Am thinking of getting one to go in my MY99UK. Am running a full decat and a VTA d.v. at the moment and am looking for an adjustable boost controller. I have looked at the dawes, and while I appreciate it is good value, I prefer the flexibility of a system you can adjust whilst driving. I am also going to be fitting a SECS unit, so are they both compatible or would they provide similar information?

So, basically, all I want to know is how good are they, and do I need to get one professionally installed or are they simple enough to wire up yourself?

Plus, if anyone has any pictures of one which has been installed in an MY99, that would be a good indicator.

Thanks for the use of the extensive knowledge that you guys have at your disposal!!!

 

I run an Apex-AVC-R but I am not sure what you are trying to achieve by fitting one?
Mine is used as a means of controlling boost (has been set variously at 2,2-1.8 bar)
Do you have a boost control issue or do you have another reason for fitting?

 

P.S. Mounted on top of the centre instrument pod which carries three guages (twin SPA. oil pres/temp Boost/induction temp Amb/fuel press.

 

Basically is just for boost control. But I have been told that it can do maps of boost levels to tell you if you have a smooth curve or if you are getting spikes, which is a feature I would find useful. Basically I am a sucker for toys, and am trying to establish if this would be a worthwile one!!

 

Harvey, IIRC you use a LINK ECU ..... have u been able to tune the AVC-R unit for each gear ????? and how does it control higher boost levels ( > 1.5 bar )

Carlos H.

 

Twigster: If you only want a toy then a £400 AVC=R looks very prety but you could spend the money on some performance enhancements.

 

The idea is not just for a toy, I want a more flexible system to map the boost so I am getting the optimum boost in each gear. I also want to be able to easily adjust the boost whilst I am driving.

The fact that it is a 'pretty' toy is just a bonus.

I have also been quoted £350 for one, inc VAT and delivery by funkyproducts (www.funkyproduct.co.uk), which I think is an excellent price to be honest!

All I want to know is are they worth the money, and for someone who is not that technically aware like me, are they fairly easy to set up, or do they require a lot of messing around? That's it!!
Cheers Fellas.

 

Easy to set-up.

Will bring boost in earlier. You can vary boost with gear.

Will control boost more accurately than OE system.

 

Very happy with mine. Think it is a real good product.

 

Thanks guys.
Ok then, next question is this: On a MY99, with a full de-cat and standard induction, what would be the best set-up for boost through the gears? Also, since my terminology is bad, what is the duty cycle? and what would be the best way to adjust it from standard? Thanks again for all the advice!!

 

I would run 1.2/1.3 bar till 4500/5000rpm and then tail off to 1 bar at 7000rpm......

You need to set the duty cycle on the AVC-R fairly close to the `correct` level to get the unit to begin to self-learn.........

Once it`s learnt a duty cycle you can vary the start duty depending on gear, hence allowing target boost to be achieved in 2nd / 3rd............

 

Thanks mate, but a little technical for me!! First, I don't have a clear understanding of what the duty cycle is, and second what is meant by the unit "self-learning"??

 

Hmmm... I have been considering one of these AVC-R thingies too - Research tells me it seems like a good buy and a far better boost controller than the standard set up although I also have doubts whether I have the savvy to set one up myself or not. The other pressing question is how can it interface with a knock or ARF controller so that they all work in unison (knock detected, boost pulled etc etc).

 

bact up it goes and i am none the wiser!!

 

AVCR is an Electronic boost Controller , that allows you to monitor and adjust boost in quite an advanced way.

SECS is a display unit that simply reports on various data from the car, for example water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, road speed, engine speed, injector duty , error codes and boost

They are completely different products.
I have a SECS 1003 simply to monitor data and an AVCR to map my boost for each gear.
An AVCR should be set up alongside a remap of the other parametres effected.

 

Have you found the AVCR good or poor overall ?
I guess if you have say a SECS, AVCR and a AFR / Unichip - you
can tune all the parameters you need to.

 

AVCR is a tremendous piece of kit
Dont have it fitted to the scoob yet......will be installed in the next few weeks but have had it fitted on previous cars

 

ok, any of you guys is using one of this units with a LINK ECU, and if so, how does the AVC-R know what gear is being used ?

Carlos H.

 

That's great guys, but I am no closer to understanding what the 'duty cycle' is, or why the unit has a 'self-learn' phase!!
Help!! lol

 

AVC-R has a vehicle speed and rpm input.

You drive the car look at the vs/rpm ratio and input this into the unit. Hence it will know what gear it is in.

It is independant of ECU control.

 

You set a target boost level.

The boost level is controlled by pulsing open the wastegate, allowing some of the exhaust gas to by-pass the turbine.

The duty cycle is the ratio (time) the wastegate solenoid is open to closed. So running upto target boost the duty cycle starts high (most exhaust gas directed over turbine) and then reduces to allow more gas to by-pass the turbine to stop ever increasing boost with rpm.

So on the AVC-R you set a target boost. Then you `guess` an appropriate duty-cycle setting and enter this into the AVC-R as well. Assuming you `guess` is reasonably close to the right level the AVC-R will now continually `tune` the duty-cycle to give the required boost. If your `guessed` duty cycle is too far away from the correct setting the AVC-R can`t hone-in on it.

So set a boost level, guess a duty-cycle, drive the car. Is the boost level approx correct?

If yes then do 5* wide-open throttle runs in 4th, AVC-R starts to self-learn (continually optimized boost responce).

If no adjust the duty cycle either up or down (depending on the boost you achieved) and try again.

The AVC-R will attempt to optimize the boost every time you use full throttle, so changing temp / pressure will not phase it!

Finally you can fine tune the start duty cycle in the lower gears to achieve the same peak boost in 2nd & 3rd gear.

 

Bloody marvellous.
Thanks very much, will know what I am doing if I choose to invest in one now. Just waiting for a price from my mate.

 

Share that price when you get it - I may want one too... Only problem I see is guessing the duty cycle...

 

70% is a good start point. If you get over the required boost decrease duty cycle etc.