Bhp

Im looking to put a inline power boost valve to 18 tspark anybody done it yet and and if so what was the power difference if any. i had a nova gsi with one and it made a massive difference thanks for your time

Is this the Ecotek one?

no mate its the mpfi silver top

Originally Posted by mossy10

no mate its the mpfi silver top

No I don't mean what engine in your Nova

I meant is it this power boost valve:

Ecotek Valve CB-26P - Improves economy and engine efficiency.

Is it a dump valve?

Originally Posted by OperationAlfa

Is it a dump valve?

No, I don't know how this Ecotek valve works but its not a dump valve. A dump valve is only for turbocharged petrols, when you take your foot off the throttle the throttle butterfly closes and the turbo starts spooling down but it is still sucking in air, which builds up outside the inlet manifold - the dump valve vents this build-up of air in a loud hiss.

Can't see this unit in question really having any benefit on a twin spark.

Originally Posted by OperationAlfa

Can't see this unit in question really having any benefit on a twin spark.

I'm not sure how it works, at first I thought 'fuel magnets' or 'eBay resistor' but then I remembered reading about this firm in a magazine, and realised I already swear by one of their products, Ecotek Power Boost engine de-coking formula. The first time I applied it to my JTD (105K) the effect afterwards felt unbelievable! Have applied it once since (120K) and it did make a little improvement, but nothing like the first time I applied it..

Nice write up...

The Ecotek CB-26P is a car add-on with an interesting (if chequered) history.

The device connects to the engine inlet manifold where it allows extra air in under certain conditions. When it first appeared on the market in 1999, the makers claimed that the "swirl" and "turbulence" this produced would greatly improve the efficiency of the burn, giving around 15% fuel economy improvement on most cars (as well as improvements in performance and emissions). They seemed to have some pretty impressive test data (from the DTI's own Warren Spring laboratory) and magazine reviews to back this up.

Many car experts (such as myself) were sceptical right from the beginning. We said that the claims of swirl and turbulence didn't make sense, and that the only effect of the device was to weaken the air/fuel mixture (less fuel per amount of air). The sceptics admitted that this could perhaps help the economy of an old carburettor vehicle, but said it would do nothing on a car with lambda control (anything sold after 1992 in Europe).

The sceptics also pointed out that the Warren Spring tests were carried out on an extremely old car with a carburettor (as well as having other flaws), and that testimonials from magazines and satisfied customers counted for little since fuel economy is incredibly sensitive to driving style, traffic, type of journey, weather, etc - so any changes seen could be due to any of these other factors rather than the device itself.

The arguments rumbled on until 2004, when the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that Ecotek had failed to prove their product worked and so they could no longer advertise it as a fuel economy improving device. Stung by this criticism, Ecotek arranged a series of carefully controlled scientific tests using modern vehicles.

To the total lack of surprise of the sceptics, these tests definitively proved that the CB-26P does NOT significantly improve the economy of modern cars. The average benefit was around 1%, which would be totally unnoticeable in normal use and means the device would take typically 5+ years to pay for itself. Even Ecotek themselves stopped claiming large economy benefits when faced with these results.

So it's useless then? Well, not quite. By allowing extra air into the engine, it can alter the driving "feel" - the way the engine responds when the accelerator pedal is pressed or released. Some people prefer this altered "feel", even if the change to actual objective (measured) performance is very small. Having said that, many people find they can't tell any difference at all in "feel", or indeed actively dislike the change it makes.

Downsides? It can make a noise "like a duck farting", especially if used without the optional filter, and if not carefully "tuned" can cause engine running problems due to excess air entering the engine. Also, it is often fitted into the brake servo vacuum hose, so be VERY careful when fitting it if you want your brakes to keep working properly! Owners of newer vehicles should note that if your car is still under warranty and you have cut a hose to fit the device, you will probably need to buy a replacement hose from the dealer if you decide to remove it later.

So if you want to give it a go, by all means try it out - but be VERY careful when fitting and tuning it. If you like how your car drives with it on, then keep it, otherwise send it back under the 30-day guarantee.

Don't be fooled, though - any fuel economy change you might experience is almost certainly just coincidence rather than any effect of the device. If you read reviews and comments on the device written before 2005 - for example here on dooyoo - you will probably see comments about better fuel economy, but the scientific evidence against it is pretty conclusive.

You may get P1176 and P1173(*) ECU faults if you install anything that changes the airflow inside the inlet manifold thus altering MAP readings.

