Hi Guys,

Okay, just after a little advice. Had the coupe a few weeks now and I’m still kicking myself for spending 5 years in an FTO when I could’ve been karting about in one of these!
That aside, I think the car was fitted with a GTEC 1 (?) chip before I bought it. I’ve spoken with my Coupe Guru at length about this because if I really put the foot down, the boost bounces between about 1 – 1.2 (the car has a boost gauge where the clock should be... but the bulbs blown so can’t quite make it out!) He tells me this is down to the EBV (?) possibly on its way out and it can’t handle the extra boost. I followed the guide on the forum and cleaned the EBV with Carb cleaner, worked very well for a few days but it’s started bouncing again. So, now for the question...

What is the best way to sort this? Will a new or replacement EBV last long or will the higher boost wear it out quickly? Can I get an uprated EBV that CAN take the pressure (and if so, where?), or should I get a PRV and bypass the EBV completely (losing the safety aspect of the EBV, i.e. the ability to cut boost if the ecu detects a problem). And does anything I just said make sense? I have no idea what I’m talking about, just going by what I’ve heard or read on the forum.

I would normally just call my Guru and ask him this stuff but I reckon he’ll eventually ignore my calls if I keep it up! Last time I called simply to ask what length the wiper blades are... and he knew, bless!

This little problem in no way affects the driving of the car unless i'm "foot to the floor", which isn't often so I aint considering it a fault!!

Cheers,

Jay

the cheapest way to solve the problem would be via a prv but as you have already pointed out the car will loose the ability to cut boost if it detects a prob

you can get uprated ebv's such as a perrin, or flea from fc performance can supply you with one or you you can down the more expensive route of an electronic boost controller although with the electronic boost controller you also loose the safety features of the ebv

first of all though i would be finding out if it def has a gtech 1 fitted as if it's doesn't you don't want to be setting the boost at 1.2bar if it doesn't have the fuelling to match

it is likely that your ebv is the prob as they often struggle to cope with the uprated boost that a gtech provides

Cool, cheers for that Doug. I was just on the FC Performance website there. I'll see if I can get an uprated EBV from them. Is there any simple way of finding out if the car has a GTEC chip fitted? Other than the boost gauge reading up to 1.2 Bar and the previous keeper mentioning it in passing, I really have no idea!

It all makes perfect sense and is a good example of what you can learn with a bit of reading on the forum so from me :-)

I'm sure some of the forum geeks might be able to tell one chip from another by looking at it, but the only way you're really be able to tell is by the 1st and 2nd gear performance. The standard chip features a boost rise limiter, the theory being that it limits the rate at which the boost can rise. The result of this is low torque in the lower gears, the point obviously to reduce wheelspin and torquesteer and to increase the turbo's lifespan. After fitting a G-tech 1, the difference it makes to 2nd gear particularly, is enormous.

In short, if you're getting a sustained boost of more than 0.8bar in 2nd gear, then it's probably running a G-tech. Just get it Flea-mappped and have a PRV fitted while you're at it.



Sorry to hear about the FTO though

have a look at the below post, might you in identifying whether or not the car has a gtech 1 chip

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1233963#Post1233963

To be really certain, have a peek inside.

http://www.fiatcoupe.net/howto.php?ID=8&chapter=19#content2

I would get the uprated ebv Jay.

But, if taking the power further an electronic boost controller is the way forward.

Ross

Haha! Dont worry chief, i'll get over it!

Cheers for the reply’s guys. Working till 8pm tonight so might have to wait until tomorrow before I start hacking into the ECU! Think an uprated EBV is the way to go regardless of whether I find a GTEC chip or not... if it aint got one just now, it’s getting one!

Thats as much as I intend to do tho Ross as far as power goes.

Jay

i knew it would be handy for someone lol. iv still not had time to check

Bizarrely enough, I've now developed a similar problem.

It bouncing between 0.9 and 1.1 bar. Need to get my prv fitted and see how it feels.

If I don't like it, will be ebv time.

Ross

100% standard this time I seem to remember you saying Ross .........

Yeah, but EBV is notorious for this problem.

So might need to fit a PRV to fix.

It also could be something to do with my accelerator cable being stretched, so will need to get that replaced aswell and see if it affects it.

Ross

You are very funny!
I've the same problem and I tried 3 different stock ebv and tried stretching the throttle wire but nothing has changed.
I had some good results removing from the ebv the tube wich goes to the intake manifold just before the charger. Try to do this but I don't know if you will solve your problem. In my case boot bouncings became lower (and then disappeared but I don't know if it's thanks to my little modification)