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Old Nov 29, 2003 | 07:31 AM
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MBC or Electronic

Im about to purchase a boost controller and dont kow if I should go with the electronic or Manual. What are the advantages and disadvanteges to both. I was told that the manual ones dont spike and are smooth. You can hvae the electronic ones spike for that added umpmh? Why would you want to do that. I thought Spikeing was bad. Oh well. What do you guys think. Laters Mikal
Old Nov 29, 2003 | 04:16 PM
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Avoid both. They are unsafe ways of making extra power. When you have complete control over fuel and timing to compensate for more boost, then add it. Or better still, get something like the Xede which can control boost, fuel, and timing all in one unit.
Old Dec 18, 2003 | 11:20 PM
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I would go w/ Electronic over Manual. As long as you don't boost over stock turbo's limit, you will be fine. Most of the EBCs these day have built in boost gauge for u to monitor boost levels.
Reflash is cool but that cost more than just getting EBC.
Old Dec 26, 2003 | 12:58 AM
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Electric for sure.
Less lag with electric.
More stable control and variable setpoints.
not to mention it can act as a boost gauge and some even plot boost over time or have a playback feature.
Mine tells you the peak boost of your last run, while my buddy dave's has a graph of boost and RPM vs time and datalogging.
Old Dec 30, 2003 | 07:08 AM
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imo, nothing beats the quick response and repeatability of a good ball and spring MBC. for example, i get 1 bar in the middle of first gear, and i NEVER spike.

i've also built myself a system which completely eliminates PTFB, and allows cockpit adjustability to contend with the day-to-day variations in boost levels. yes, it's more complex than your average MBC setup, but it does exactly what i need it to do.

taking boost control away from the ECU is not something to be taken lightly; do a lot of research as to what you're doing and why you're doing it.

jm2c
ken
Old Dec 30, 2003 | 02:33 PM
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Originally posted by BAN SUVS
Avoid both. They are unsafe ways of making extra power. When you have complete control over fuel and timing to compensate for more boost, then add it. Or better still, get something like the Xede which can control boost, fuel, and timing all in one unit.
piggyback or reflash is the safest and IMO the best method of controling the boost on a WRX
Old Dec 30, 2003 | 02:59 PM
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Originally posted by Scott@S-Squared
piggyback or reflash is the safest and IMO the best method of controling the boost on a WRX
I would doubt you would see quite the same boost response as a decent EBC or for that matter a high performance MBC with the stock system in place although on the safety side of things yes you would not get the partial throttle full boost that you can get with the EBC and MBC.

I would still like to see the stock 2 port solinoid control 24psi+ setups

Mike

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Old Dec 30, 2003 | 03:03 PM
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Originally posted by BAN SUVS
Avoid both. They are unsafe ways of making extra power. When you have complete control over fuel and timing to compensate for more boost, then add it. Or better still, get something like the Xede which can control boost, fuel, and timing all in one unit.
Is your boss going to refund all the original stage 0 customers then for the unsafe parts they got in there kit al a Dawes device MBC.....

Sorry couldn't resist that

There is nothing wrong with using either a MBC or EBC is used responsibly and extra "safe" power can be had with both if you don't go crazy and keep cranking the boost.

Something to remember even with complete control over fuel and spark you can still be harmful "unsafe" to your engine if you act irresponsibly.

You will get far more gains from a proper tune tho than simply adding a boost control device and adding a lb or 2.

Mike

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Old Dec 31, 2003 | 12:31 PM
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I don't work at Vishnu anymore, so I'm unable to answer the first gentle barb. Second, how many of us can REALLY avoid the temptation of turning up the boost just a little bit more, and a little more, when it makes the car faster?
Old Dec 31, 2003 | 01:48 PM
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Originally posted by BAN SUVS
Second, how many of us can REALLY avoid the temptation of turning up the boost just a little bit more, and a little more, when it makes the car faster?
Most of the ones that have been working on or around TC cars enough to know what they are doing!

LMAO

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Old Dec 31, 2003 | 02:28 PM
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True. But those are the ones who are answering these kinds of questions- not the typical member who comes to the boards with questions. I would not tell those people to get MBCs.
Old Dec 31, 2003 | 08:18 PM
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Ah, but with the right guidance (they are after all looking around for answers/help) if the responses are accurate then the average Joe should be fine.

MBC's are fine, in fact safer with regards to temptation of cranking boost than a EBC where the boost adjust dial is staring at you saying "crank me you wuss"

MikalsWRX - To answer your question most of the better newer EBC's do not really have any issues with boost spikes although when trying to maximise the spool up response with some of them it is possible to induce boost spikes. For example on a Blitz SBC-id if you have the gain set to high then at varing load and weather conditions you will get boost spikes (but you will get a faster spool up to some degree) if you setup the EBC correctly then it should operate fine with no spiking.

I personally do not have a ton of experience with MBC's as I have only ran 2 (the Dawes Device and a TurboXS) neither had any spiking issues and both worked fine for my then application. I have on the other hand worked on and driven a ton of cars with them and have not had anyone speak any bad of the one they had been using at the time.

Like anything read around a bit and take everything with a grain of salt (a lot of keyboard racers out there) and see which fits with your needs be it EBC or MBC and I am sure you will be happy.

Happy New Year!

Mike

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Old Jan 1, 2004 | 03:11 PM
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Originally posted by MPJ Performance
Ah, but with the right guidance (they are after all looking around for answers/help) if the responses are accurate then the average Joe should be fine.

MBC's are fine, in fact safer with regards to temptation of cranking boost than a EBC where the boost adjust dial is staring at you saying "crank me you wuss"


Mike

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IMHO, the 'right guidace' is not to give people advice to do mods which put them into position to blow motors without much effort. Of course, the same could be said for TEC, Utec, Link, etc. Discretion is the better part of valor as they say.


By the way, thanks for the fuel rails. Much obliged!:banana:
Old Jan 1, 2004 | 04:51 PM
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Originally posted by BAN SUVS
IMHO, the 'right guidace' is not to give people advice to do mods which put them into position to blow motors without much effort. Of course, the same could be said for TEC, Utec, Link, etc. Discretion is the better part of valor as they say.


By the way, thanks for the fuel rails. Much obliged!:banana:
Then everyone would be driving stock cars mate! The point is the person asked what was better EBC or MBC not whether or not he/she should use one. Answering that with neither they are both unsafe is not really an answer to the question and to be honest you could answer that about a lot of mods. Boost controllers are not unsafe, people are unsafe!

Regarding the fuel rails you are quite welcome

Mike

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Old Jan 2, 2004 | 06:09 PM
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As a member who has run a dawes device, EBC (Apex-i AVC-R) and reflash, I would highly recommend the reflash. You get a lot more for the money than an EBC. However, a regular MBC AND boost guage gives you a nice bit of added power for a small price.

I just wish my reflash came with the adjustability of my AVC-R, though. Nothing like the little bit of extra blue bling in my car when I had the AVC-R.

Oh yeah, my car saw the track (drag-race and auto-cross) with all of these setups. Not the words of a keyboard racer...



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