(*) = "Air leak after MAF"

the power boost valve that im talking about is an actual fuel mod. what it does is build up the fuel presure in your fuel rack to over 3psi on standard valves you only get at tops 1.5psi which in most cars gives a real noticable power difference most are also adjustable to adjust the presure to suit driving styles. If nobody on here has done one il be the test pilot and give details, fingers crossed hey (thanks for getting back)

you talking about the fse power boost yeah? Basically a fuel pressure boost. Good if you have a lot of mods, no benefit on a stock engine. My 147 even at 201bhp was fine on stock pressure, if anything it still managed to run a little rich!

I wouldn't be buying the fse valve.

The pressure booster is considered as a cheaper alternative to remapping to give you a richer A/F ratio if you need one. For stock cars with Euro III ECUs it won't do much and for tuned cars a remap is always the way to go.

Haha i didn't realise this old school stuff was still being trotted out!

Something that was popular back in the early ninties! Basically a fuel pressure regulator rated at a higher PSI than standard... sound like the stuff of performance dreams? no.

No matter what pressure you have in the rail, the injectors can only deliver so much. You may squeeze the tiniest of micro fractions of extra fuel out but why bother? Probably run rich enough already haha!

Uprating the pressure regulator will come about through neccesity when you're packing huge power and have had to revise your fuelling system. It won't be neccesary on a standard engine!

Mickey Mouse tuning!

sam

Increasing fuel pressure will give a richer mixture for a given injector opening time. However, within its limits the lambda probe will see an over-rich mixture & the system will adjust injection time accordingly. Outside limits, you'll just get lots of black smoke, increased fuel consumption & a fail notice at your next MoT.

I suspect that the EcoTek valve may have had a small effect on carburettor engines. By reducing inlet manifold vacuum on the over-run, it could reduce the amount of fuel being drawn into the engine when it was not actually doing any work; however, injection systems cut off the fuel on the over-run, so there's nothing to gain.

thanks for getting back mate as you can prob tell i am trapped in the 90s ive been on bikes for the past 12 years and ive decided to have a go in a car (bikes are getting to cold and to many idiots on the road) the last car i played with properly was a lancia delta hf turbo but that was a long time ago so im just trying to get the feel for the modern stuff any. Any tips for 1.8 tspark 146 to make it pull (cos cars are slow when you jump of a bike lol) would be much appreciated..

Get it chipped/have the ECU flashed.

Originally Posted by mossy10

thanks for getting back mate as you can prob tell i am trapped in the 90s ive been on bikes for the past 12 years and ive decided to have a go in a car (bikes are getting to cold and to many idiots on the road) the last car i played with properly was a lancia delta hf turbo but that was a long time ago so im just trying to get the feel for the modern stuff any. Any tips for 1.8 tspark 146 to make it pull (cos cars are slow when you jump of a bike lol) would be much appreciated..

Squadra chip is a good mod, but its not going to turn it into a missile! If your wanting proper performance your going to have to go with the turbo route, or another car.

And if you go down the turbo it you need to think about more cooling.

You could go for fast road cams. But realistically the most you would get out of it would be 45BHP with an ECU flash, new cams, bigger injectors and ports.. etc. You'd be looking at about £2500 for all that though.

Hi Mossy,
what Jim and OA said...
filter/exhaust an ecu map and headwork/cams.
but it all gets a bit expensive.
I came back to cars from bikes and the only thing that comes even close was the tiny turbocharged hatchbacks from the early nineties... (5/uno etc), unfortunatley alfa didnt make one!

If you are looking to go fast, a 1.8 146 isnt the best starting place really, i am sorry to say, tho i do know of a couple of t-sparks making around 200hp i am sure they have had thousands thrown at them to make that hp.

I've looked at all this route for my 1.8 twinny.

It's currently producing 154BHP.

The next car I have will most likely be a V6.

yes. i bought a 1.8 155 after the turbo cars and although nippy it was never fast.
luckily i found a 155 Q4 soon after and i now have as much as 260 italian horses and excellent traction too


(tho it must be said the v6 just sounds so much better)

Mossy seems someone asked the same question before mate :
http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/tunin...st-valves.html (FSE Power Boost Valves)

hi mark g thanks for getting back. i picked up mi alfa rof the snatch price of £200 pounds sterling and it was basicaly a run about, but i love it, it was just a ca