currymonster

This is a possible future upgrade i have in mind. Am doing the brakes next week then maybe ekutek and clutch to take the extra oomph in the future. I have uk my 2000 classic turbo.

Was just wondering have people had reliablity from their power engineering and similar ecutek conversions as the boost and power increase is significant.

Cheers Cal

Hoppy

EcuTek have a very good reputation and, I believe, even Prodrive use their software.

But it depends on who is doing the mapping, how well it matches your mods and how you ask it to be set up.

John Banks has done a Tek3 on my UK00. He's optimised it for my turbo, intercooler and exhaust, and built in a safety margin in case I get carried away on a track day

Highly recommended

Also highly recommended is a boost gauge and a KnockLink, so you can kep a eye on things in case you get unfortunate with a bad batch of fuel, unusual weather, hard driving etc.

Having said that, my Knocklink never even squeaks, despite some severe provocation

Get it done.

Richard.

currymonster

Have you got uprated engine internasl? O would a tek taking mine to say 250 ish horse and 250 foot pounds be ok?

john banks

250/250 is a safe. A few years back 300 was considered the limit for UK internals, now 350 is commonplace and apparently reliable although you chance trashing your gearbox at 300 +.

A decatted 99/00 with a map should be in the 240-280 range depending on rollers.

currymonster

Cheers mr banks. I do get a little prb with teh fabled my 200 hesitation so im assuming the ecutek would cure that too. Ok so hopefull just the clutch and the buying cost to worry about. I noticed on the pwer engineering website that they mapped a 98 car foe a guy to run on 95 ron fuel - cheap petrol tastic!

Hoppy

CM, my car is a UK00 and has been running 300/300-ish for the last year and 20k miles, including a few track days. Standard clutch and gearbox are just fine

Richard.

john banks

It is an unfortunate feature of the closed loop lambda control for emissions on the standard ECU that during warm up things go slightly lean which gives a stumble at 2000-3000 RPM on part throttle. This is the only hesitation any 99/00 should have, although the 00 models are less perky than the 99s because of ECU map differences, but these can be resolved.

However, turbo cars love octane, more so not less when modified. If you want to use cheap petrol you will forsake considerable power improvements that are available to you. I have mapped cars for 95RON but it is a truly horrible experience and the loss of performance is not worth the saving IMHO.

Kingsize K2

I agree I am based down south and Bob worked his magic on my STiV last weekend. I had a Boost Gauge and KL fitted as well. The car is much smoother, more responsive and more powerful.

Highly recommended from over here I am very cautious about who I let near my car these days and Bob Rawle certianly knows his stuff. He is based in Swindon so I'm sure he could help you out??

currymonster

Ok thanks. It's just as a former Sunny ( not pulsar!) GTIR owner I learnt from many GTIROC Pppes that you couldnt cross the 1 bar boost threshold without piston meltdown. And a few cars went this way with bleed valves etc fitted. I had mine upped to 258 horses which was fun but the clutch started slipping two days later. So on my scoob I'm wary of getting a good power gain/increased stress on engine payoff sorted.
Out of interest is there a published max boost that a standard uk engine internals should be able to take and what boost does ur average ecutek take your boost from and to?

Thanks for your patience on this, it's just im wary of blowing my engine, but know how excellent the car would be with an extra 30- 40 horses.

Cheers Cal

ScoobySnack

Had a Ecutek(Tek2)and Scoobysport catless system on my previous car and it went very well for 5k miles. I then had the Tek3 done to up things slighty. Did another 16k miles with this setup without a problem.. Car was running 270BHP & 265lb/ft Torque..

Now have another Scooby and yet again it has the Ecutek Tek'd ecu on it....running similar power/torque.

If its done right it is a great way of releasing power and a big grin factor. Problems only come as people explore with very high power/torque and the components life shortens and then exspires.

My personal opinion is a standard UK MY99/00 can safely do 280BHP without a compromise if it is setup and monitored correctly.

