you had your car "chipped" since the reflash of the ECU will give you the maximum amount of boost that your engine can run safely with your mods.

I assume that "tuning" is the same thing since I plan on doing the Works P2 Tuning in the near future and I read into detail what's involved in the Tuning so what's the point of a BC?

So the thing stuck in my head now is which do i do since they both seem to do the same thing besides the fueling. I plan on doing the HKS EVC 6 if i do the BC.

I'm really stumbled on this so please someone enlighten me.

Also, i actually have a question about my car that im kinda stumbled by as well.

I have the following engine mods:
Injen CAI w/ upper intercooler pipe, hks legamax axleback, custom 3" mid pipe, ATP 3" testpipe

Is it normal that my car peaks at 26psi when i downshift on the freeway to 4th and then goes down to 16psi and as the RPM goes up the PSI raises to about 21PSI-23PSI and holds there all the way to 7K and then drops to 18PSI but holds all the way to 8K?

I have not done the wastegate mod but thinking of doing it but I'm not sure if it will be safe with my boost levels now.

I DO NOT get any cels or anything of that sort and my car is running perfect and very perky everyday with no problems.

I'm pretty stumbled by that as well since I've never seen a car react like that ever.

If someone could help answer my 2 questions that would be awsome! Thanks!

 

the reason some people need a BC is because the method they used to tune is not utilizing the stock boost solenoid to control boost. for example my car is tuned with a cobb ap and boost pill, so my car utilizes the stock boost solenoid and an upgraded boost pill to controll the boost.

personally i prefer this since it's less stuff to hook up to the car and less stuff for the cop to give me $hit for since you're up in norcal hit up GST, he tunes using the pill method and he has gotten very good results

the boost taper is normal, hope this helps you

 

i too would like to know. mines is doing the exact same thing. i have a Works tune and i was told i dont need a boostcontrol.

 

i greatly appreciate your response. That actually clears up the boost controller question i had by a lot. Basically the type of tuning that a company does depend on what's used. Since these cars are different than european cars, in order to control the boost is not through the ECU but mechanically through a boost controller or that boost pill thing. That makes a whole lot of sense now. Thanks a bunch for that!


As for the taper, i do understand that is normal but 26psi peak? Is that even safe? I read a lot on the evo x forums that at most without tuning i should be only doing 24psi or else it'll damage the car but in my experience i'm getting nothing but wonders with the car and no CELs either. Also, is that normal for the car to stay at such high boost all the way to 8k? Usually on Euro Turbo cars, the boost will stay up to a certain RPM and then start to fall all the way to 5psi but the EVO stays at 18psi at the lowest all the way to 8k.

Also, since you brought up the tapering issue. Can a BC fix the issue of having a more constant power band and boost instead of peaking and then falling and rising again in boost and power? The Works P2 Tuning comes with new vacuum lines and they claim that it will give you 23psi all across the power band. So if the vacuum lines do that, wouldn't a boost controller be able to do the same?

GST is actually only 8 minutes away from me and one of my close friends actually used to work with a couple of the guys at GST so I will probably drop by with my buddy if I don't get the answers here. They are just always so busy and i'm stuck at my shop I don't want bombard them with questions and a long conversation if i don't have all my info correct to begin with. I guess it's a shop thing to try and get as much info as possible before asking another shop since no shop wants to waste time and money. =)

Any help would be great

 

Boost controller is a personal choice .. if you like it .. use it ..
There's also another reason .. not alot of people KNOW how to tune the X with the EBC .. .. so actually its a good excuse to say EBC is a waste of time

Most european cars you mentioned are low pressures .. VWs, Audis etc ..

Most Japanese cars are Hi pressures .. so seeing 24-25psi is actually norm .. and running above 15psi at 7-8000rpms ..

EBC can run very consistent boost .. at any rpms and throttle settings .. relatively painless .. with ECU controlled boost, you can do the same, but just not as easy and more involved ..

As for tapering above 7000rpms .. that's probably the flow limit of the turbo .. so even with EBC you can't hold much higher than 21-22psi ..

Hope that answers most of your questions ..