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Hey everyone I'm sorry for hassling anyone who reads this with could possibly come down to my stupidity but I really am at the mercy of the forum for help with this one.

I've bought a HKS EVC-S boost controller for my series 2 Stagea and I basically would like to run two simple settings and I can't believe I'm having THIS much trouble achieving what I thought was an easy increase. Anyway basically I've got the unit installed fine (initially I didn't because when I put the foot down I soon realised I had the wrong vacuum line connected to the solenoid and discovered a very fast unlimited boost effect which thankfully didn't cause any damage)

Anyway the unit's in, and I've reset the default values for the sake of having default values and I basically want to run two programs "A" stock boost and "B" something around 9-10PSI thats my target. And so right from the start I'm stumped because I have no idea how this thing measures my wastegate spring tension (even though the manual describes letting the unit learn this value there is no instructions in the manual that describe how its done UNLIKE previous EVC's before it where they had a dedicated mode for this)

So my first question is, considering I leave the unit in its most default settings and for the first time I start my car over what should I be expecting this thing to do? If the unit is "off" it apparently works off my spring tension which it does, but if the unit is "off" is this actually learning anything or do I need the fire up the unit and be in the default "A" setting and go through the process of putting my foot down so it figures its self out.

Secondly, the unit has these modes "Offset" "Response" and "Over Boost" - offset and response are both in a % value which I understand when this increases so does the boost pressure, but I have no idea what the overboost function (or purpose for that matter) is because this value is in PSI/KPA depending on the setting. If I set this value to say 7PSI the turbo spools up very quickly and then drops off as soon as it reaches the target PSI. The manual describes "once the boost exceeds the value the controller returns to normal mode" and no where in the manual it describes what "normal mode" is besides the fact the turbo spools up to whatever I set this at and then drop immediately to around 5.5-6PSI.

Now at this point I should mention, If I set the "Over Boost" to any figure over 5.5 (which I'm guessing is the spring tension) the HKS solenoid doesn't make a sound much like the stock unit did BUT as soon as I introduce any amount of "Offset" it starts clicking like mad. I've read around a few places and found people seem to have this happen to them with other EBC's from greddy or blitz so I can only assume it must be its way of working.

Lastly, after stuffing around with the controller and trying to figure this thing out, after a fair bit of testing on the road I get an "02 Sensor" error throw up the check engine light on the dash, at this time this only happens when the boost controller unit is ON and controls any amount of boost and it only seems to happen quite late in the RPM and after a few trial runs in the car. This doesn't happen when the controller is OFF and running stock spring tension boost. So obviously I've got something going wrong and its got to be something I'm messing with.

Anyway I'm sorry for the long post but I've tried to be as descriptive as possible because I'm at the point of ripping the unit out completely because I thought it was going to be a simple to use unit.

Thanks in advanced for any help given.

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and so your HKS EBC saga begins.. first ull try to work out how to use the thing, then when you have a doctorate in using something that has a GUI as primitive as a highschool calculator ull realize its a POS and HKS dont make anything good other than turbos.

im no boost control noob, ive had a few and always been successful. ive sworn about this top bloke of an EBC many times on evooz. everyone will tell you to learn how to use it, then will tell u to get someone who knows how to tune it to do it, like ISMR. every EVC5 i have touched tuned by ISMR has no settings dialed in other than the desired boost at 1.5 bar and the duty set to 90. surprise surprise they also all ran 1.5 bar actuators. what a master of tuning.

mine would never hold boost to redline, it would always drop back to actuator pressure, yet you could get it to spike to 2.8 bar without a problem. in the end i got rid of it for a profecB which i had used before and my issues were gone with it. to note, i have never seen a HKS controller work in a car that wasnt running actuator pressure, only 'heard' of them. have also uninstalled 2 other HKS models in mates cars and replaced with alternate units to resolve the same issue mine had.

sorry to be so negative, but i really f-ing hate this boost controller. if it doesnt work out for you, i SERIOUSLY recommend pissing it off.. but it might just work out seeing as your not asking much of it.

GL

and so your HKS EBC saga begins.. first ull try to work out how to use the thing, then when you have a doctorate in using something that has a GUI as primitive as a highschool calculator ull realize its a POS and HKS dont make anything good other than turbos.

im no boost control noob, ive had a few and always been successful. ive sworn about this top bloke of an EBC many times on evooz. everyone will tell you to learn how to use it, then will tell u to get someone who knows how to tune it to do it, like ISMR. every EVC5 i have touched tuned by ISMR has no settings dialed in other than the desired boost at 1.5 bar and the duty set to 90. surprise surprise they also all ran 1.5 bar actuators. what a master of tuning.

mine would never hold boost to redline, it would always drop back to actuator pressure, yet you could get it to spike to 2.8 bar without a problem. in the end i got rid of it for a profecB which i had used before and my issues were gone with it. to note, i have never seen a HKS controller work in a car that wasnt running actuator pressure, only 'heard' of them. have also uninstalled 2 other HKS models in mates cars and replaced with alternate units to resolve the same issue mine had.

sorry to be so negative, but i really f-ing hate this boost controller. if it doesnt work out for you, i SERIOUSLY recommend pissing it off.. but it might just work out seeing as your not asking much of it.

GL

Hey man thanks for the input yeah I'm pretty much at that point where I don't really want to invest the next month in trial and error for something I should be able to just dial in and expect to work. The so called "basic" functions really have a trivial in-depth hidden agenda behind them all so it seems.

Anyway thanks again.

  • 3 weeks later...

just lettin u know ive tuned mine ok into my 34,

boosts to 10psi and drops down to about 9.8 at about 6000rpm

through all the rev range it's pretty good... spent about an hour tuning and fiddling with response and offset to get it perfect

ps my over boost is set to 0, this is possibly what is causing my clicking issue to.. but i have yet to play with that theory

Edited by Neuroglider
  • 3 weeks later...

HKS seemed to hit a peak with the evc iii/iv. I have one of them and have had no problems setting it up and getting it working, and it does self learn OK as well. I have to admit though that they are not the simplest bit of gear to play with - overly complex for what you want to do. ie increase boost to X.

When is someone going to make one that you can upload settings to, so just plug the notebook in and set everything up?

BTW Overboost sounds a bit like the old scramble function, it gives you more boost than your highest setting for a defined time. For example you have a high boost setting of 10psi and you can set up overboost to go to 15psi for 30 seconds or some such. Its a pain in the butt to use though because your boosting hard and then have to reach over and hit the button for overboost while your doing warp speed - yeah right!!!

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

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