Do to the overwelming pm's and aol im's, I will take the time to make a how-to thread. I know it is a little later than promised but i had camera problems. But I have taken the time and made the pics as discriptive as possible.

A little info first, my car has been running this for well over a year now with ZERO fueling issues and my brother's 1.8t '03 passat (this how-to car) has been running it for over 6 months now with ZERO issues also.

This is a simple procedure that will extract more power out of you car for very little cost. I would recommend this to those of you that are eithershort on cash and still want more power before buying a chip or to those like me that have bigger plans in the future and dont want to spend $500+ on a chip just to need to change it again for the larger turbo (http://www.audiforums.com/m_477476/tm.htm#).

YOU NEED A MAP EQUIPED CAR - '00 +MODEL

WARNING: THIS IS TO RAISE THE BOOST TO A SAFE 16-18PSI ON ASTOCK FPR (USE AT OWN RISK)

Parts needed:

a4.3v 1w zener diode
a mbc or ebc (i recommend a bleed valve for the small stock turbo for smoothness, combo bleed/ball and spring is better)
a boost guage w/ vacuum guage (which you should have anyways)
vacuum hose

Tools needed:

Electric tape
Soldering iron and lead (or some other way to connect the diode to the map wires)
wire stripper/clippers (to peal back the wire cover)

Boost guage:

The first thing you will want to do in this process is to install the boost gauge. If you have one or know how to install one please skip on down. The reason is to make sure you know how to read and understand the boost level of your car.

Stock pressure of the B5/B5.5's is 9 psi

The best place to start is to install the end of the line to the FPR. Takea little peice of vacuum hose to connect the top of the Tee to the FPR and then the stock line to the bottom of theTee and the boost gauge line to the side part of the Tee. Next remove the cover and run the line through the grommet.

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_An362112224.jpg

Then run the line to thesecond grommet below into the cabin. Pokeor cut a holeto allow the hose to slide through(TIP with a wire coat hanger trimmed to about 10-12" inside the vac hose makes it much easier).

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_Gd529177207.jpg

Connect the vacumm line to the boost guage (trim as much of theexcess line offas possible)and make the power connections to either aaccesory power source or a light switch (http://www.audiforums.com/m_477476/tm.htm#) (personal preference) and of course the ground. After the gauge is installed, it would be wise to go and drive the car and make sure you are seeing the right amount of psi before continueing.

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_Vp191524642.jpg


Diode install

First disconnect the battery. Please make sure you have the radio code first so you dont have to listen to silence for awhile.

thenyou need to find the map sensor. It will be attached to the intercooler

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_At359684127.jpg


Follow the MAP and then expose the 3 wires inside the cover. You will seea WHITE, BLUE, AND BLACK wire. You will need to connect the BLUE AND THE BLACK wires together with the diode.

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_Kq931192112.jpg

After identifieng the two wires, you then will want to strip the wire coversback to expose the wires. Next trim the diode down as far as you feel comfortable using and bend the sides down so the diode can be hidden better. Then solder the diode inbetween the two wires connecting them. After making sure the wires do not touch reconnect the battery and start the car. If the car starts and idles fine you are good, if it stumbles you have the diode in backwards and need to flip it and try again.

After the diode has been installed correctly, tape everything up to keep the wires from touching.

Then go for a drive. Since the ECU is now seeing 11psi instead of 9psi you should have an increase in boost. If not, dont be surprised.

YOU MAY WANT TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AGAIN IF YOU DONT HAVE A VAGCOM CABLE TO DO A THROTTLE BODY ALIGNMENT.
To do this you need to let the ecu reset (disconnected for ~10mins) and then reconnect the battery. You then go into the car and turn the car ON and not start it. You will then hear a high pitched whinning noise from the tb. Wait till it ends (few mins) and then start the car. You are done.



MBC install

There are so many varieties of mbc and ways to install it in the 1.8t. I prefer to remove the n75 from the equation and run just a mbc. Some have prefered to run the mbc before the n75, so the install will be up to you. It really depends on the MBC and which way is smoother to you. I will cover both.

First thing you will want to do is make sure your mbc is setup correctly. Ball and springs need adjusted until you cant hear the ball moving inside the controller anymore and bleed valves just need closed all the way. After the MBC has been adjusted you can install it.

N75: THE PATH IS FROM THE INTERCOOLER PIPINGTO THE N75 TO THE WASTEGATE. AFTER THE N75 WILL PUT THE N75 BETWEEN THE N75 AND THE WASTEGATE. YOU WILL JUST ADD A LITTLE VACUUM HOSE FROM THE N75 TO THE MBC AND THEN THE MBC TO THE WASTGATE.

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_Sy311714267.jpg

Replacing the n75:

For this method just remove the hoses from the n75 and install them in the MBC and you are done, for the a4/passat you may want to add a strait Tee and some hose to move the MBC to a more accessable location like in the install car. Just make sure you have it in the right direction, if it is backwards you most likely will be runing off the wastegate (~5psi) and if correct you will be near what you had before depending on how the mbc is adjusted.

http://www.audiforums.com/upfiles/28034/asppg_Wf948517305.jpg


After the n75:

You will need to disconnect only the hose from the wastegate to the n75and mount the mbc where ever you want it.Then run a vacuum line to connects thewastegate to thembcand a line from the MBC to the n75 and you are done.I dont have a pic of this but it is simple enough. Same is above for if the mbc is backwards.

