Electronic Boost Controller Q's

[joemathews]

I just picked up an Apexi AVC-D electronic boost controller. It seems like a pretty good buy, almost Apexi's answer to Greddy's ProfecB. Anyway, no way in hell did I pay the list price on this bad boy, only paid $100 shipped, which I figured was a good deal, considering you can only get a dual stage mbc for like $90. Here's a link to some info about it:
http://route44automile.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=218

Now, understand that my car is completely stock. And I want it to remain mostly so, I'm just adding boost and A/F gauges. I will probably be upgrading to a 1g BOV as well. Don't worry, I'm not going to run the ebc without first installing and monitoring my gauges . But here are my questions:

1) Stock boost is only 10-11 without intake and exhaust upgrades, correct? Could I use the AVC-D to make my little T25 boost 15-16 psi without intake and exhaust?
2) Can I hurt the turbo or my engine by raising boost without intake and exhaust, as long as I use the boost gauge to stay under 17?
3) Have you heard anything about this boost controller, and if so what?

[kjewer1]

Stock boost on a 2g is 14.x. Run 16 if you like. The only thing I heard about that EBC is that is a pain in the nuts to set up. But once its setup people seem to like it. Intake and exhaust arent completely necessary to run 16 psi, but you will make more power at that same 16 psi with those mods.

[JoeWagon]

Wouldn't recommend adding boost without the 1g BOV. To my dismay, I found out today that my 2g BOV dump tube releases boost under ANY load. I had the RPM's at like 2k and felt air coming out. POS.

[joemathews]

Yea, from what I've heard the stock 2g bov leaks over about 10 psi. Has anyone actually measured stock boost on a boost gauge? I mean, bone stock turbo eclipse with a boost gauge. I would just be interested to see what it registers at, because many people claim that it is lower than 14, as Kevin says (and as the spec is supposed to be). No offense intended, but did you measure this yourself, Kevin, or is that just a figure that you've learned over the years?

[kjewer1]

It ran at 14 on my car, not the high 14s I have seen for the stock boost spec. Within the normal range.

Just because the BOV leaks at a certain PSI doesnt mean you cant go over that psi. The turbo just has to spin faster and move more air to make up what is being lost, to meet the boost demand set by the boost controller and wastegate. So it becomes an efficiency thing. A better bov will allow the turbo to spin slower to make the same boost, moving you down on the turbo map, and to the right as well thanks to the reduction in heat imparted on the charge air. Which will equal more power at the same boost, and longer turbo life for very small turbos like the t25.

[kjewer1]

And for whats its worth I've seen 1g BOVs open at ~6 psi in pressure tests, but still work fine as far as one can tell up to 25 psi.

[joemathews]

Okay, good to know. Well, I guess the $100 ebc is just an investment for the future, as soon as I can kill my T25 (which is going to take way too long, unfortunately!). At least it should look cool--it has the little dials to set boost at different rpm's, and they change from green to red when you reach that rpm !