MRT takes a crack at the B4 RSK (Aussie Spec)

[EJ20H-TT]

This I understand is for the Aussie version - which is based on the JDM rev D. I doubt it would work on earlier marks.

MRT in Aussie have been working hard on the TT and have come up with this remapping.

Words from a happy owner

My car was the final "test mule" used by Brett Middleton at MRT to
develop the EcuTek mapping software for the B4 – and with dyno and
road testing completed yesterday – I would like to share some of my
initial feedback perceptions of this product with fellow B4 & GT
owners.

The car was essentially standard – with the exception of a
substitute K&N air filter, which for the MRT upgrade was replaced
with my standard Subaru filter that had done around 2000 kms. The
car w\now has 35,000 kms on it and has been regularly serviced at
Tynans. At Tynan's dyno day last September it gave 114.6 KW when
wound out in 5th gear.

While I had been tempted to do the usual B4 performance
modifications, I resisted in the hope that something like the EcuTek
product would come along and unleash the beast from within.

Summarised below are my initial feedback comments to Brett:
• No change whatsoever in the existing B4 smooth idle
characteristics.
• A stronger willingness to rev from idle RPM when the clutch
is engaged.
• More torque below 2000 RPM from the first turbo, with no
snatch in 4th and 5th gear when revs drop to around 1600 RPM.
• Strong seamless power out to 7000 RPM, which comes with an
acceleration rush not experienced with the standard B4 ECU map.
• Memories of the B4 VOD switchover from the first to the
second turbo at 4000 RPM are just that – memories!
• 3rd gear roll-ons are devastating – from any speed.
• No compromises in the existing midrange roll-on power in 4th
and 5th gear out to 110 KPH – as evidenced by the MRT dyno graph.
• 5th gear roll-on acceleration considerably improved with the
newfound additional 16 KW that arrives above 120 KPH.
• One other item noticed is that my B4 now runs slightly
cooler on the temperature gauge reading.

You will notice from the dyno chart posted by Brett yesterday that
the before and after EcuTek modifications were carried out on an
independent non-MRT dyno and that the testing was carried out in 4th
gear. The key points are that the EcuTek delivered more torque at
the bottom end and some 16 KW improvement at the top end.

Some of this has to do with the new EcuTek software making the
electronic control flap on the B4 muffler responds better to the new
engine mapping requirements. So there is no immediate need to rush
out and buy a new exhaust system – although Brett does concede that
a turbo back exhaust upgrade is the most desirable thing to happen
after the EcuTek

I have fallen in love all over again with my old B4 toy. The car is
everything I always wanted it to be. But then again I am an Old
Fart. Regards

Vince Malone

[EJ20H-TT]

A review of MRT new improved Aussie spec Twin Turbo

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_2218/article.html

The B4 Solution
Up until now, the only way we’ve heard of tackling the B4's mid-range torque drop-off is to fiddle with the pneumatics of the twin-turbo actuation system. But now there’s a much more elegant and effective approach - an EcuTeK ECU reprogram.

We recently visited Sydney’s MRT Performance where we had the opportunity to back-to-back test a Liberty B4 in standard and EcuTeK reprogrammed guise. The only modification to this car was an atmospheric venting blow-off valve.

Flashing the new program to the ECU is a 5-minute operation. A laptop (which must contain EcuTeK software) is plugged into the OBD-II connector and the check connector is bridged. Both of these connections are under the dash – there’s no need to pull away trim panels to access the ECU.

When off-the-shelf maps are being loaded (which is usually the case) the tuner enters the EcuTek Utility Mode via the laptop. Once the appropriate file has been selected from the laptop hard-drive, the tuner clicks ‘Program ECU’ and the new data is transferred into the ECU. Once this is completed, the ECU is the reset.

Next, the car needs to be taken for drive and - within an hour - the ECU will have fully learnt its new parameters.

MRT tells us the standard tune in the Australian-spec B4 is very lean and with excessive ignition advance across the rev range. This means the engine is often on the verge of detonation – as many owners can attest to. In a standard or near-standard vehicle, MRT adds extra fuel at wide-open throttle and pulls out 4 or 5 degrees of timing in a number of load/rpm zones.

Results
After being EcuTeK reprogrammed, our demo B4 showed an improvement that was obvious, literally within the first 50 metres of driving.


Part-throttle performance has been revolutionised to the point you’d swear there was a good multi-valve V6 under the hood. Interestingly, the aftermarket blow-off valve fitted to the car audibly confirmed that the primary turbocharger was now boosting much earlier than previously. A big sneeze could be heard after backing off the throttle - at just 2000 rpm...

But what about the B4's mid-range hole? Well, in short, it’s 90 percent gone. You no longer feel yourself falling forward as the secondary turbocharger tries to come up to speed - all you get is a firmer push in the back from about 4250 rpm.

Outright performance is also improved massively - the B4 now accelerates the way we always dreamed it would! Our guess is 0 to 100 km/h performance in flat 6s - and that’s without being too brutal on the gearbox. The only on-road deficiency that remains is a lack of torque for the first few metres off the line - even the little primary turbocharger needs some engine rpm before it can give boost.