A little update.....I have the Apexi cut into the ECU & its up and running. I also replaced the Fuel pump this weekend as well. I am still waiting for my injectors, but I should be ready for the dyno real soon. More later this week....or whenever the injectors show up....

 

You should have the injectors today!

 

So when you say you have the apexi cut into the ecu what do you mean? How does the apexi AFC install? Also when you installed the kit for the stock settings, as far as the injectors and boost levels go (around 16-17psi right?) how much tuning work did you do afterwards? Did you need to take it to a dyno or anything at that point? I have about got my car back and will be ready to install soon but the only problem is that im no master tuner and the nearest dyno and people that could help with tuning are about an hour away.

 

Ok, the Apexi has if I remember correctly 7 wires that tap into the stock ECU wiring harness. You need to take the caps off the wire harness plugs & tap into the correct wires there for power, ground, knock sensor, pressure, fuel trim & maybe another...not hard to do, but still nerve racking at best. The only way you can really tap into the harness is to remove the covers. Then its much eaiser to see what to tap into & there is more wire to tap.

Actually I didn't do the stock install. I started out in that direction, but decided to go for broke. I did very little intial testing with it stock. It will run fine with the stock injectors and on 16 psi boost on the stock ecu. You wont really need a tune at that point, but it would deff would help it. If you decided to tune it, then you would need a way to alter the fuel mapping. The Apexi has proven to be pretty decent at allowing you to get a tune that can keep the car's A/F in check thus producing more power.

In your case, I would just shoot for the stock setup to start. I would though plan on getting it to a dyno to have the A/F ratio checked at least. That way you will know where the car is sitting on fuel/air. The setup I went with is basically Alta's stage 2 but using the APexi instead of their ECU since it isnt available yet.

 

Here is a pic of the wireharness with the top off & one wire stripped back. I used an exacto knife to do the cut. You then either solder your wire to that, or use the splicers that come with the apexi.

 

For sure, for sure! Yeah I plan on keeping it on stock for a good amount of time to test and work out any problems that could develope before I even think about going further. Im not looking for extreme amounts of power but in the end I would like to have a setup that includes my 550cc injectors, a better IC, and a good boost controller that I could, at the most, adjust for 20lbs of boost although without new pistons on yet I would to stick around 17 or 18. But honestly, I dont know for sure on anything yet other than just the stock setup with the kit. I have the 550cc injectors here with no use as of yet. There are still to many things I need to perfect or just plain know better lol before I dive to far in, you know?

 

I did have one other question. When you talked about needing slightly longer bolts for the actuator, do you know what length you ended up going with? I just want to be sure to have everything ready so I don't run into a problem with installation.

 

Yeah I think whats in there is 3/8 & I upped them to like 3/4 inch.

 

Thanks, that size of bolt seems to fit good. I get my car back Monday or Tuesday but I'm still unsure when I can actually start the install seeing how I still havent told my dad I got this kit :impatient! So I'm stuck waiting for him to go out of town again for a week or two lol. Although I'm sure he'll notice the change when he doesn't beat me AS BADLY next time I race his car (996 TT). Also, like I said before about not having a local dyno and the closet one being an hour away, it is safe, correct, to go ahead and install the Apexi controller before I install the injectors? I just want to be sure that my ECU will be ok with the Apexi spliced into the ECU before I have it tuned. One last thing (sorry for swamping you with questions lol) because of the fact that the dyno is a bit a drive away how do you think I should go about installing the 550 injectors knowing that I'm going to have to make an hour drive before I can have the car it tuned properly.

 

Trickle X,

I follow this forum a fair bit and even though i don't post much, after reading your write up i am compelled .

I think if only there was more genuine,honest people like you on these boards they would be a better place, i mean i have read loads of posts about varius things that have anoyed me and just know they are lies.:impatient

I really hope your T/C kit works out well with no probs!

Good Luck, Rick.

 

Rick,

Thanks for the post, its good to hear people appreciate honesty and the facts still. I too do get annoyed by all the crap that can go on the bbs's.

Now onto more fun stuffs..

I installed the Wideband 02 gauge & 550cc injectors over the weekend. On the wideband, I used the bung for the cat 02 sensor. As I had asked in another thread, I wasnt sure if it would cause problems if I left the stock o2 sensor "dangling". I currently do not have a cat so I installed an o2 simulator on the o2 cat sensor. It worked and I have no SES codes for that. I found out that leaving that particular sensor out is fine & still have no codes. I installed my wideband sensor into that bung for temp use to help tune the car.

So far the car is pig rich at 4k rpm. I didnt have the time to do a rough tune via the wideband, as it was pouring down rain & I didnt want to take the car out. Also I need to get more familar with the Apexi before I can get it dialed in. Under 4k it seemed fine, not to rich or to lean. Bounced around 11-12. So the car is drivable, at least until 4k, then it seems the larger injectors start to really open & the fuel pours in and my wideband drops off the scale. Next step now is to schedule a dyno appoitment for this week or next!

