shiftyoldscoob

Being new to scooby ownership i need some help please people!

Bought my m8's L plate 2000 turbo import...or so i thought, i have since been told 2000 turbo's were not imported, only wrx's and sti's..so apparently it's an early wrx.

The spec of the car is as follows :

Recon ej20 engine,
TD05 turbo
uprated fuel pump
full ss 3" system with 3" bellmouth decat
W6 ecu
forge dump valve

I fitted the fuel pump + exhaust but the rest of the car is how i bought it.

I'm not sure of power as I haven't had it dyno'd but the guy a the shop said with the mods it should make 260/270???

It feels f*$kin fast but i'd like to go for 300/320bhp

I have been told i cannot chip my ecu so would need to either change it or fit a boost controller...basically i need advice on which is best/most cost effective way of reaching my power goal and if it is even achievable!???

I hadnt intended keeping this car very long as i love my classic fords and crave a cossie BUT this came along cheap and i havent looked back, i love the car and intend keeping it for a good while so any advice from people in the know would be much appreciated!

cheers

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Your car is an early import with that ecu
Whoever said you can't chip it is talking bollocks.
imo your best bet is to go for Enduring Solutions Limited daughterboard (has a list of dealers on the site).
It's more expensive than a boost controller but a lot safety imo.

www.jollygreenmonster.co.uk shows you the various ecus that are popular at them moment but is by no means the only mapper that could help you.

dj219957

if the car has a rear wiper its an import. if not its a uk car.
the ecu cabe be chipped, if its a uk or wrx.
you can go for a polar performace chip with those modes and see a safe 280/290 bhp.
with the w6 cu and those mods at the moment i wouldnt expect more than 260.
the w6 ecu is the same as mine and runs 240ps standard (thats a import ecu by the way so chances are you have a import car).
i wouldnt touch a boost controller with a bardge pole. very dangerous if not setup/used properly. the polar chips are very safe tried and tested for years.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Easy way of determining a UK or WRX:-

If an L reg UK Turbo 2000 AWD, then the 'Applied Model' code on the VIN plate (on passenger front suspension turret) should read 'GC8A4KD' or 'GC8B4KD' (presumably K is for UK?).

If a L reg JDM WRX import, then it 's 'GC8A48D' or GC8B48D', where the bold 8 = WRX.

Or if a L reg WRX Type RA: 'GC8A47D' or 'GC8B47D'... 7 = WRX Type RA

shiftyoldscoob

Thanks for all the help people, this is gold dust to me as although i'm quite good with cars i'v naaaay experience with impreza's.....

I'm going to look into 1 of these ESL daughterboards or the polar performance chips for definate...any ideas on which is best??? or are they both as good as each other???

Also would it be worth uprating the standard inercooler to an sti item while i'm at it?

shiftyoldscoob

Sorry one more question!

I'v been offered a z4 ecu...would it be worth installing this along with a chip or should I stick with plan A???

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

z4 ecu is from a late 94-96 ecu i have one in my 93wrx and it's a lot better than the early ones but imo i would go for the daughterboard in case you do anymore mods such as bigger injectors,turbo,fmic etc etc

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

The Polar Performance chip is a standalone non-mappable chip that fit's into ANY MY93-96 v.1/2 ECU (doesn't have to be a Z4 i.e. it'll fit into your existing W6 ECU). It's been designed around a MY93-96 saloon with a TD05H 16g turbo and 380cc grey injectors. The max boost is 1.1bar and, if a decat downpipe/free-flowing system is present, should net you upto about 280bhp.

The Z4 is a 256bhp rated, 0.9bar (or 1.0bar?) boost, OEM ECU from a v.2 WRX/WRX Type RA... obviously non-mappable too.

