hlo ppl,what is the max i can set my boost to without any mods apart from my boost gauge i just instaled,its showing between 8/10 psi now,wat can i turn it up to safly without blowing stuff???? its the 2.3 t5 on a 97plate

 

Your either running a 15g or 16t on that car... With that said your an HPT engine. Meaning High Pressure Turbo.

Now that doesn't mean it can handle 30PSI or higher ridiculous pressures.

What it does mean is that you can run 15-17 PSI safely. It can do 20PSI but then it is getting out of those turbos efficency range.

How do you plan on increading your boost?

- Wastegate
- Manual Boost Controller (MBC)
- ECU upgrade

1. WASTEGATE, bad idea. I wouldn't suggest this route.

2. MANUAL BOOST CONTROLLER. If you have to go the route of not going with an ECU upgrade this is what I suggest you use. I would suggest a Dual Stage MBC and I wouldn't skimp on it. $50-$100 should net you a good MBC.

3. ECU UPGRADE, the best option out of all three here. Why? More safe, more reliable. Although they do cost more they are worth their weight in gold. IPD USA, RICA and BSR PPC are the three best tunes and the three most expensive tunes. Cost around $600+. You can get cheaper tunes but you'll run RICH for the most part. They are less researched and developed as well. Upsolute, SpeedTuning USA & InMotion. These will run around $200-$425. If you have the money go with the first three.

 

Could you flash the ecm? Can you send it out to be reprogrammed?

 

That is what an ECU upgrade is... ECU (Engine Control Unit). You take it out of the car and send it to the company you wont to have it program it and they send it back and you put it back in the car.