J

john banks

The maximum warrantied boost on a UK engine is on the PPP. This runs a target of 15.7 PSI, and a lot of installations will peak to over 17 PSI.

I presently peak and hold 10 PSI more than these figures but that doesn't mean at all that it is safe, and I have almost all the bolt ons you can get. There is little value in going much over 17-18 PSI on the standard turbo - it just makes it unsafe and not a lot quicker.

Hoppy

Boost isn't really the issue, although it's obviously part of it and why a gauge will let you keep an eye it so you can prevent potential damage.

The engine-killer and piston-melter is detonation (knock) which is why the KnockLink is so important.

Also, carry a bottle of octane booster in case you have to fill up with normal unleaded (95RON). Either Millers or NF will take it up to 97.

The other common reliability problem is oil. Only use good 15/50-ish fully synth, never floor it when cold, and pre-fill the oil filter before fitting.

Cheers,

Richard.

currymonster

Cheers chaps any more with ecutek experience?

Cal

WREXY

John Banks came over to me in September last year to do a Tek 3 for my modded MY00 turbo. I have a VF23 turbo, 5 Zigen mid and backbox exhaust, APS cold air induction, uprated fuel pump from Mark@ Lateral performance, Blitz BOV, Knocklink and Delta Dash Diagnostic software. Car got 248.7bhp at the wheels with the smoothing set on heavy, on Delta dyno. This equates to roughly 310/320hp flywheel, going off a few formulas that have been suggested on here for working out wheel hp to flywheel hp.

The car runs like a dream and runs as safe as. No problems whatsoever. I'd use Ecutek and John Banks again if I were to upgrade to a new scoob or do more mods. Highly recommend it!

Cheers,

Wrexy.

[Edited by WREXY - 5/5/2003 11:16:51 PM]

Pavlo

Funny you should mention that, I did some mapping of an Apexi S-AFC (using wideband lambda sensor) no a GTI-R and to my horror, it was running about 13.5:1 AFR at 1 bar as standard (ie no ECU changes). I managed to add enough fuel to get this to about 12.3:1 which made a huge difference to the feel of the car.

The point I'm making though, is it's no surprise to me that GTI-Rs melt pistons on even just abar of boost, they must be detting like crazy.

For anyone that's interested (ie GTI-R owners), I added (according to S-AFC) 40% fuel in the 4500rpm region on full boost, tapering to about 25% at 7000rpm with no added fuel below 4000rpm. Low throttle setting I actually removed some fuel low down, about 5% IIRC.

Paul

babber

Had my car mapped with the famous John Banks Tek 2.5 (postal map) and logged with delta dash last year. I've done nearly 15 k miles since and no issues.

Had a AFM to check fuelling on WOT (fitted before the upgrade) and only just fitted the knocklink. Always see rich mixture on WOT, with no knock what so ever!!!

Don't get the car mapped to run on 95 RON!! Get the best out the car and go for a John Banks remap I removed the PPP ecu and fitted the Tek 2.5 and the results were fantastic. Much more power and torque than the PPP ecu. Another plus seems to be better fuel economy

Do yourself a favour and get a Tek mate, you honestly won't regret it

Phill

Matt Churchill

Have had a Tek3 map doen by Bob Rawle for some 6 momths now, without a problem, and before that a Tek2 for 10 months or so, again without any problems - apart from the constant grin on my face that is

clubby

I had my STI7 with full decat remapped through Ecutek by Power Station at Cheltenham a few weeks ago. Car previously had Unichip piggyback and Dawes Device restricting boost. The car picks up much better at low revs now, and feels a bit quicker. I would recommend it.

I would have got it done by JB, who is a star, but I was going down Cheltenham way anyway.

I also got the uprated fuel pump and HKS Knocking Monitor.

Edited because I was at Power Station not PE.

[Edited by clubby - 5/7/2003 7:51:35 AM]