Adjusting boost levels:

Finally the hardware is installed and you will just need to set the level you are comfortable with. 16-17psi is safe on stock fueling . For 18-20psi you will need to increase fuel pressure to be safe. If you have any worries, anincreased FPRcan be installed at any level of boost and will not hurt or harm performance (http://www.audiforums.com/m_477476/tm.htm#). It may take a few cycles for the ecu to adapt to the added fuel but will not bereally noticable when installed.

Just work in small increases to get to the desired psi. Go through differnt types of loads to make sure you dont peak to high in differnt loads.Once set,you are finished and able to enjoy the new found power increase.

As always I am available for questions either in this thread for all to see or in private via pms or on aol.

fixed pics

Thanks for the write up. As soon as I get my car back, I'm going to do this mod.

I like your positioning of the boost gauge - I've been trying to find a good spot to put one that is more or less out of sight. Any recommendations on for a boost controller?

any good bleed valve like a turbosmart. That one is actually a knock off version and works great.

Holy cow. I've never seen instructions so well put together. Thinking of doing any others? Perhaps a light mod?

I am currently buying the pieces to do this mod. Thanks for the excellent write up. I cant wait:)

chips are over rated... do it like the DSM crowd and just crank the boost up using a mbc... it wont hurt anything as long as your not dumb and try to boost 25lbs on stock fuel system.

16lbs is nothing that will make you start knocking

i did it a few weeks ago its pretty sweet. i keep getting a lean code but i think its from a bad maf or bad o2 sensor

for instaling the diode the end with the black strip on it goes to the grey/blue wire

ORIGINAL: AteUrV8
chips are over rated... do it like the DSM crowd and just crank the boost up using a mbc... it wont hurt anything as long as your not dumb and try to boost 25lbs on stock fuel system.

ya its nothing, just blew up my turbo[&:]

dont be stupid next time...

haha ya that was back in my noob days when i knew nothing about cars. so i just slapped on a mbc and well by by to turbo. its ok though it led to a t3t4

oh well... 14b's suck and the t25's suck harder.

no that was on my audi that i put the mbc on. the evo i have a ebc but i was very smart about the mods i put on

ok, correct me if im misunderstanding....what this write up is doing is accomplishing the same end results as getting a chip, just at a fraction of the cost, and with a little more elbow grease.....increased power/boost levels.....other thing is....can this set up be run along with a chip, or is it useless to do both...also, what would need to be done to prevent the car from blowing up if both this and a chip are run..thnx

--E

Yes it does roughly the same as a chip. Also there is no real need to run both together unless you have a problem of your throttle body closing after 17psi like some have experienced.

Can I just do the MBC mod without installing a boost gauge? And ifso, is there a way of telling just how much boost I'm getting without a gauge so that I'm not frying my engine?

you can vag com it, but thats not to safe. real time monitoring is best. You can borrow someone elses and set it conservatively and then run without one.

Hey Cincy, what kind of boost gauge do you run? I know APR has a pretty cheap one that replaces one of the air vents. AWE makes one that sits in front of the vent and still lets you use it. Do you know of a cheaper one that is as elegant of a set up?

BTW, this is a great write up. I'm already chipped and am thinking new FPR to run more fuel and more boost. KISS THAT K03 GOODBYE!

thats my brothers car i work on. he has a glow shift gauge, works ok, but i have an autometer that works much better.

if you have a chip you dont need a fpr unless it is written into the sw

ok stupid question.... would this work on a 98.5 1.8t??? dyin to do this because i am not spending 400 for a chip when i am savin up for a gt28rs and im bored with my car...thanks

No it wouldnt. Pre 00 aeb motors dont have MAP sensors.

dam...so there is nothing i can do to do this or something similar???

Yeah, but if I use APR software and then use a boost controller, won't I run lean unless I find a way to get more fuel into the engine?

Thanks bro,

JPF

no, thats what this mod is for. it keeps the map from seeing whats going on so that the maf can adjust your fueling to keep you stoich

First one to blow their engine after doingthe diode mod wins

haha i dont see it happenin, once i get my new maf i'll put up some a/f charts

this will remove the over boost safety that the map sensor is used for, this means if you over boost for any reason it might cause major engine damage.

the ecu can NOT adapt afr under full load. The ecu is not adjusting injector pulse width off the primary o2 sensor voltage at this point. Also the lower load value will result in an incorrect base timing value that the ecu may not be able to compensate for.

wondered why my nuts were hanging so low lately, i looked down, HEY KARL!

There is nothing wrong with this method. I stand by what i have said 100 times already. Im not buying a chip for my stock turbo when i go back to BT. Makes no sense.

Wow, this actually seems doable. I'm hoping to get it set up in New York when I return. My plan is to do this, but to be really really careful with how much boost I run. Probably try it with just a pound or two more than APR's software allows gradually building up to the figures CINCY gave.

