How much PSI can the WRX Take
05-13-2003, 11:57 AM
#5
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,402
Car Info: 02 WRX wagon=dead; rollin' in a Craptastic Camry!
depends
It depends. Spend some time in the factory forced induction forum and the engine management forum and you will get some degree of clarity.
05-14-2003, 12:41 AM
#8
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Anyone who asks this question is bound to blow their motor, since I assume you are using MBC or something of the sort. But to answer your question, most people will not go higher than 16 psi when everything is stock. I've heard most people can safely do 16.5, but at 17, people start blowing their motors.
05-14-2003, 09:39 AM
#12
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In the Oct. 2001 issue of Sport Compact Car Magazine during the WRX shootout Bozz was running 21 psi before they had detonation. And that was with stock internals!! But I personally wouldn't recommend more than 18 psi.
BTW: I don't believe a different turbo would make a difference as far as how much boost you can run with stock internals. Like with BAN SUVS it is more about the engine and fuel tuning. The only way the stock turbo itself would limit you is if the turbo was maxed out (running full boost). But I don't know exactly how much boost the stock turbo can run. Anyone else?
BTW: I don't believe a different turbo would make a difference as far as how much boost you can run with stock internals. Like with BAN SUVS it is more about the engine and fuel tuning. The only way the stock turbo itself would limit you is if the turbo was maxed out (running full boost). But I don't know exactly how much boost the stock turbo can run. Anyone else?
05-14-2003, 10:44 AM
#13
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augmented factory boost
Forgive me if I don't have it right; this is what I recall for the factory automatic transmission WRX:
max
gear boost
-----------------
1st 11psi
2nd 11psi
3rd 16psi
4th 16psi
I've added the TurboXS turbo booster and the Ingen cold air intake.
I've been able to trigger the electronic fuel cutoff (EFC) at roughly 17psi and at 130mph (both factory set). Trust me, you'll know it when the engine is starved of gas!
I have the turbo booster set as close to EFC as possible (set in the winter since cold air is denser than hot summer air). This gives me roughly 17psi in all 4 gears with no EFC when "floored" from a dead stop.
My car is running great on full-synthetic oil (the turbo appreciates it!). Always warm up and cool down your engine for maximum life.
Mike.
max
gear boost
-----------------
1st 11psi
2nd 11psi
3rd 16psi
4th 16psi
I've added the TurboXS turbo booster and the Ingen cold air intake.
I've been able to trigger the electronic fuel cutoff (EFC) at roughly 17psi and at 130mph (both factory set). Trust me, you'll know it when the engine is starved of gas!
I have the turbo booster set as close to EFC as possible (set in the winter since cold air is denser than hot summer air). This gives me roughly 17psi in all 4 gears with no EFC when "floored" from a dead stop.
My car is running great on full-synthetic oil (the turbo appreciates it!). Always warm up and cool down your engine for maximum life.
Mike.
05-14-2003, 10:50 AM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 418
Car Info: 05 WRB STi
Originally posted by WhiteWgn
If you upgraded the Turbo could you safely run 20 PSI or would you have to upgrade some internals also?
If you upgraded the Turbo could you safely run 20 PSI or would you have to upgrade some internals also?
Originally posted by BAN SUVS
With really good tuning and fuel management you could probably go a little higher even.
With really good tuning and fuel management you could probably go a little higher even.
05-14-2003, 03:19 PM
#15
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Posts: n/a
Originally posted by WhiteWgn
If you upgraded the Turbo could you safely run 20 PSI or would you have to upgrade some internals also?
If you upgraded the Turbo could you safely run 20 PSI or would you have to upgrade some internals also?
upgraded turbo != upgraded engine. it's a general rule of thumb that it's not safe going past 17 - 19psi on stock internals. some have done it and luckily got away with it. there are exceptions for everything.
however, just cause you have a bigger, badder turbo doesn't mean that the engine can handle it any better than the turbo that it was DESIGNED FOR.
hope that helps