This is probably a question for Tech considering he has an MBC.

I plan to buy and use the hybrid boost controller from 3barracing.com I was also considering getting the multi-stage boost controller from the same site. Seeing as I'm always short on money would it be in my best interest to go without the MSBC?

I only want it because I don't want to run 14 PSI all the time. However, if a person were to drive and not accelerate fast won't the turbo function like normal around 5 PSI? I know from experience that the less throttle, the less the boost just by looking at my stock gauge. But my concern is when I install the MBC I am technically uninstalling the stock BCS. Does overriding the BCS mean I will be running high boost all the time?


What exactly does the BCS do? Does it take readings from the ECU, and adjust the pressure going to the wastegate accordingly? When accelerating slow does it help pop open the wastegate because it knows the turbo is not being requested?

 

Honestly if your short on money "all the time", then I highly suggest you don't mod your car till you do have money. It just isn't worth it, because your going say down the road probably a few days to a week later that I could have spent that on this item I actually needed.

I know this didn't answer your question, but in all honesty it sounds like you shouldn't be doing anything to your car if you are always short on money.

 

Well I should have specified....I'm short on mod money. Since I have noticed I spend around $1000 a year on major and minor maintenance fixes for the car, I have devised a new plan to tuck away $1000 every year just in case a problem should arise. So since I have a virtual $1000 tucked away that I will make the first month of summer, I am willing to spend some recreational money on mods. I think the MBC is a nice cheap way to have a little more fun with the Volvo. The whole job will cost only like $120 which I am willing to spend. I would love to spend $700 for a chipped ECU from ipd but I'm just not willing to put $700 into that one mod.

I'm sure almost everyone on the forum has noticed my hesitation in spending. I like to check, recheck, and then check again to make sure something is safe and worth the money. This hesitation slows down my money-spending antics which helps me out considerably

Sorry....My fault for not specifying my money situation.

 

Plus, tax returns are just around the block and I always spend it on something fun. That is what our government wants, that is what our economy needs, so I blow the money they give back. <---My excuse to spend money

 

While MBC's are used and Volvo modders do use them as well they are still not the best option. Obviously a ECU upgrade is. No one said you had to go with IPD or RICA. You could do a SpeedTuning USA, Upsolute or Inmotion. Yes these are the cheaper ones and you do get what you pay for.

However an ECU upgrade is safer then a MBC upgrade. I hope you have a real boost gauge hooked up to your car and not the one that is in the dash. Otherwise you might overboost with the MBC and you could be in real trouble.

 

Trust me S70, I lose sleep at night worrying about overboost. If I do the MBC I only plan to run between 13-14 PSI and no more. Ever since we have owned the car I regularly use a fuel additive to clean the lines and injectors so my car should run smoothly up to 15 PSI.

Here is my finances
K&N Filter (to help turbo breathe easier) $52.00
K&N Filter tune-up kit $12.17
Forever Black bumper stain $14.50
Prosport Boost Gauge $81.99
PCV Kit $118.00
Hybrid Boost Controller $48.00
Multi-stage boost system (maybe) $60.00

This all adds to like $380 which I am willing to spend. The PCV really jacks up the price but I absolutely need it.

I would like to upgrade my exhaust and probably will depending on cash flow

What is the cheapest ECU upgrade I can get?

 

You can get chips from Hi-tuning.com

Fredrik has a group buy for all the volvo chips found here: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=112641 (you need to be logged in to see the page)
$360 shipped to your door.

 

SpeedTuning USA is around $325 unless Oliver jacked the price up which wouldn't surprise me if he did.

Upsolute is around $425 or so.

Inmotion last I knew was like $200 but that is probably wrong, check with them first it is probably more like $400 now.

 

$60 for a multi stage boost controller is not bad on my turbo corrado I was running a manual multi stage and it cost me $120.
I running a Speedtuning stg 2 on my car and is very nice I only paid $300 including the ecu just keep you eye out on the FS section .and like you said as long as you dont go out cranking the boost you should be fine.

 

Do you really "get what you pay for" with these ECUs. Now that I know there are ones around $300 I am considering but will they not yield as much performance as other ones? I when you say a chip shipped to my door I'm assuming that means I have to go in and solder it into the ECU myself. Right?

 

NO soldering requierd, Swap the old chip for the new chip.....atleast that is how Hi-tuning does it.