Best,

JPF

if you have a chip you dont need to do this. This is a chip alternative. If you have a chip just up the boost to 20psi and your good.

Which boost controller do you recommend Cincy?

bleed/gated valve will be the smoothest. A combonation ball and spring w/ a bleed valve is a little more but well worth it fora mbc (what i use, turboXS hpbc)

ORIGINAL: vassar007

Which boost controller do you recommend Cincy?


please do something other than just slap on a mbc with you chip. if you up the boost like 1 maybe 2 pounds your ecu should be able to compensate for that. but the APR software is not as easily tweakable as other tuner's like GIAC. try to moniter air/fuel ratio. be it installing a wideband, or logging fuel trims with VAG-COM. lemmiwinks is your friend!

Dont know why you say that. The car can easily compinsate fueling with a chip and 18-22psi.

and you know this because you have a chip??

ya, didn't think so..

but maybe you want to pull up some 3 year old Vortex threads where a Volkswagen's APR'd ecu did compensate for it.. be my guest

in fact, i know specifically of a kid with a 2001 1.8t with GIAC ko3 software. he is running at 22psi(don't ask me why) with mbc AND diode mod.

most inportant part is that he has a Zeitonex-sp?- wideband and made a couple fueling tweaks with lemmiwinks

so is this that part wherei cry and report you to a mod and have your post deleted?

The ecu will compensate fuel trims withen a spec range. Your friend used a 4.7v diode and limited boost seen by the ecu to 17psi and then ran 5additional psi.

Mine has compensated seeing 11psi and running 19-20psi with no fueling problems whatsoever

if you and the mod feel that, that would be the best solution and best benefit for the thread and it's purposes. then yes, by all means..

this guy's car definately isn't going to blow, im just trying to get this guys carto run tip top to it's potential.not justsub par like imsure yours is running..


it's best to educate the noobs the best way possible as soon as possible. otherwise there is going to be that one idiot that's going to put aBT on his car and say, "i can probably just use the diode modew/ stock injectors and turn the boost up to 22psi" then KABOOM!!!! [/exaggerated example]

Well since i said in the first post that it should be limited to 16-18psi, i would hope that people would take that into consideration. But you and i both know you cant fix stupid.

A/F should always be monitored when doing anything major to your car, and yes i think something like this is major. For those that dont have access to a vag cable should still know that they are in a safe range and shouldnt fear about causing harm to there engine.

You and your boy Karl act like its going to blow in the matter of mins. As i stated in my original thread, this is/was a temp solution until i replace my BT setup.

works for me

cool

So the consensus of all that is that 16-18 lbs boost would be safe, but anything much over that would be suicide. As far as air fuel ratios, is there a way to monitor this other than VAGCOM? I have a simple OBDII scanner and I suppose if the thing throws lean or rich CELs that will tell me.

get a wideband afr gauge. something like zietronix will be great.

with a chip, 18-22psi is fine. Anything above that and the turbo out of effeciency range

i'm shopping for a boost gauge and am most likely going to try this diode mod.

0-25psi gauge should be efficient i assume, as i have no plans for a BT

correct?

if you have no plans for bt then you wont need over 25. but make sure it will read into negative boost pressures os -25 to 25 is good

alright thats was my understanding. thanks jeff

do you recommend the air vent gauge? i just like the look of it . . but my car has the navy blue interior and im almost positive the gauge only comes in black

ehh . . feck it i guess

also . . cincy, what exactly shoud be expected as far as performance gains from this diode?

It will put you right up there with a chip. People who have dyno'e it (click) (http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3116627) have gotten the same results +/- 5-10hp with same mods.

I have a question about this modification. What is the reason for the diode install? Since this car is MAF the additional boost and increased air flow will result in the computer changing the injector pulse width to accomodate and add extra fuel, so why is the diode needed? These cars are new to me, but having built a number of nitrous/supercharged mustangs and other vehicles with MAF, I have never had to do this, including cars making well over 500 RWHP. Does the diode lower the voltage feed back to the ECU to keep the MAP voltage within factory range to prevent the computer from "Freaking out" due to the additional boost pressure and sending the computer into safe mode or something? I appreciate the info, thanks guys.

vent gauge is good. just put it where you can see it. mine is on my steering collum easy to see

ORIGINAL: jony51999

I have a question about this modification. What is the reason for the diode install? Since this car is MAF the additional boost and increased air flow will result in the computer changing the injector pulse width to accomodate and add extra fuel, so why is the diode needed? These cars are new to me, but having built a number of nitrous/supercharged mustangs and other vehicles with MAF, I have never had to do this, including cars making well over 500 RWHP. Does the diode lower the voltage feed back to the ECU to keep the MAP voltage within factory range to prevent the computer from "Freaking out" due to the additional boost pressure and sending the computer into safe mode or something? I appreciate the info, thanks guys.


