MBV, Everest Chip, Both? What have I got?

[Dom]

Evening All.

My Elan has a TurboXS MBV that was there when I acquired the car. The seller also stated it had had an Everset chip fitted and that the MBV was no longer plumbed in. However, Tim at Lakesside reckons it is still plumbed in, and that the car is not boosting particularly highly for a chipped car. Having both seems odd. Is there a definitive way I can tell if I have a Mountain chip fitted? Do I need to look in the ECU?

Many thanks,

Confused of Berkshire (AKA Dom)

[alan e]

Take a look at the ECU and see if the seal is broken if it is you may have a chip fitted.

[Dom]

Thank you. I've read that, if a chip is fitted, the MBV becomes redundant and should be removed.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

The mountain chip does the same thing as a MBC only it also corrects the lean mixture at the higher boost, thus lowering the potential of burning a hole in a piston.

I believe ElanScan identifies what chip is active but maybe since it is piggy-backed on a stock chip, it declares the original.

[Fredjohn]

Go to the mountain chip link at the top of the page, read the fitment instructions and look at the photos of the ECU with and without the chip. Then compare to your ECU.
You will of course need to open your ECU to do this.
Either way as BCN says the chip is much safer than the MBV, so maybe remove the MBV completely.

[Dom]

MBV removed and ECU opened. There is an Everest Chip inside.

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I am also thinking of going closed loop. I found some apparently spare wiring on the offside inner wing. Is this what I need for the O2 sensor?

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Many thanks

Dom

[lotustonybassplayer]

The 4 terminal connector is the one that you use, if you have 12v at it then it is connected through to the ECU, so you wont have to do any additional wiring, you will have to change the chip though for a closed loop version

[Dom]

Ooh. Time to break out the multimeter. Where's the best place to source an O2 sensor, please?

[lotustonybassplayer]

I got mine at rockauto, bought the Bosch one as listed in the wiki

[Dom]

Sensor and sensor socket ordered. Now I need to get hold of Alan in order to sort the chip side of things. My current chip has 9929 written on it, but I know I'll need a different chip. Does Alan do a trade-in service or should I just buy a new, appropriate, chip?

[alan e]

Your chip needs updating for closed loop you need to send your chip to Alan for the update.

[simonbuk]

It's on Alan's website about a trade in/update and the cost.

[Dom]

I've contacted Alan, so all good. Thanks for your suggestions.

[Dom]

The sensor finally arrived today and is now fitted, together with the correct chip from Alan. I got stung £15 by Royal Mail and it took longer to get 10 miles from Heathrow to my home than it did to get from America. Anyway, I am now closed loop at last. The car runs more smoothly and I'm hoping for better economy.

[John_W]

Dom,
how traumatic was the fitting of the O2 sensor? Or rather, how traumatic was getting the old blanking bolt out of the turbo housing? I may consider going closed loop this winter.
John

[lotustonybassplayer]

John, I sprayed penetrating fluid daily for a couple weeks prior to having a go at removing the bung. I used a 6oomm breaker bar and a impact socket it came out quite easily I did buy a rethreader to clean up the thread as the sensor would not screw in when i first tried fitting it though. Tony

[Dom]

Dom,
how traumatic was the fitting of the O2 sensor? Or rather, how traumatic was getting the old blanking bolt out of the turbo housing? I may consider going closed loop this winter.
John

I used a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF to soak the bung. I used some butyl to make a ridge around the bung so that the penetrating fluid would not run off. The next day the bung came out easily enough with a 27mm socket and a breaker bar.

[Dom]

John, I sprayed penetrating fluid daily for a couple weeks prior to having a go at removing the bung. I used a 6oomm breaker bar and a impact socket it came out quite easily I did buy a rethreader to clean up the thread as the sensor would not screw in when i first tried fitting it though. Tony

What rethreader did you buy? My O2 sensor went in, but I'm not convinced it's gone in all the way.

[lotustonybassplayer]

Bergen spark plug chasers comes in a set of four different sizes got them from Amazon around £5.00

[Dom]

Bergen spark plug chasers comes in a set of four different sizes got them from Amazon around £5.00

Great. Thanks for that.