Chipping is "safer" then just MBC for they give you fuel and ignition maps for the bigger boost.
Now...the stock ECU can provide plenty of fuel and timing till you hit the cutoff (~15.5psi).
MBCs are still pretty reliable, just make sure it is a ball and spring type MBC and you'll be fine.

 

I plan to just go with the MBC. I don't plan to ever boost over 14 PSI. Normally I will most likely run 13 PSI most of the time.

 

Hey, lots of people plan to not go much over the stock limits. But plans change. A good mbc will be fun, for a while! Had a Turbonetics on my 855 from day one. but yesterday I got my ECU back from inmotion and dude; there's a difference. The engine responds better before even getting into boost, so in sport mode there's like minimal lag! For only $225 bucks i figured all they were doing was raising the boost limit, moving fuel cut, and calling it a tune. But after putting about a hundred miles on today, I like my 94' 855 more then my turbo supra.
Get your mbc but keep 225 bucks handy for Inmotion for when you get bored with 14psi.
Oh, should mention that I did have to change my plugs. Cheaper plugs couldnt handle the high boost levels.
Good luck and enjoy your ride!

 

Yep...Tuning a car is like putting new life into it.

The driveability is amazing!

A MBC @14psi would still be good fun!

 

Better than a turbo Supra? Are you serious, that is some serious talk there.

If yours was $225 I may just do that. Did you send in your ECU to them or did they send you a chip?

You say when I get bored with 14 PSI. The turbo can't boost much over that and I think I have one of the crappier turbos so how would I notice more boost?

 

My supra is an MKIII 89' 5sp with about 400hp. Not the nice MK4. And the daily driveability of the volvo is far better.
I sent in a used ecu for the same year as my car and they sent it back "free overnight"!
Inmotion sells on ebay starting at $225 with a buy now price of $275. I got there stage II tune with 17psi.
You should have a 15G on yur car unless yu upgraded. Their sweet spot is 15-16psi before the air gets too hot. You will notice a difference, but an even greater one with a tune. I wasn't sure myself and thought hard about spending money on a tune since Nov. Now I cant believe the car i got for $2500 only 6 months ago with a bad head is running as hard as it does. In the last few weeks alone I put in a 16T turbo, hi flow cat and the ECU. "Night & Day difference".
Get yu an Inmotion tune & MBC then yur next post will be "Cant stop smiling"......

 

What is the point of an MBC with the ECU. And are you saying you had your ECU tuned after you got it back from inmotion?

 

The tune might require you to run a MBC to controll the boost, Not all tunes controll the boost. IPD and RICA and EVOLVE dont require a MBC but they are Double the price.

 

So basically I would have to control the boost myself anyway? So what does the cheaper chipped ECU accomplish over the stock ECU? I'm sure it probably changes the timing and flow of fuel but what else does it do?

Is it true that with 14 PSI you guys are noticing wheel spin while rolling at like 20 mph? I also heard one guy say he was getting some wheel spin in second. Your thoughts?

 

Everone's car is a little different. Some do get wheel spin at only 14psi, some dont. There's tires, driving styles, and other things to consider. I myself was spinning first and second a little with stock ECU and mbc with 14psi. Then with the tuned ecu it smoked the tires in 1st and 2nd uncontrollably. A simple rotating of fresh tires from the rear to the front fixed that issue and now my wagon rolls out pretty good.
And the reason for the mbc along with a tune is to simply turn the boost up or down from where the ecu is set. Just because the ecu is tuned to 17 psi or whatever, does'nt mean yu have to run that setting all the time. You can run as low as about 6psi(low as actuator spring lets yu) to 20+.... Thats with a tuned ecu. Stock ecu will stop you with fuel cut at about 15psi.
As for the difference in Cheaper ecu's compared the ipd and others; I would say its the fuel and timing maps. Cheaper tuners send a lot of people the same tune while ipd has more research therefore more maps. And they have the ability to dyno and custom tune cars with there own unique maps. It gets deep! I suggest you just do a lot of research on the many sites and soak it all in. I'm amazed at the power tuners get from the smallest 4cyl to the largest twin turbo V10.
I could go on for days.... Yur at the right site though. You'll learn a lot here. You can pm me if you like. But I might turn you into a boost junky...