you just answered your own question there buddy

So what effect does the diode have on the rest of the fuel curve if the voltage is lower than the ECU is programmed for? Seems like from 0-9 psi, the factory range, this would lean out the A/F ratio. Have you dyno'd this and recorded A/F ratios at all RPM/Boost ranges? I am not questioning your knowlege or that this works, it seems you have done it to enough cars to prove that it does, I am just wondering if some other tweaking would help increase this modification. I just found a link that showed the AFR and boost levels. Does anyone have a baseline run with the same recorded data? I'm not sure what the factory spec would look like, but considering 14.7 is ideal and many tuners err on the side of caution and run in the 15's on higher boost applications, the modified sheet looks like trouble in the making. You said that you don't know anyone that has ever had a problem after doing this? Is this sheet with a stock FPR? I wonder if that is the culprit? Have you ever pulled the head off a car that ran this for some time? Do you run a colder plug in these cars with the additional boost?

the increase in the maf g/s or airflow increases fuel and keeps the a/f in check. The ecu can add/subtract fuel within certain limits, thats why you are limited in boost unlike a chip.

running 15's for afr is lean. safe would be a lower number btw

You edited the post and added like 15 ?'s. You asked so many ?'s that all of your thoughts are now way to scattered.

Fuel is fine. For a turbo car you want ~12-12.5:1 a/f for the most power and lower for extra safty. Colder plug can be used when raising boost but lower the gap to .028 is deffinatly needed.

Those are about all i get in your random posted thoughts/questions

i run a steady 14.7 at idle and crusing and under boost 11.5-11.2aft

I found the link for the cyno sheets and a lot of questions came up. Sorry about the typo, I meant 13 for the A/F. Regarding the dyno run, is that with the stock FPR? I am wondering because I have seen this on Mustangs with cheap or stock regulators. The FPR will start to flutter under the higher boost pressure which will caused that erratic reading. Once a better aftermarket one is installed, this was fixed. How about the stock fuel pump and lines? What Hp are these good up to? What size are the feed lines?

The TT is a stock 3bar of fuel pressure with larger injectors and the a4 is a 4bar with smaller injectors. If you are talking about the dyno in the TT thread, he was using a 4bar instead of his stock 3bar which is a factory bosch replacement. Fuel pump is good until you get in the 300whp range and not sure what the stock fuel lines are, but they can handle 500whp range.

will this work on a 99 and where can i find the fpr

no

so what options other than chipping do 99's have, I have a spare ebc from another project and would like to make use of it.

you can turn the boost to 14psi, but anything over that would set you back into limp. You shouldnt have any spiking issues if your usinga ebc

so as I understand it at stock its 9 psi and I can turn it up to 14 psi, are there any supporting mods that need to go with it?

nope

Well im planning on doing this mod once i get a refund check back fro my school. BUT, as always i have a few questions first. It is my understnading that on my B6 i have a 4 bar AFR, with small injectors; meaning the computer can compensate (sp) for the added air and the needed fuel. Is this true???

Second, it is also my understanding that i dont want to run the N75 along with the MBC. I saw a write up where the MBC was directly replaced with the n75, is this a good way to do it, it looked simple enough?

Third, i know that i will need a boost guage and DV along with this mod, so wheres the cheapest place to find either? esp. the guage?

Lastly, i am a little confused as to what the max safe boost level is, i have heard under 14psi, and i have also heard anything under 20psi is fine, whats the real max?? If i had to guess i would say 14-16psi, this is where i plan to run it everyday to stay at a good lower level, or as close as i can.

barrett

Well im planning on doing this mod once i get a refund check back fro my school. BUT, as always i have a few questions first. It is my understnading that on my B6 i have a 4 bar AFR, with small injectors; meaning the computer can compensate (sp) for the added air and the needed fuel. Is this true???

All a4's have 4bars and smaller injectors and you FPR, not AFR. Yes the ecu will be able to compensate fuel

Second, it is also my understanding that i dont want to run the N75 along with the MBC. I saw a write up where the MBC was directly replaced with the n75, is this a good way to do it, it looked simple enough?

It can be run like that (i prefer it) but it depends on the mbc you choose

Third, i know that i will need a boost guage and DV along with this mod, so wheres the cheapest place to find either? esp. the guage?

You can just get a VDO gauge and 710n from ecstuning.com for about $100 shipped for both.

Lastly, i am a little confused as to what the max safe boost level is, i have heard under 14psi, and i have also heard anything under 20psi is fine, whats the real max?? If i had to guess i would say 14-16psi, this is where i plan to run it everyday to stay at a good lower level, or as close as i can.

without a chip or diode 14psi
diode 16-18psi
chip 20-22psi (can do more but diminshing returns)

That was an amazing responce, exaclty what i was looking for. If yuou dont mind me asking, what type of MBC can be used as a direct replacement with the n57? this is how i would like it set up.

barrett

I use a turboXS hpbc. it has both a bleed and ball&spring on it so i can have fast response (ball and spring) and smooth power delivery (bleed).

sounds like thats what im going for. are there any different brands of this type MBC that cost less? and before i buy, is a 710?N a solid DV to run? i need no problems with this.

barrett

The cheaper alternative (http://voodooboost.com/boost_controllers/Voodoo_IV-HP_MBC/)

A 710n is a good dv, but it still is a stock dv and has held good numbers and failed on far less. You will get mixed reviews about this. But it holds a 225's boost just fine and that is about what you will be making with a few more mods

thanks

Just didn't want to lose this thread. Plan on doing this during the week. Just installed my 710N, freakin' one clamp was so hard to get off...Been following this method through the TT section and the other forums. I just got my car recently, did all the belts and most maintanence. Had them throw on the snub mount during the install ( Feels a little more solid now). Just got done installing my Self Powered Sub and my DV in the same day. Now Im amped to keep working on the 'project'. I <3 my audi, just want it to grow some more balls.

