MBC is it worth it ????

[frostytel]

Thinking about fitting one but have read so much conflicting/confusing blurb I dont know which way to go ............. have ordered a boost gauge and pod so i can accuarately see what the boost pressure is ......... getting the impression that it makes the car very agressive (not sure i want a snappy beast lol ) and read somewhere that wot is not advised until your in second at least ... ..mines an auto so that should be interesting was only gonna take it upto about 13/14 psi will that 3 psi make a worthy difference (dunno personally new to turbos) and people talk of this pipe and that pipe etc but very little pictorial support so personally running a little blind here ..... done pretty much everything engine wise on na type engines so could do with some advice or if someone local has already done it do you fancy popping round for a cuppa lol

Cheers tel
ps its an auto 850 t5 estate 1996 the fast red type lol

[T5frankie]

i fitted mine today and turned it up to 17psi and the car is so different bit nuts lol but thats how i like it, you will drive in your own way so it will only be as aggresive as you want it to, i do recommend one and even at 14 psi its much better than the standard 10psi

[Flatout Phil]

I am in exactly the same place. I have an MBC and I know exactly where to fit it (in the pipe going from the inlet manifold to the wastegate actuator) so dead easy. But I am terrified of blowing my lovely engine.
What I do know is that loads of VPCUKers have them, some with maps, some without, and many people favour them. AFR is my biggest worry after overboost.
Obviously it is a very cheap mod, but I do wonder if I might be better with the Apexi system described by Duane, or even a Turbo Tuner with the skills of a tuning specialist. More expensive by a long way. But cheaper than a new engine.

[p fandango]

I do wonder if I might be better with the Apexi system described by Duane, or even a Turbo Tuner with the skills of a tuning specialist. More expensive by a long way. But cheaper than a new engine.
it depends what you want/plan to do. The Apexi isn't any where near as aggressive as the MBC, but does give you alot more control over boost than even what the standard ECU is capable of. The AVC-R also monitors injector duty which is always handy

[gmain1967]

I fitted an R Spec MBC to my S70 T5 a couple of weeks ago and what a difference. Set to 14psi and it transforms the car. And the boost is consistent, with no sudden spikes, nor is it markedly different depending on what gear you are in (manual):B_thumb:

[claymore]

My car is on 220k, with a hlm map, and i wouldn't be without my mbc, I love it, I drove my mates standard t5 last week and I'm sure he won't mind me telling you it felt like an old diesel in comparison.

[p0xy]

i fitted mine to my 850 t5 as the boost solonoid broke, it made alot of difference and its set at 14psi.. anymore than that and the cut off kicked in and nearly kicked me out the window lol... it was so easy to fit

[p fandango]

anymore than that and the cut off kicked in and nearly kicked me out the window lol... it was so easy to fit
it scare the **** out of you when you first hit the boost cut doesn't it lol

[p0xy]

deffo does mate, when the solonoid broke i put my foot down at about 60 and nearly **** me kegs when it kicked in.. thats how i know it was broke lol

[WOODY T5]

was on mbc was good then move on to blitz boost controller very good bit of kit.

[pigfight]

ive been looking at those smithness,
would you reccomend them over a re-map?
and how do they differ over an mbc power/performance wise?
cheers.

[mightywolf]

I have fitted an mbc to my S70R (auto) and I wish I'd done it sooner. Mine hits 16psi max. Its a shock after driving a standard car! like claymore said, I drove my old T5 the other day (my mate owns it now) and it felt like a big slow heavy tank. I couldn't live without my mbc :) Put it in sport mode and its ruthless on kickdown. Wheelspin city!!!

[jt racing]

I've claymores old absolute ecu and an mbc and as he said above.... different car. Drove my mates v70t5r 2 nights ago (the car that made me want one) and was so slow compared to it.

[frostytel]

have bought a spec r from flea bay ..... just gotta figure out where it goes now lol

[Santa]

it scare the **** out of you when you first hit the boost cut doesn't it lol

First happened to me in a non volvo car when the top of the mbc decided to come off. Was on the motorway at the time and didn't find out until I went for an overtake.

[T5frankie]

have bought a spec r from flea bay ..... just gotta figure out where it goes now lol

you wont be able to go above 13-14 psi anyway without a re-map, i turned mine up to nearly 20 psi car was like a rocket felt so aggresive got home and now i've turned it back down to 10 psi to keep it from going bang cos its foot down everywhere i went very addictive mate

[WOODY T5]

ive been looking at those smithness,
would you reccomend them over a re-map?
and how do they differ over an mbc power/performance wise?
cheers.yeah found holds boost better then mbc`s 4x different settings for boost can also change the gain on the blitz to bring turbo in faster as for remap think u would need to do something with fuel.

