VF23-turbo; what experience & what about reliability?
06 December 2000, 11:30 PM
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Hi all,
I’m thinking about a IHI VF23 on my scoob, together with some changes in the ECU, guess with Unichip.
The car is a UK-standard my99 with 60.000 miles on the “clock”; 35.000 miles with a (dutch) EMS-chip and open exhaust (in november PS-powerrun results: 259 bhp, 248 lb/ft). The car did many “haevy” miles on german Autobahn, and this year 5 times Nürburgring; till now no problems at all.
How many of you guys did this VF23 modification (I read Sam’s contibutions), and what’s the experience till now?
And most import, what about reliability? Do you think the engine (and clutch, gearbox, etc) can handle this extra turbo-power for some time? I hope to do some more 50-60.000 miles with this car/engine…
Something more to say than "question of luck"???
Geert
I’m thinking about a IHI VF23 on my scoob, together with some changes in the ECU, guess with Unichip.
The car is a UK-standard my99 with 60.000 miles on the “clock”; 35.000 miles with a (dutch) EMS-chip and open exhaust (in november PS-powerrun results: 259 bhp, 248 lb/ft). The car did many “haevy” miles on german Autobahn, and this year 5 times Nürburgring; till now no problems at all.
How many of you guys did this VF23 modification (I read Sam’s contibutions), and what’s the experience till now?
And most import, what about reliability? Do you think the engine (and clutch, gearbox, etc) can handle this extra turbo-power for some time? I hope to do some more 50-60.000 miles with this car/engine…
Something more to say than "question of luck"???
Geert
07 December 2000, 08:54 AM
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A lot depends on how close to the limit you have the car mapped.
Engine should be fine if you dont abuse it continually and are religious about oil/filter changes every 3 months or so.
I dont think the standard clutch is up to the job. Perhaps AP or Helix will be better suited.
I also would think you would be better off with a properly mapped Link than a properly mapped Unichip.
Sunil
[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 07 December 2000).]
Engine should be fine if you dont abuse it continually and are religious about oil/filter changes every 3 months or so.
I dont think the standard clutch is up to the job. Perhaps AP or Helix will be better suited.
I also would think you would be better off with a properly mapped Link than a properly mapped Unichip.
Sunil
[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 07 December 2000).]
07 December 2000, 09:18 AM
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Geert,
It sounds like your EMS "chip" is doing a good job. Your figures at PS are VERY good for a EURO spec car.
The VF23 would be a little more laggy, but mapped correctly, certainly increase your mid/top end power.
Mark.
It sounds like your EMS "chip" is doing a good job. Your figures at PS are VERY good for a EURO spec car.
The VF23 would be a little more laggy, but mapped correctly, certainly increase your mid/top end power.
Mark.
07 December 2000, 06:20 PM
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Psych, I'll mail you when I have some more time...
Sunil, question (and not meant as a "challenging" one) : why would you prefer the Link over the Unichip ? (forgetting for a minute that we don't have an inflatable Bob Rawle on the continent
).
Genuinly interested.
As to why our Euro spec cars (with EMS chip) performed so well at Powerstation (my first run was 265 BHP / 252 lb/ft), I haven't got a clue actually. Dirk did say the cars were severely overfuelling (which costs power I believe). Could it have been the 98 RON ?
Theo
Sunil, question (and not meant as a "challenging" one) : why would you prefer the Link over the Unichip ? (forgetting for a minute that we don't have an inflatable Bob Rawle on the continent
). Genuinly interested.
As to why our Euro spec cars (with EMS chip) performed so well at Powerstation (my first run was 265 BHP / 252 lb/ft), I haven't got a clue actually. Dirk did say the cars were severely overfuelling (which costs power I believe). Could it have been the 98 RON ?