Just wondering if I have to solder the diode on, I haven't seen the diode yet so maybe I'll get it then but...Can I just connect it some other less perminient way?

And was wondering if anyone in San Diego see's this post and has a vagcom if they could help me out while i do this so I can monitor my afr.

00' A4 1.8T Manual 75k mi.
Apr Snub Mount
710N DV
Inifinity Basslink ontop of crap Symphony II (Sounds sooo much better)

Soldering isnt perminate, just taking the iron back to the wire will remelt the lead and you can remove it...... takes 2 seconds. You can try wrapping it around the wire, but that worries me personally. Plus if you need to find the link, its in my sig, just click TT or A4 for what version you want to see

Great post!!

would it be more benificial to use a 4.7v instead of a 4.3? should i upgrade to a 5 bar fpr to reducethe leana/f ratios? or should i just use lemmiwinks to adjust the fuel? what about bigger injectors TT 225? larger maf?what about colder plugs?

the car will adjust the fuel for itself as long as you don't go to high in boost. no need to adjust fuel with lemmi however you will want to adjust your timing some

you can only use a 4.3v diode
you wont need to do any fueling changes for 18psi
If you have access to vag (real cable) you can watch the a/f and adjust accordinly if you wish
injectors and maf are overkill for a stock turbo
colder plugs arent a must, but can help, but youneed togap the plugs down to .028 when you do this

i have access to VAG sooo i should be good. should i adjust the stock plugs, or IF i get colder plugs, gap them?

Bondga, what are you using lemmiwinks for?

You MUST gap them to .028 regardless of heat range. He usues it to add fuel under boost with lemmi.

i use lemmi to adjust my ignition timming, Lambda regulation, Idle torque, rpms at idle, and tweak the fuel a little bit

and what is a good place to buy these parts??

diodes are easy to find on ebay andthen itdepends on the gauge you want and mbc.

what do u recomend??? i have a 2000 a4 1.8t im new at this as u can c.. i was in the honda/acura family so big difference.. and all the help i can get i thank u... also i need to change the gaskets from the engine to the manifull... where should i get this and is it easy to do???

I like chips... they control and monitor much more than just the boost.

I'd rather do it myself then pay someone to tune my car. you can control monitor and more with the diode mod(lemmi+vag/ecu explorer). it all depends on how willing you are to spend the time.

Youre probably not getting as much power from the diode mod as you do with a chip. You cant tweak fuel mapping with lemi, and thats one of the most important things in a tune. I know the ecu will adapt somewhat, andyou can enrich fuel under load/at idle and a couple other cool things to the stock fuel maps, but you arent getting as aggressive performance thata real ecu tune gives. But for a 20 cent diode and a little elbow grease, Im sure the gains are worthwhile when compared to the cost.

Great easy hp increase.. very interested in doing this (similar to how we fool the MAP sensor when turboing the 420a in the eclipse) however I was wondering if anyone has A/F numbers on an A4. Timing and fuel pressure would be awesome to see as well if anyone has that. I have read through the thread and the the link to the VWvortex site, and no one has posted comoforting numbers for timing, A/F and FP. The A/F readings for the guy in the VWvortex thread are a bit scary..

ORIGINAL: onepoint8tee

Youre probably not getting as much power from the diode mod as you do with a chip. You cant tweak fuel mapping with lemi, and thats one of the most important things in a tune. I know the ecu will adapt somewhat, andyou can enrich fuel under load/at idle and a couple other cool things to the stock fuel maps, but you arent getting as aggressive performance thata real ecu tune gives. But for a 20 cent diode and a little elbow grease, Im sure the gains are worthwhile when compared to the cost.


I agree.. i dont have as much power as a chip, not sure how much less, but if you're willing to spend some time on it you can get pretty close

I would have to beg the differ on the power. People have dyno'd very simular numbers and have run just as fast 1/4 times. Plus when you tune it more with lemmi, you can have a great tune. Just look up Dan (GT-ER) on vortex. He made more power with a stock k03 chip with a 57trim, gt28rs and g2871r than most with specific chips. Show the power of tuning the car with lemmi over a standerd tune

Yeah you had posted a dyno sheet about that, I forgot. But Ill need to see dyno sheets from more than one person, perhaps from someone on this site (bondga) to be an official non nay-sayer.

People have posted running mid to low 13's with just some weight reduction, diode and exhaust in gti's. While most people at full weight, chips and exhuast run low 14's high 13's. Seems pretty competitive to me. Im sure if he can get to the track and drive, he would be just as fast if not faster than people with the same mods and a chip.

i have a 97 1.8t got the a/f and boost gauges i have the same mbc as shown in the link and is instaled correctly but it shows no gain or loss when fully adjusted in or out... is this because its a stock turbo or what?

boost gauge reads 4-5 psi befor and after the mbc was installed and adjusted fully in and out

where do i start?

