Hoppen 3B ecu mod and 3.0 bar PT's

[auditude at cox.net]

"Linus Toy" <linust at mindspring.com> wrote:
>
> Re:  3.0 bar PT in a 3B:  Go back and read Todd Phenneger's post from
> yesterday on IA mods for Alex N's 4ktq race car.  A 3.0 bar PT will NOT gain
> you anything with a stock turbo--turbo is too far out of its efficiency
> range to work past 2.5 bar--even there, it's at its limit.

My point with all this 3.0 bar PT stuff is whether I can use it later with different hardware.  Secondarily, I'm curious if I can use it with the stock stuff instead of just keeping it in a velvet box until that other hardware comes along.

I had a similar question before which is in the archives from when I was trying to decide on a 20psi or 30psi boost gauge.  I don't like buying incremental upgrades when I know I'm going to replace them in the future.

If I can put a 3.0 bar PT to use in a 3B later, I'll get one now.  If there is no use in a 3B any time, any way, then I won't get one at all.  In fact, if that were the case, I would not even get a chip upgrade in the near term as I have other stuff going on.  My primary motivation is limited availability of the Bosch 3.0 bar PT, and I'm trying to understand applicability.

> Re:  Socket & IA mod:  Not sure if Ned's changed anything recently, but when
> he modified my ECU, he removed the stock sockets and replaced them with his
> own "socket" device which scrambled or altered the timing/addressing of the
> memory chips.  I once came across a German electronic vendor's site with
> this type of scrambling technology, specifically for chip-tuners.  So...yes,
> there are still sockets in the ECU, but no, you cannot replace with stock
> chips...
>
> Besides which Ned erases and reprograms the original chips in your ECU with
> the new code.  This is a good thing in that the standard off the shelf chip
> cannot handle the extremes of the automotive environment--there is no
> cooling fan or venting of the ECU case!  As I understand it, the pecking
> order of chip "grades" (and this is rough) is consumer electronic,
> industrial, automotive, then military.  I'm sure someone can add details
> here.

These different issues, scrambling sockets, erased stock chips, tend to steer me away from that option.  I like options without restricting myself to the same vendor forever if possible.  I see this as similar to what the cell phone companies do with their "locked" phones that only work with their chips.  If you get an "unlocked" phone elsewhere, their chips will still work, but they will also work with anyone elses chips.  I forget the terminology here, I think these are GSM phones I refer to.

> Re:  mod the crap out of a 3B:  you better have a big fat wallet that you
> are prepared to see get very small :)

Yeah, I can see this coming.  This is why I found as cheap of a 200q20v I could find that seems like it has potential.  I'm spreading the cost of upgrades for it across two projects, so I can use the leftover 3B parts on another homemade 20vt motor that may someday exist.

If I can spend a total of $8k including the cost of the car itself, which is what some 200q20v's are offered for, I will have a significant portion of that being upgrades and not the car itself.

Thanks,

Ken