Theo
07 December 2000, 09:07 PM
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hi Geert
VF23 is the best mod i have done to the car. after the link. i got 2 major performance steps with my car one with the link and the other one was with the VF23 which took the car performance to an another level. i have got he original turbo ( TD04L) in the garage and believe me if my VF23 blows up as every mechanical part is liable to failure i will not ever go back to the standard turbo!!
however, it all depends on how much boost are you wanting to run ? i am running 18psi for now and this where the vf23 feels a lot happier than my original turbo which was struggling at this level. so i you are running less than 17psi what is the point ?.
i have an AP clutch as my clutch really was not made to handle that much power maybe but i was never happy with my clutch anyway. my gear box would have gone regardless of what turbo i had. there is a lot of boxes that went bust on car that heve never even been on track !!!!
your car has already done 60k miles so watch out regardless of the turbo you have. i personally do not intend to keep the car that long unless of course i change the internals at some point and run a hybrid turbo
.
why do you want a UNI CHIP what is wrong with what you have ? you can't upgrade a chip with another chip
sam
[This message has been edited by Sam Elassar (edited 07 December 2000).]
VF23 is the best mod i have done to the car. after the link. i got 2 major performance steps with my car one with the link and the other one was with the VF23 which took the car performance to an another level. i have got he original turbo ( TD04L) in the garage and believe me if my VF23 blows up as every mechanical part is liable to failure i will not ever go back to the standard turbo!!
however, it all depends on how much boost are you wanting to run ? i am running 18psi for now and this where the vf23 feels a lot happier than my original turbo which was struggling at this level. so i you are running less than 17psi what is the point ?.
i have an AP clutch as my clutch really was not made to handle that much power maybe but i was never happy with my clutch anyway. my gear box would have gone regardless of what turbo i had. there is a lot of boxes that went bust on car that heve never even been on track !!!!
your car has already done 60k miles so watch out regardless of the turbo you have. i personally do not intend to keep the car that long unless of course i change the internals at some point and run a hybrid turbo
. why do you want a UNI CHIP what is wrong with what you have ? you can't upgrade a chip with another chip
sam
[This message has been edited by Sam Elassar (edited 07 December 2000).]
08 December 2000, 09:21 AM
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As ive said elsewhere and Mark and Sam have said above, your EMS chip is working fine so why try and fix it!
The reason i would prefer Link over Unichip is that Link is a complete replacement ECU whereas the Unichip simply "piggybacks" the std JECS ecu. I'll let someone else far more technical elaborate on the consequences of this.
I think PS rollers show all cars to run very rich, but if you go and lean it off as a result you might find yourself in a spot of bother!...leave the fuelling alone!
Sunil
[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 08 December 2000).]
The reason i would prefer Link over Unichip is that Link is a complete replacement ECU whereas the Unichip simply "piggybacks" the std JECS ecu. I'll let someone else far more technical elaborate on the consequences of this.
I think PS rollers show all cars to run very rich, but if you go and lean it off as a result you might find yourself in a spot of bother!...leave the fuelling alone!
Sunil
[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 08 December 2000).]
09 December 2000, 02:19 AM
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The Vf23 is the business!!!
It's one of our favourite Mods here at Mac's Power Motorsport in Ireland. Agreed about the extra turbo lag but it pulls all the way to the redline. Amazing piece of kit. As many of you know our demo car is very heavily modded but I think that the VF23 is the one that made most of the difference. Coupled with a twin dump downpipe it is much better than with he single downpipe.
Recommended.
You need to be careful about the boost initially.When fitted the Turbo boosted to 1.5 bar immediately and I had to reduce boost to get it to an acceptable level. I now run 1.2 bar but was running 1.35 bar for a while with no problems.
The standard clutch is only good for 270 bhp so I don't expect it to last.
Paul.
It's one of our favourite Mods here at Mac's Power Motorsport in Ireland. Agreed about the extra turbo lag but it pulls all the way to the redline. Amazing piece of kit. As many of you know our demo car is very heavily modded but I think that the VF23 is the one that made most of the difference. Coupled with a twin dump downpipe it is much better than with he single downpipe.
Recommended.
You need to be careful about the boost initially.When fitted the Turbo boosted to 1.5 bar immediately and I had to reduce boost to get it to an acceptable level. I now run 1.2 bar but was running 1.35 bar for a while with no problems.
The standard clutch is only good for 270 bhp so I don't expect it to last.
Paul.
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