ORIGINAL: cincyTT


YOU NEED A MAP EQUIPED CAR - '00 +MODEL



Start Here^

lol im SLOW dont hurt me HAHAHA

i want one just that the money isnt on my side right now lol

Hi, i really hope this isn't a stupid question, but would a chip be easier on the engine since it will not only tune the boost but also the fuel and other aspects? Also, how much hp increase would 17psi give out? I am worried about the reliability issues that i have been hearing and i dont want to speed them up by running higher psi, so how bad is this for the engine. Im just used to my simple pre 96 setup where there is almost no computer influence and im getting a little overwhelmed and dont want to run into a bnuch of check engine problems. Also, will i still pass emmissions with this mod or a chip?
edit: Anyone know the mpg difference from running the stock 9 psi to 17 psi? (kind of a cheap question to ask...)

ORIGINAL: B5 owns

Hi, i really hope this isn't a stupid question, but would a chip be easier on the engine since it will not only tune the boost but also the fuel and other aspects? The ecu adapts the a/f with the readings from the maf and o2 sensor.

Also, how much hp increase would 17psi give out? 20-30hp

I am worried about the reliability issues that i have been hearing and i dont want to speed them up by running higher psi, so how bad is this for the engine. Its the same as a chip, there is no reliability issues

Im just used to my simple pre 96 setup where there is almost no computer influence and im getting a little overwhelmed and dont want to run into a bnuch of check engine problems. Also, will i still pass emmissions with this mod or a chip? Yes it will pass and no you wont get a cel

edit: Anyone know the mpg difference from running the stock 9 psi to 17 psi? (kind of a cheap question to ask...) You get better milage if driven the same, but thats hard to do

Thanks alot for the help man, I got two more questions though.
1. You are pumping more air into the engine with this mod, but since its not a chip, you dont add any fuel, so does the computer compensate for that or do you just run a higher air ratio over the fuel ratio?
2. With more air pumped in and increase in pressure in the cylinders, wouldnt that be harsher on the engine? (part of my reliability question)

Already answered the first question. No, your not damaging the engine, the engine is stout and can hold way more than what a ko3 can throw at it.

ORIGINAL: B5 owns

Thanks alot for the help man, I got two more questions though.
1. You are pumping more air into the engine with this mod, but since its not a chip, you dont add any fuel, so does the computer compensate for that or do you just run a higher air ratio over the fuel ratio? Yes, the computer compensates for the extra air. If you read the posts that has been said about 500 times now.
2. With more air pumped in and increase in pressure in the cylinders, wouldnt that be harsher on the engine? (part of my reliability question) In a way yes but the engines are designed well and it won't cause any problems. Just look at some of the other guys who are running BT setups with over 100K miles and they don't have any problems and they are pushing A LOT more air in than this would ever do.




Josh

Beat me to it. LOL

Josh

EDIT: 3000th POST!!!!

Hey cincy my boost gague and MBC are in the mail so expect some pms about tuning after new years.

barrett

Your right, sorry for asking the same question, just didnt think it through. Thanks alot for your help and the nice way to answer my questions.

If i want to run a MBC with this, is this a good one? Also, what type of MBC is this? is this a bleed/ ball&spring?
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/skater_4_fun/BoostControllerR.jpg

NO!!! Stay away from that one!!! I have had nothing but problems when I had it on mine. I eventually just took it off. There have been others who also have had problems as well.

Josh

What about either this turbonetics or the NXS:

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/skater_4_fun/1782731993_5a21e37658_o.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/skater_4_fun/nxsmbc.jpg

The turbonetics is a bleed and is fine, the cheap bottom one is a ball and spring is not a good choice.

Is the turbonetics MBC better than these two?
Hallman:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/skater_4_fun/ESnewlg.jpg
Or:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/skater_4_fun/e6fb_1.jpg

Also, would this be a good guage? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-52mm-Turbo-Boost-Meter-Universal-JDM-Smoke-LED-Gauge_W0QQitemZ230207813990QQcmdZViewItem?hash=ite m230207813990#ebayphotohosting
Where can I find this diode?

Hallman is ok, but still a B&S and will be to fast. The turboXS one shown is a bleed valve and work great. However i would suggest spending a little more and getting the hpbc that has both bleed and B&S on it.

THat gauge sucks, just get a VDO, Garrett, or Autometer gauge. They are all about $40-60 and will be far more accurate and last far longer.

You can find diodes on ebay for about $5 for a pack of 5-10, just search 4.3v diode

Can you name some brands of hpbc that has both bleed and B&S on it and where i can get one for the least cost? Also, would you choose the Turbonetics over the TurboXS MBC?
Also, where can I get a DO, Garrett, or Autometer gauge?

I run the TurboXS hpbc and love it and would take it over any mbc. The cheapest place i have seen is on ebay for like $110shipped.