 

After much waiting on this and that & ironing out bugs...I finally got to the dyno today. I am pretty pleased with the results. I started with 162hp at the wheels with just an exhaust & intake & after all the hard work I did, I am now sitting at 257hp to the wheels at 20psi on 94 octane pump gas. I have the fuel pulled back almost 50% at the top & I am still a little rich, but not much. Other than allowing more boost, I am at the wall currently for tunable hp. My next step will be to do the pistons & head & hopefull put her over 300 to the wheels.

Here is the dyno run from today after all the tweaking. My rought tune via just the wideband o2 sensor put me intially at 227hp to the wheels.

 

HA HA! sweet! congrats mang!

 

Thanks Tuls....

Question for you though.....I am still running the stock map in the ECU, are there any benefits to running another map? Like say rev limiter would be good, but what do you recommend with the TC cars? Also do you get any of the dreaded yo-yo effect? It is much more pronounced now. Should I just remove the arm and tie it shut completely on the BPV?

One more thing, at around 3k rpm, the car has a nasty vibration. It always did it, as my sunroof would rattle around 3k, but now its just insane....any ideas?

Thanks

 

I've yet to fully get my car back to install this kit, so in the mean time I have had the time to worry. With about 230-250whp, depending on what path I go with adjusting boost, I am a little worried about all this power getting to the ground. Currently I only have the stock clutch setup, so is a better clutch and flywheel a must? I know the kit is supposed to be a made for stock setup, but it just seems like a aftermarket clutch and even flywheel would be necessary. Also I once heard that the mini's stock axel or drive shaft is only rated at around 240whp and I don't know if that is true but if it is has anyone done any re-enforcing work?

 

Do not fret... I have a stock clutch and fly wheel... do I recommend getting an after markey one? yes.... but as you know I have 100 more WHP than most TC cars.. and I am running a stock clutch and fly wheel

Hey sorry I missed this question before trickle... DOH!

Having a high revlimit is always good with boosted cars... the longer you rev the faster you go... for the most part... I shift @ 7K but can take it up to 7500.... I stil have a stock head so I don't like to go over 7500

As for the BPV... Mine is welded shut... not on only the little arm that alows it to move but I took a piece of aluminum and welded it shut...

 

Alright Tuls, thanks a lot.

 

Wow with that much Whp with the TC how much boost do you run when you just use it for a daily driver (I think you are the person who has the extreme mini and still uses it as a daily)? But in a race on a strip or something do you have any traction problems? I ordered a eboost 2 boost controller for my car just so when I do get my car back and install the kit that I can have more control over how much boost and power is made in first gear just to help with any traction problems resulting from just too damn much power on a launch. Do you use a similar boost control system?

 

Have fun setting up the 2 stage boost. What are you going to use to signal the eboost to change boost settings?

 

Honestly, if u can avoid doing the clutch till later, then do it. I needed to replace mine as it was toast, so I did it before i did the TC. I personally think the stage 3 clutch is horrible to drive in traffic. I was stuck in stop and go traffic yesterday & it was horrible. If i had to do it again, I would go with the stage 2. Now as for the Quaife.....I would do that in a heartbeat again. I have no problems with traction. The only time I spin the wheels is when I drop the clutch at say 4k rpm, but if i ease up a lil bit, they hook right up.

Tuls thanks for the advice on welding the bpv shut. I may do that, as I tried the routing the vacuum from the intake and that helped but it is still bad. I actually think I need to adjust the valve as its prolly not completely closing.

Also have u noticed on the apexi while monitoring the knock sensor, that if you let the car heat soak, like stuck in traffic, it starts to climb? mine usually runs around 0~2 but sitting in traffic it went up to 16 max. Any thoughts or insights? Also is this telling me that its seeing knock & is the apexi doing anything about it?

Also what software can i get to just remove the rev limiter & speed limiter?

Thanks!

 

if you race at the strip then you know launch is more than just STOMPING the throttle....

BUT I am really glad you asked that question about how much boost... I am running 28lbs everyday. HOWEVER, I checked as I left a light ot two yesterday to see what it is at part throttle... and leaving the light driving "normal" the boost barely left vacum....was around .2 bar @ 17% throttle... and once crusing was in the vacum.... like the -200s or more but this is accually crusing...

So that's what's funny to me when people ask "hows the drivability" like any other mini... just has alot more... so if you used 50% throttle before... no you only need 20%

 

Cool. And yeah I know that a launch isore than just mashing the gas lol But I have no experience so far in a powerful front wheel drive other than my own mini,which still is no "extreme machine" (only 15% SC pulley, Alta CAI, and Unichip).

 

Oh yeah, I have been meaning to ask this for a while. I've seen so many people who hate the loudness of the TC kits, so what is so bad? Do they not like the BOV sound or just the sound of the turbo slurping in air? I guess I can understand someone not liking it but that is one of the things I can't wait to hear. Do any of you who have the kit honestly just hate the sounds from it?

 

I love all da sounds she makes! ... but yeah I have heard some don't like the BOV

 

WAY off topic, but Tuls what is the indi blue owner's club? I have an 04 indi
What BOV does the SPI kit use? Trickle is the perrin BOV have a nice sound?