Question on GFB Atomic Boost Controller

[LeeSTi]

Hi, Im looking at installing the gfb atomic controller and have one question regarding the instructions that come with it. They say when the controller is wound completely clockwise (startng position for testing - lowest boost setting), the car should be running at lower or equal to the factory boost settings. Because im bypassing the ECU boost solenoid, would this actually mean that it would start off at the wastegates default psi which i believe is about 7-8 psi? Its just when i think of factory boost settings, i think of 18 psi which i believe is sti factory psi when running via the solenoid?

Sorry easy answer for you pros, im still learning

I have v7 sti. Will be installing new boost gauge at same time as controller.

[Marky]

You are correct in your thinking

Wound right down = wastegate pressure

The factory solenoid is a controller in itself

Now sell the GFB and buy a tactrix cable and reflash it instead

[LeeSTi]

hey thanks for the reply, i actually have a suspicion that my solenoid is playing up which is why im looking to bypass it as a test, dont mind spending some money to find out. Boost levels are up and down and alot of the time the car feels sluggish....

[Marky]

Probably doesn\'t hurt to find out why, it might be pulling boost back due to knock or a broken thingy or something foolish

Or you\'re perfectly fine and correcto and have fixed your issue wooo

[ADIKT]

Have you had the ecu scanned for any logged codes? Might help to do that before dropping 450 on a boost controller which might not even fix your problem?

[Timmah]

 ADIKT said:

Have you had the ecu scanned for any logged codes? Might help to do that before dropping 450 on a boost controller which might not even fix your problem?

The GFB Atmonic is around $90

[tebbyj]

 Marky said:

Probably doesn\'t hurt to find out why, it might be pulling boost back due to knock or a broken thingy or something foolish

This, be careful because if the car is puling boost because of knock and you go winding the boost back up, you could cause serious issues. Better to have the car scanned and tested first just to be sure the boost solenoid is your issue.

The boost controller will fix the symptoms but might not fix the underlying problem.

[ADIKT]

 Timmah']

[quote name='ADIKT said:

Have you had the ecu scanned for any logged codes? Might help to do that before dropping 450 on a boost controller which might not even fix your problem?

/quote]

The GFB Atmonic is around $90

lol. Thought he meant the electronic one. :-X

[ben-jamminn]

 tebbyj']

[quote name='Marky said:

Probably doesn\'t hurt to find out why, it might be pulling boost back due to knock or a broken thingy or something foolish

/quote]

This, be careful because if the car is puling boost because of knock and you go winding the boost back up, you could cause serious issues. Better to have the car scanned and tested first just to be sure the boost solenoid is your issue.

The boost controller will fix the symptoms but might not fix the underlying problem.

I used to have a V7 sti wagon with similar issues, and like you at first I suspected the boost control so I fitted a GFB atomic and thought all was well as I had normal boost back but then noticed surging, and severe det when I had my foot up it (think of the sound of stones in a tin can) had it scanned by a club member and he diagnosed faulty AFM. New AFM and factory boost control re connected and it was like new

[Pappu1]

wat area u bro?

dont up the boost without tuning for best results

[LeeSTi]

Hi there, i havent gone ahead with it yet, did a scan and have found a fault with camshaft position sensor A. Could this affect boost or engine power? Its goin in to have this fixed tomorrow. For now i am holding off....

[boon]

That will probably cause it to go into limp mode and give you 7psi as the solenoid will never cycle to build boost.

Cam position sensor, either the sensor is fecked, which does happen, or the AVCS filter basket has fallen out (see the thread on here about it) and jammed the cam advance - EDIT: http://clubsub.org.nz/forum/showthread.php?22885-New-AVCS-Issue-(V7-on)-oil-feed

Either way, probably not a big issue to fix, and once they reset your ECU and it has a quick learning cycle it should be good as gold.

Modern cars don't just lose boost for a laugh, a huge amount of the time it's the ECU pulling it back because something is wrong. Bypassing those protections = broken motor pretty fast.

[LeeSTi]

cheers dude, this has been good info

[LeeSTi]

how long is the learning cycle?

[LeeSTi]

just found out from my mechanic that he has already removed the filter from the bolt on a previous service. Replacing sensor tomorrow....Im unsure about tackling the boost tap afterward now as the ecu could find another problem down the line and have no way of winding down boost, my risk ..... I could have regular scans to keep on top of things i guess...

[ben-jamminn]

I'd still suggest trying another AFM. Anyone local have one you could swap and try? Takes only a few mins to swap. When my v7 was playing up (as I previously mentioned on this thread) I also had a cam sensor fault however it never re-occurred after being cleared. I also didn't have any AFM related faults but a club member could see from data logging that the reading from the AFM were out, changing it made night and day difference, never saw limp mode again

[LeeSTi]

ok thanks mate, I will ask mechanic to clean it as a start....

[boon]

Don't use the tap, if you're at all worried about it going into limp mode. You can do catastrophic engine damage in literally seconds when the engine is expecting 7psi and gets 20 instead.

[ben-jamminn]

 LeeSTi said:

ok thanks mate, I will ask mechanic to clean it as a start....

Yeah worth a try but cleaning didn't help me

[LeeSTi]

Is someone with a V7 able to provide me with some images showing the exact where abouts of the 3 banjo bolts with these filters? I maybe able to guess, i know one is under the turbo? the other two are up around the heads? Photos would be a magnificent help Cheers.

[boon]

I'm not actually 100% about the passenger side one. But the other 2, definitely.

[boon]

And there's the back of the head on the driver's side, that's the turbo one, orange square in the background is the AVCS solenoid.

[LeeSTi]

dude, thanx heaps

[LeeSTi]

I have been running this boost controller for a few weeks and im beginning to wonder about the affect its having on my boost performance (boost curve) in a negative sense. I have set it to around 16 psi and it seems to hit around this mark quite accurately especially through early gears 1st to 3rd. At times though with 2nd, the car can feel like its running out of juice in higher revs and 3rd gear has felt unconvincing also in higher rev range. When i step on the gas through these gears, theres always a nice intial pull but the acceleration fades away quicker than what ive been used to im sure. Sometimes i wonder if its all in my head and no matter how well this car performs, its never good enough lol. What experiences have you guys had with manual boost control? Negative impact on boost performance? (Hitting peak boost to quickly? such a thing?)

[Marky]

Boost is a number, you can't get a "bad" 16psi with one controller and a "good" 16psi with another

It's either in your head or there is something else at fault - did you ever find the reason it was pulling boost in the first place?