VDO - ecstuning and 42dd
garrett- ebay and atpturbo
autometer - ebay, autozone, advance auto, summit etc

thanks alot man, but is the picture of the turboXS up there the one you are talking about or is it a crappier one?

its not mine. The hpbc has a brass fitting on the side where the b&s part goes. And i wouldnt call that one crappy, its still better than what 90% of the people run on the forums

Thanks alot for your help. Is it safe to get aused hpbc?

they cant really go bad so i dont see why not

Sorry, last two questions.
1. Ive seen something around the forums about a "catch can"? What is that and do i need one? I tried searching it and I got nothing except for the same post that i heard it at.
2. If i get the turboXS hpbc I can just bypass the n75? What are the benefits of running with it or bypassing it? I keep seeing different views on it, but nobody really explained the actual reasoning behind it.

1) search catch can in the TT for my thread about them
2)Yes you can bypass the n75 with a hpbc. Bypassing makes the install easy and allows the mbc to completly control boost insteal of having 2 boost controllers. The only time you should run both is if you have a ball&spring mbc and still use a ko3/4 turbo since they are tiny and that kind of mbc reacts far to fast by itself

Do I need a catch can for almost a stock a4 cept for the diode and hpbc?
Can you list some good but cheap ones and where I can get them?

btw, the two last pics in your thread dont work, just letting you know.http://www.audiforums.com/m_443365/tm.htm

Thanks alot for your patience and help

No you don't need a catch can, you can put one for kicks and giggles but you'll get along fine without one

you dont need one but the more pressure in the engine, the more oil that will end up in the intake. Its always a good idea to have one. Mine is basically a air compressor filter inline to the intake. You can get everything from home depot racing for about $30

$14 for the filter
$12 for the fittings (1/4" to 1/2")
$6-10 for hose

BTW, those pics were in my gallery and got deleted for space

Would an EBC work just the same, or do you recommend using a MBC?

EBC's are the best. Go with an Apexi AVCR they have the most features and you will be able to get the most outof a stock turbo.

I don't mean this to sound offensive, but if this mod is so cheap and just as effective/safe/reliable as a chip....why are people still paying $500 to get their ecu flashed? I'm assuming most just don't know about this or don't trust it?

not everyone can use it, trust it, or install it. A chip is still the best way to make power and reliably. This is just a cheap thing to do until you go that route or bigger

So I guess what your really saying is if I got the $500 to spend I should go the chip/flash route unless I plan on going BT in the future.

this has few more limitations than a chip. it will not make as much power as a chip because you cannot alter your redline. Also (though some say you don't have to) you need to increase the amount of fuel you inject and advance your timming for best results. The reason people still pay for a chip is the same reason people still pay people to change there oil.

the power dies past 5500rpms. Why would you need to increase the revs past 6800? Your making about 30-40hp less there than 5500rpms.

do a little research on the early chrysler omni/daytona/laser cars. this was one of the first things you would do to the 2.2 turbos. MBC and a zener diode would drop minimum of a second in the quarter.

Would the diode mod work on my 2000 A6 2.7t?

finally installed my podi and boost controller set at 11-13 psi spike and hold about 10psi. It runs a little stronger but i cannot wait to get this diode soldered in. Until then will i need to add fueling or timing?

barrett

cincytt how or what do i need to do to get rid of the blow through dv set-up cause honestly i hate it, not to mention it put unneeded stress on the turbo causing compressor surgeand makes them shit long before there due, and i say this cause i have actually put a k03s turbo on a honda and have over 180k on the snail with no issues at all, but hear about some of them dyingway to soon in life, so i guess what im getting at is can it be change with out a ton of money and not getting a cel or unliked drivability issues

Who the FU(k moved this here?!!?!?

ORIGINAL: zippy_gg

Would the diode mod work on my 2000 A6 2.7t?


No

ORIGINAL: texasboy21

finally installed my podi and boost controller set at 11-13 psi spike and hold about 10psi. It runs a little stronger but i cannot wait to get this diode soldered in. Until then will i need to add fueling or timing?

barrett



You will be fine with no adjustment up to 18psi. After that you should check vag logs and add fuel if needed

ORIGINAL: M and N

cincytt how or what do i need to do to get rid of the blow through dv set-up cause honestly i hate it, not to mention it put unneeded stress on the turbo causing compressor surgeand makes them shit long before there due, and i say this cause i have actually put a k03s turbo on a honda and have over 180k on the snail with no issues at all, but hear about some of them dyingway to soon in life, so i guess what im getting at is can it be change with out a ton of money and not getting a cel or unliked drivability issues


The turbos die becuase of not letting them cool, over boost them, or some other strange mishap like wastegate nut comes loose or something gets sucked into the intake. They are great turbos and will easily last over 100k miles if taken car of. The dv system has nothing to do with it, they flow enough as is

ORIGINAL: cincyTT

ORIGINAL: M and N

cincytt how or what do i need to do to get rid of the blow through dv set-up cause honestly i hate it, not to mention it put unneeded stress on the turbo causing compressor surgeand makes them shit long before there due, and i say this cause i have actually put a k03s turbo on a honda and have over 180k on the snail with no issues at all, but hear about some of them dyingway to soon in life, so i guess what im getting at is can it be change with out a ton of money and not getting a cel or unliked drivability issues


The turbos die becuase of not letting them cool, over boost them, or some other strange mishap like wastegate nut comes loose or something gets sucked into the intake. They are great turbos and will easily last over 100k miles if taken car of. The dv system has nothing to do with it, they flow enough as is

that did not anwser the question, i know they last longer then 100k but what i want to know is the way to eliminate the blow through dv set-up

I seriously have no idea what you are talking about. either be clearer or i can not help you. The stock system/design works fine for the stock turbo.