[frostytel]

you wont be able to go above 13-14 psi anyway without a re-map, i turned mine up to nearly 20 psi car was like a rocket felt so aggresive got home and now i've turned it back down to 10 psi to keep it from going bang cos its foot down everywhere i went very addictive mate

was looking to get a remap prob after xmas now .... seeing as everyone has put their wish list in for pressies .. bloody extortionate some of them lol

[T5frankie]

was looking to get a remap prob after xmas now .... seeing as everyone has put their wish list in for pressies .. bloody extortionate some of them lol

i got a hlm re-map and my boost went up to 14 psi sometimes 15 but you couldn't get that high with just a mbc cos of the fuel cut issue, so i got mine mapped removing the fuel cut limit then i fitted my mbc and went up to 17 psi then i put some blue injectors in so now i can go higher if i want to

[gmain1967]

i got a hlm re-map and my boost went up to 14 psi sometimes 15 but you couldn't get that high with just a mbc cos of the fuel cut issue, so i got mine mapped removing the fuel cut limit then i fitted my mbc and went up to 17 psi then i put some blue injectors in so now i can go higher if i want to

So you've put the blues in, and turned the boost DOWN?

[manback]

Mine cuts out at 17-18 psi. I'll bang some pics on tmw. I shut my pants when it cut out. I thought I had surged the turbo!

[Brett855tdi]

it happened to me in a starlet turbo!
had a masive pulse to the power like a limiter flowed by big loud flames!
very scary!

[T5frankie]

So you've put the blues in, and turned the boost DOWN?

2 reasons for this gonna get the air/fuel ratios checked as i crank up the boost on a rolling road and i'm saving the car for shakespeare raceway on the 31st, driving like a grandad to keep it nice and working lol

[gmain1967]

2 reasons for this gonna get the air/fuel ratios checked as i crank up the boost on a rolling road and i'm saving the car for shakespeare raceway on the 31st, driving like a grandad to keep it nice and working lol

I hear where you're coming from, but with the blues fitted and running lower boost than before, is there not a strong likelihood that it will be overfuelling now? If you were confident enough to run at 15psi plus on std injectors, it can't be any worse with the blues surely? I'm likely going down the same route, so intrigued with what you are doing!

[T5frankie]

I hear where you're coming from, but with the blues fitted and running lower boost than before, is there not a strong likelihood that it will be overfuelling now? If you were confident enough to run at 15psi plus on std injectors, it can't be any worse with the blues surely? I'm likely going down the same route, so intrigued with what you are doing!

since upgrading my car i'm spending £100 a week plus on fuel and im only doing 250 miles a week lol, i love the way the car goes so i tend to boot it everywhere i cant help it, anything remotely quick comes up behind me whoosh i'm off lol the injectors are of an me7 t5 so very similar to mine, you wont overfuel they will only squirt the amount determined by your right foot

[manback]

What causes boost cut?

my car was running fine at nearly 18psi in 3rd gear. but it started cutting at 4k rpm.
so i put it back to 16 which has always been fine. its still cutting at 4k rpm in 3rd and 5th gear. if im near those revs its ok, its when i say boot it from 1500rpm itll cut out at 4k

[p fandango]

What causes boost cut?

my car was running fine at nearly 18psi in 3rd gear. but it started cutting at 4k rpm.
so i put it back to 16 which has always been fine. its still cutting at 4k rpm in 3rd and 5th gear. if im near those revs its ok, its when i say boot it from 1500rpm itll cut out at 4k
the ECU has a set amount of air (measured via the MAF) per rpm scale, any higher than the set number & it cuts the ignition. So any extra load on the engine will breach the MAF limit if your MBC is set very close to it

[the-man-that-can]

MBC's rule :D i bought 1 of another fellow member here and after fitting it my car really flies. i think u definatly get more bang for your buck with this cheap little mod, tho dont run the boost to high as u may just blow ur engine. R SPEC mbc is what i have and its GREAT :)

[marko_850_t5r]

So with the hlm 304 remap how far can you take the boost with just a mbc ?

[T5frankie]

So with the hlm 304 remap how far can you take the boost with just a mbc ?

as far as you dare, but you need to check the air/fuel ratio is ok when going above 1.2 bar i reckon, mine has the hlm304 and a mbc and ive put in blue injectors though and its at 18psi peak

[p fandango]

i really am starting to wonder who's going to be the first to come on here crying "i've bent a rod", its getting closer i can feel it

[Volvostorm]

I was thinking that too

[t5_monkey]

Just remember 34 PSI is your tyre pressure... not your MBC pressure :)

[frostytel]

Right ...... lol I have got my MBC, not fitted it yet but have "T'd" a boost gauge in to the pipe behind the clocks to see what boost its at ..... and currently its only reaching about 8 psi on the gauge prob got a leak somewhere or would that be the extra boost gauge bleeding some off ????

[The Flying Moose]

Right ...... lol I have got my MBC, not fitted it yet but have "T'd" a boost gauge in to the pipe behind the clocks to see what boost its at ..... and currently its only reaching about 8 psi on the gauge prob got a leak somewhere or would that be the extra boost gauge bleeding some off ????

Mate 8-10psi is the standard amount of boost in the T-5's. You probably havnt got any leak.

A T-piece will never give as accurate reading as a straight through VAC line off the tree but it would make so little difference you would barely notice it.

[T5frankie]

i never go above 10 psi until over 4000rpm though

[The Flying Moose]

i never go above 10 psi until over 4000rpm though

Really? I just dont tend to boot it until engine is fully warmed up and over 2500rpm

[T5frankie]

Really? I just dont tend to boot it until engine is fully warmed up and over 2500rpm

I say this because its the high boost pressures that will bend your rods at low rpm (the torque) its running at 18 psi so best to be careful, yours is totally fine to drive how you are doing