Ditching the ECU.
Turbo Mini Forums

Below is a passage taken from Mini Encyclop?dia. Which one of these is the best/easiest for a new turbo bod like myself to do? Should i consider anything else? I'm not looking for massive power to start with. I think i will have to take it easy until i can get a straight cut g/b. I suppose i want to know what i can obtain from a standardish setup.

There are still lots of terms i don't understand but am learning all the time about this turbo stuff.

"There are two ways to ditch the ECU one is to replace the wastegate actuator with a 7.5psi one (standard is 4.5psi) this gives you the same boost as you normally get at high revs all the way through the rev range (ie 3psi more boost in the mid range). The other is to replace the ECU controlled boost modulator with an adjustable bleed valve which you trim to give 7.5psi peak boost. Either way you get the same boost at high revs and extra boost in the mid range."

"I'll get there in the end"

Ditch the ECU.
Wire up the coil in the normal way (ign +12v to positive side of coil)
Wire up fuel pump via an inertia switch from ign live.
Leave pipes as they are on the turbo engine. The one that goes from the alloy housing (compressor housing) on the turbo to the black/gold solenoid valve is connected to the bleed valve. The other side of the bleed valve is blocked off.
Check condition of all the pipes. Any doubts, replace with 1/4" fuel pipe. You're best buying around 5 metres of it from Demon Tweeks or somewhere like that (around £3 a metre). Make sure it is the High-pressure fuel injection hose though!

Rest of the stuff is in the 'how to' section i suspect.
All pretty straightforward really.

First off though, you must make a hole in your bulkhead. Look what's been done before, and make yours as recomended in the 'how to' section. I'd recomend welding in an engine steady at the same time - and running a bead of weld along the top of the existing engine steady bracket whilst the engine is out...

Edited by turbodave16v on 25th Oct, 2004.

TurboDave thanks for the reply, i'm sure you answered my question and this is where my lacking in the correct terminology is letting me down. Are you saying that the adjustable bleed valve is the way to go there by getting rid of the ECU.
Cheers Paul

"I'll get there in the end"

Did mine using an uprated actuator from avonbar, i was told that this was a better way of doing it, mines an 8psi at the mo but im maybe upping it to a 10 or 12 over winter

ryan

at this time, yes. Stick to a bleed valve. you shouldn't attempt to run more than 10psi on the stock CR... many have - but it's a fine line to cross, and usually involves excessive amounts of retard...