ORIGINAL: cincyTT

Who the FU(k moved this here?!!?!?

ORIGINAL: zippy_gg

Would the diode mod work on my 2000 A6 2.7t?


No
Thanks Cincy! I just got my APR chip so I guess I will get the extra boost that way! ;)

what was not clear, i asked is there a way to eliminate the blowthrough dv system. and if i just vented it to the atmoshere what would happen in doing so

See, that was way more clear. There is a language problem here. Yes, you can vent instead of recirculate. You just need to use a foge004 or HKS ssqv

what about adjusting the fuel and air mixture? Does this mod take into considerations everything that goes into an internal combustion engine or does it just boost pressure? How does this mod get the fuel injectors to spit out more? I'd love to try this, but if all it does is boost pressure, I'll have to past..

Newbie question... is is cool to just install the diode, and will you still see performance improvements?

Thanks, Sebas

Just installing a diode wont do anything for you.

ORIGINAL: dubgli

what about adjusting the fuel and air mixture? Does this mod take into considerations everything that goes into an internal combustion engine or does it just boost pressure? How does this mod get the fuel injectors to spit out more? I'd love to try this, but if all it does is boost pressure, I'll have to past..


The increase in flow from the maf and the o2 will allow the ecu to control the a/f to a point. This is why we limit it to 17psi on stock fueling and no other changes. I have taken it a step further with a stroked 1.8 to 2.0 and you can see my results in my sig. This is with a perfect 12:1 a/f from peak boost on.

17 psi limit? That's a shitload.

Its really not. most people with chips run in the 20-22psi range.

so ive done the diode mod and i couldnt be happier. i do however have some questions. right now im set at about 15-16 psi, and around 3-4K rpms theres a little shutter and the powers not strong. above 4k it feels nice whats going on?? i have 4 new coilpacks and plugs (ngk bk7es i believe). do i need to add fueling or timing??

barrett

you should hopefully of gapped the plugs down to .028.

yes i did gap them down. it seems to be getting better. i suppose it just adjusting

barrett

If you still have problems, you can also look into bypassing the n115 and n249 underneith the intake manifold. This will make it so they cant open the dv to release pressure and then move the boost source to their vac line. This will give you a smoother transition into boost.

i keep getting a code when i get into it. i dont remember exactly what is it but it says check dv! but i think it operating fine...whatd do yall think??

barrett

You could have a small boost leak between the turbo and manifold, it doesnt have to be from the dv.

these are the codes that i recieve about everyday...

2 Faults Found:
17705 - Pressure Drop between Turbo and Throttle Valve (check D.V.!)
P1297 - 002 - Lower Limit Exceeded
16683 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P0299 - 002 - Please Register/Activate

barrett

The Pictures will not work for me? There are pictures in this write up right? I thought i read somewhere that there was. Where can i get the Diode's?

Thanks

-Brian

you ca get diodes anywhere, try radio shack or ebay. get the zener ones 4.3. in relation to my code p1297 what should i check for? the dv functions well when the code is not thrown, and i see no leaks or tears..

barrett

The Pictures will not work for me? There are pictures in this write up right? I thought i read somewhere that there was. Where can i get the Diode's?

Thanks

-Brian

There was pics. However they were uploaded to this website and when they swtiched formats all the pics were lost. I dont have them on my computer and the car i did it on is 750mi away. The write up is self explainitory and if you need help, i or anyone else that have dont the install can help you out.

you ca get diodes anywhere, try radio shack or ebay. get the zener ones 4.3. in relation to my code p1297 what should i check for? the dv functions well when the code is not thrown, and i see no leaks or tears..

barrett

If you dont have a leak at the dv, you need to check the rest of the charge piping and if still no leak, it could be coming from the n249 since it can open the dv and may cause this problem

hey i would like to do this to my girlfriends 03 1.8t. everything looks easy except the bar area. im guessing the stock regulator is a 1 bar. the car is completely stock. whats the highest psi i could go on her car as of now with a diode and mbc?

hey i would like to do this to my girlfriends 03 1.8t. everything looks easy except the bar area. im guessing the stock regulator is a 1 bar. the car is completely stock. whats the highest psi i could go on her car as of now with a diode and mbc?

16-18 psi before you need to add fueling.

I too have a question. I removed the n249 and am still receiving these codes:

16683 - Boost Pressure Regulation: Control Range Not Reached
P0299 - 002 - Lower Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
17705 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P1297 - 002 - Please Register/Activate

what should i do next??

barrett

I would add fuell with any increase in boost. as well as you should regap your spark plugs. You should also advance your timing just a bit, you don't nesecarily need to but with the added boost your car can handle a degree or two advance no problem