Manual Boost Controller

**MattB** · Tuesday 12th April 2005, 23:21

Any ideas/recommendations as to where I can get a manual boost controller from?
Are they easy to install?

**steveT5** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 07:23

I got one from my local Halfords mate.
15 min to fit, and the difference is amazing. Its like a different car. And all for £16.99 !
You will need a calibirated boost gauge though to set it up properly. Otherwise there is a risk of serious damage.

**MattB** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 12:57

Cheers for the reply steve!

What make is the MBC from Halfords?
Also, any ideas where can I get a calibrated boost gauge from?

**Mrsmopp** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 13:03

Calibrated boost gauge - ebay or PFV. PFV do the BRS 1.5 bar boost gauge for around £30.

http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...oducts_id=2761

x

**MattB** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 13:09

Magic!
Thanks for the link!

Any guidelines for max boost levels - ie so as not to blow my engine up!!!

**Mrsmopp** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 13:17

Under a bar of boost. I'd set it initially around 0.8 and see how you get on tbh.

x

**steveT5** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 13:59

Originally Posted by MattB

Cheers for the reply steve!

What make is the MBC from Halfords?
Also, any ideas where can I get a calibrated boost gauge from?

Matt, as Nat says partsforvolvosonline for the Gauge. I also had the pillar pod (think thats right) to mount it. and some 6mm silicone hose to connect to the vac tree. There is a thread somewhere with fitting instructions, Dave 850r is your man with the info. The MBC from halfords was made by Le Mans Motorsport i think. I was quite dubious with it being so cheap, but it works great ! Time will tell if its built to last. There are MBC's on pfv online, its on the Forge motorsport page. The advice i was given was to set it up so that it doesn't boost to more than one bar at below 3000rpm mine is boosting to 1 bar exactly above 3000rpm. It could go more but i don't fancy taking the risk.

**Martinr** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 14:07

These were the cheapest I found. Disregard some of the other products on this website unless you really are "Too Fast, Too Furious"

http://www.litewave.co.uk/performance_gauges.htm

**MattB** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 15:06

Cheers Guys,

I take it the MBC's come with instructions for setup etc?

Knowing me, I'll have a vision of smoking an arogant Beemer stuck in my head forcing me to increase the boost to un-imaginable pressure and..

**steveT5** · Wednesday 13th April 2005, 15:22

No the instructions for mine were useless i got all the info from the people on here.
If you know your way round the engine bay you will be ok. you certainly dont need to be a mechanic. if you can find the air filter box and the turbo you are sorted. Once it is all installed you will need to raise the boost pressure slowly, go out, observe the gauge and keep repeating this until its right. If you have an auto box as i do you are supposed to set it up in Economy or at least thats what i was told at avon park.