Your thoughts/feelings after installing the mountain chip...

[ailwyn]

I really, really want a chip! Bit it's going against everything I stand for. And I have such an original car that was a very lucky find. What to do? What to do? I don't want to break that seal on the ECU!

An MBC/FCD would avoid that, but I don't see the issue with the mechanism of acheiving the increased power, it's the issue of changing the car from a stock set-up, once you've changed you can never claim that the car is unmodified.

To a purist you have already lost the unmodified status because of the brakes, and especially the exhaust - larger diameter = more power = more wear/tear on the engine & gearbox.

You need to decide on what you are prepared to live with as you are the one that has set yourself the target of a "factory" spec elan (even though you've already strayed from that philosophy ).

[ektrolleyboy]

I haven't yet strayed. But the next three days will see that happen... There's still time to go back!
But let's face it. I want to change the exhaust because the standard one is crap! And the brakes. Well they're not crap. They just don't work so it's hard to decide if they're crap or not! But I think they're crap!

[ailwyn]

I know why you're changing them, just trying to point out that you're straying from the "one true path".

[max and andy]

You know that your going to in the end. Do it now go on. Max

[ektrolleyboy]

Sorry Ailwyn! I can't do it... I'm going to the dark side!
The force is too strong!

A big shiny set of red brakes and a big fat Piper is coming my way... And as soon as Bob Brown sorts out his niggles a big shiny set of red rear Hi-Specs will be joining the fronts.

The jury is still out on the chip though. Brakes and exhaust can be removed. Once that ECU is open though...

[max and andy]

New ecu doesn't cost that much if your bothered about the seal. Ive just tried Max's up to Kwickfit and its back to 0.9bar with a blowing back box. Anyone who thinks the Everest upgrade is subtle must be used to driving a space rocket. It frightens the S..t out of me. Andy

[Marcus_uk]

New ecu doesn't cost that much if your bothered about the seal. Ive just tried Max's up to Kwickfit and its back to 0.9bar with a blowing back box. Anyone who thinks the Everest upgrade is subtle must be used to driving a space rocket. It frightens the S..t out of me. Andy

Could you get a used ECU fit and chip that, and keep your current one in its sealed condition...might save a few $$$

[HJ2]

Hahaha LOL Finaly max and Andy! Enjoying the Elan to the max! Good everything worked out in the end

[max and andy]

I never suspected the back box. It sounded fine. I was hoping to MOT it before the PCE was fitted just to give us 12 months before we tried to pass the MOT without cats. At least we can spend the money on the new Piper rather then on fault finding. I started to doubt that we had done the wiggle right. The difference between the performance of the car pre Donington and post is incredible. Even with the box blowing. It must of been a blockage. Would the scan have pointed me in the right direction just out of curiosity? Max & Andy

[Enright]

Sounds to me like the honeycomb inside the pre-cat has moved and strangled the exhaust, then the resulting back-pressure has restricted the boost - just like stuffing a potato up your exhaust.
Now a good blast has loosened it, but maybe as they fractured and got blown out the back all the bits of ceramic killed the exhaust system in the process (like shotgun pellets).
All a scan would have done is confirmed that everything was working ok but you were getting limited boost. It wouldn't have told you why. A bugger of a problem to find.

[max and andy]

I thought at first how could something going at the front damage the back box? But seeing the photo's of the Pre cat off the car if the honey cone has crumbled it could pass through or block the bottom of the pre cat. And as you say Enright come through once loose like a bullet. And looking underneath for the first time today the Exhaust looks as old as the car. 10yrs older even. Andy

[dapinky]

And the brakes. Well they're not crap. They just don't work so it's hard to decide if they're crap or not! But I think they're crap!

They're quite adequate IF maintained properly, just don't ever expect to lock up the wheels (not that it helps if you do!)

The jury is still out on the chip though. Brakes and exhaust can be removed. Once that ECU is open though...

A new ECU can be had for under £60 - so you can keep the original one in a box to put back in if you want to.

[rip]

just like stuffing a potato up your exhaust.

Banana in the tailpipe

[M100 TWO]

The back box is usually the first to go as it is more prone to condensation and rots out from the inside allowing the filling to move and restrict the gas flow. I am pleased it failed, has saved you a lot of time and effort sorting out your boost problem
diff

[max and andy]

I think your right. If we had of gone to a mechanic he would of spent a day re checking all the areas we checked first i.e the turbo, wastegate, hoses I'm not sure how you would check how much flow was coming out of the tail pipe. All i do know is it would of cost a lot.. Max & Andy

[rip]

A big shiny set of red brakes and a big fat Piper is coming my way.

Ah, a Piper. That will open a can of worms.

This will cause boost creep, which you'll enjoy...until the boost creeps to 0.94 bar when overboost will occur, which you won't enjoy.
The cure for overboost is to port the wastegate. (While doing this, you may decide to replace your pre-cat housing with Piper PCE). Once the wastegate is ported, you'll be back to 0.65 bar. You may then miss the extra boost & want an Everest.

As for the sealed ECU: the 2 ECUs I got from the aftersales in September did not have a seal.

[ektrolleyboy]

Paul Matty mechanics seem quite sure that with a sports cat' I won't get over-boost. I guess we'll have to see. If I do get over-boost then at least it will give me an insight into how the chip performs. I'd like to try another car out!

[max and andy]

Matty probably means you wont get creep with the sports cat and the pre cat in place. If you remove the pre cat i don't know what your chances are. Andy

[ektrolleyboy]

I'm leaving the cat's in place.
I'm not interested in power gains from an exhaust. I want noise and looks! As simple as that...

[ektrolleyboy]

[quote="dapinky

A new ECU can be had for under £60 - so you can keep the original one in a box to put back in if you want to.[/quote]

From where?