If you've got the cash, the best option by far is the ESL Live daughterboard that also fits into your W6 WCU's casing. It 'behaves' in the same way as the std ECU or PP chip i.e. uses all the OEM engine's/ECU's I/O sensors... EXCEPT that it's totally mappable! So as your mods grow over time, then you are able to remap for them, thus optimising drivabilty, power, torque... and, importantly, engine safety!

shiftyoldscoob

Thanks everyone for all the help!

I have been onto a couple of people abouth the ESL and it seems like a very good option!

I have also been offered an apexi fc power commander...does anyone know if this is a better option than the ESL or are they both as good?

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Very similar, but...

PFC - has Commander to monitor various vital engine functions and acts as a great diagnostic tool for failed sensors, etc. But doesn't have any knock control, so has to be mapped totally responsibly! It just allows the CEL to flash rapidly if at the mapped-in knock threshold. But you can also monitor the knock activity by the Commander in both numerical and graph forms. Plus, it has a 'peak hold' fuction, so you can see how high the knock level got for any particular journey... or, indeed, portion of a journey (as it can be reset on the fly)...

ESL - has no Commander-style monitor... BUT... behaves just like the extremely capable Subaru OEM ECU, employing all the OEM I/O sensors, etc. This means it retains the OEM knock control IAM feature. This is a coarse & fine genuine ign. adv./ret. feature, so would give a great deal of peace of mind re. potential det scenarios, as it will actively pull the timing... up to a point!

shiftyoldscoob

Cheers joz! you're a bit of a legend with your info here!

Based on what you're saying I think i'm going to go with the ESL as I doubt i'd ever use the monitor on the PFC so it would be wasted on me! AND I like the idea of how the ESL works as i've blew a couple of cars up now and its never a good thing!

Well, looks like i better make that phonecall!

Cheers

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

STOP PRESS!!! lol

I forgot to mention, I'm certain that ESL have brought out a MAFless! version of the MY93-96 ESL board. When you ring them up, definitely ask them if it IS available and, if so, buy THAT version of it! Running with the MAF disconnected (or junked altogether - much better, as it means you can go mental on a decent large CAIK! lol), is very much a good thing and is a further potential safeguard to the engine...

If you don't know what I'm going on about, then just ask and I'll explain why and show you the item in a pic, etc...

But, yes, I agree - I'd go with ESL out of the two.

shiftyoldscoob

This is intreuging!...I didnt realise you could run a car without the MAF???

How come it's a safeguard?..I'm not questioning what you're saying I just want to get a better understanding

These ESL things sound the buisiness like, and they seem to be quite alot cheaper than other mods

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

It's a heated wire mesh that spans the bore of the MAF's venturi. As the air passes through, it cools the the wire, and this is electronically converted into a voltage output signal. The voltage is read by the ECU, so that it knows how much fuel to meter to the engine via the injectors. So, a high load at max revs requires a lot of air - therefore maximum cooling of the wire - which happens to equate to 5.1V. When you're off the throttle and at low revs, then the wire is near max hotness, and this equates to only 1.0V. So it follows that high voltage = lots of fuel in / low voltage = not much fuel required.

Now, if the MAF fails, then unfortuantely they can output a low voltage... but at high loads/rpm! So the ECU thinks the engine is only needing low fuel requirements, (when in fact it actually needs lots to maintain a correct A/F mixture for the large amount of air going in!). This makes the A/F mixture way too lean i.e. too much air/not enough fuel, raising cylinder temps to dangerous levels. This can lead to detonation, which is when the flame front doesn't burn completely and evenly across the top of the cylnder chamber but, instead, combusts prematurely (because of the very high cylinder temps). This is very bad for pistons/bores and big-end bearings, and could lead to a failed engine if the det is severe and/or left to det for a long period...

Scott.T

iTrader: (2)

ESL do not supply direct you need to have it mapped via their dealer network .
Cost are approx £295+VAT for ESL Interface + Mapper Fee's

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Scott, do you know where the OP (or, indeed, myself!) could obtain this new MAFlass MY93-96 ESL Live from?

dynamix

iTrader: (3)

JAMSCOOB

ecu