altitude question?
altitude question?
So I just moved from California to Boulder, Colorado today (5500 ft or so elevation). When I got here I noticed a flutter in the low to mid rpm range and decent loss of power across the board. I assumed I would be losing some but this feels like a lot for just 5500ft?? This is the first time having my evo in elevation so I have no idea what's normal for these cars at elevation. If anyone could chime in and let me know if this is normal and if not what could possibly cause this?
Evolving Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 144
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From: Albuquerque, NM
Did you have any performance mods and a tune done in CA?
I moved from CA to NM so I went through the same thing as you. My car was tuned at sea level and now I live at 5k feet.
With high altitude all cars lose performance. Turbo cars lose less performance than naturally aspirated engines. Having a turbo is the way to go with altitude.
With my car, the big thing I really noticed is I don’t boost 25 psi anymore on my stock turbo. In CA I was tuned for 25psi. Out here I boost 20-21psi typically. On a cold day, 5 gear WOT, I can hit 22-23 psi. Also my car idles a little higher now, which is a good thing. I was going to raise the idle in CA and I’m glad I didn’t because the altitude raised it for me.
I went to a local motorsports shop and asked if I need to re-tune my car now that I’m at 5k feet. After chatting with the shop for a while, they basically said not to touch my tune since its runs great up here. If I was having any issues like limp mode or other problems, then they would have suggested retuning it. The shop also said with the stock turbo on my X, 20 psi is all they would be able to get out of it at 5k feet, so all is good.
Over the past several months I've driven my car in altitudes from sea level to 7500 feet, temperatures ranging from summer 115 degrees to cold winter 15 degree days. My car run fine in all conditions so far.
I moved from CA to NM so I went through the same thing as you. My car was tuned at sea level and now I live at 5k feet.
With high altitude all cars lose performance. Turbo cars lose less performance than naturally aspirated engines. Having a turbo is the way to go with altitude.
With my car, the big thing I really noticed is I don’t boost 25 psi anymore on my stock turbo. In CA I was tuned for 25psi. Out here I boost 20-21psi typically. On a cold day, 5 gear WOT, I can hit 22-23 psi. Also my car idles a little higher now, which is a good thing. I was going to raise the idle in CA and I’m glad I didn’t because the altitude raised it for me.
I went to a local motorsports shop and asked if I need to re-tune my car now that I’m at 5k feet. After chatting with the shop for a while, they basically said not to touch my tune since its runs great up here. If I was having any issues like limp mode or other problems, then they would have suggested retuning it. The shop also said with the stock turbo on my X, 20 psi is all they would be able to get out of it at 5k feet, so all is good.
Over the past several months I've driven my car in altitudes from sea level to 7500 feet, temperatures ranging from summer 115 degrees to cold winter 15 degree days. My car run fine in all conditions so far.
Last edited by mp72; Jan 16, 2012 at 10:01 PM.
Did you have any performance mods and a tune done in CA?
I moved from CA to NM so I went through the same thing as you. My car was tuned at sea level and now I live at 5k feet.
With high altitude all cars lose performance. Turbo cars lose less performance than naturally aspirated engines. Having a turbo is the way to go with altitude.
With my car, the big thing I really noticed is I don’t boost 25 psi anymore on my stock turbo. In CA I was tuned for 25psi. Out here I boost 20-21psi typically. On a cold day, 5 gear WOT, I can hit 22-23 psi. Also my car idles a little higher now, which is a good thing. I was going to raise the idle in CA and I’m glad I didn’t because the altitude raised it for me.
I went to a local motorsports shop and asked if I need to re-tune my car now that I’m at 5k feet. After chatting with the shop for a while, they basically said not to touch my tune since its runs great up here. If I was having any issues like limp mode or other problems, then they would have suggested retuning it. The shop also said with the stock turbo on my X, 20 psi is all they would be able to get out of it at 5k feet, so all is good.
Over the past several months I've driven my car in altitudes from sea level to 7500 feet, temperatures ranging from summer 115 degrees to cold winter 15 degree days. My car run fine in all conditions so far.
I moved from CA to NM so I went through the same thing as you. My car was tuned at sea level and now I live at 5k feet.
With high altitude all cars lose performance. Turbo cars lose less performance than naturally aspirated engines. Having a turbo is the way to go with altitude.
With my car, the big thing I really noticed is I don’t boost 25 psi anymore on my stock turbo. In CA I was tuned for 25psi. Out here I boost 20-21psi typically. On a cold day, 5 gear WOT, I can hit 22-23 psi. Also my car idles a little higher now, which is a good thing. I was going to raise the idle in CA and I’m glad I didn’t because the altitude raised it for me.
I went to a local motorsports shop and asked if I need to re-tune my car now that I’m at 5k feet. After chatting with the shop for a while, they basically said not to touch my tune since its runs great up here. If I was having any issues like limp mode or other problems, then they would have suggested retuning it. The shop also said with the stock turbo on my X, 20 psi is all they would be able to get out of it at 5k feet, so all is good.
Over the past several months I've driven my car in altitudes from sea level to 7500 feet, temperatures ranging from summer 115 degrees to cold winter 15 degree days. My car run fine in all conditions so far.
and the 18x 9.5 grids are not helping in the snow.....one thing after another i guess haha.
When going up in altitude, the tune will usually go rich, but if you have the stock ECU it probably adapted over time. I have an AEM, so when I go to 6k feet to run my car in Nevada I will need to lean out my tune prior to going. Also, at higher elevation the air is thinner, so if you don't adjust your boost controller you will lose a few psi of boost pressure as well. The turbo will have to work harder to maintain the same boost pressure at elevation.
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