hey guys. i have a 02 wrx and have all the mods for a stage 3.so i bought a utec thinking that it would be better than my stock ecu. but after installing it, the car runs at 10psi and feels alot slower. alot. i was only running 14.5 with the stock ecu. the car runs good and feels clean, but it didnt run that bad with the stock ecu. so is the utec broken, because this isnt worth $1000.00. so what is wrong?

User Tunable Engine Computer
You can't just expect to install the UTEC and it'll perform some magic, it needs to be tuned. If you do not want to tune it yourself, take the car to PDX Tuning in Portland because I have seen many great tunes done by them on the UTEC. You will leave very very happy with the results if you do this.

. so what is wrong?[/COLOR][/FONT]



it needs to be tuned.

ok.i understand that, but why does turboxs claim that you just plug and go? so the maps from them are no good? the stock ecu did alot better by its self.

If you were looking for a plug and go setup you should have gotten a Accessport and followed the Cobb upgrade path. You really do not know how good a proper tune will do. I have the 04 WRX tuned to 18.5 psi on the stock turbo and it hauls.

All Off-The-Shelf maps are tuned conservatively leaving alot of power on the table, a proper tune can fix all that.

so is it some thing i should try to do or should i send it off? in not dumb with cars, i just dont wont to hurt anything. and the map switch wont change the maps on the utec.i put the switch on 0 and the utec at 0. pluged it in and nothing. even put it on 9 ( i one ware the car wont start ) and it ran the same. i had to put it on map 3 by hand.( no bid deal ) so that is why i think the utec is broken. just alot of strange thing. love the help. you guys are awsome. so what ya think?

no no the Utec isnt broken, when you first buy it it comes with a base map just to get the car runnin and you can tune your own car via laptop or you can take your car to get tuned by proffesionals and i see your from OREGON so you should hit up PDXtuning they are right in your area and they do tune UTEC systems and have a variety of maps

did you install the ABC?

did you have your stock ecu reflashed?

I am just curious, what mods do you have?

no i dont have the abc on yet. but i was just trying to hit 14.5(stock psi). i have headers,up,3"dp, 3" exhaust(live in oregon= no cats:) )big tmic, hks bov, aem short ram, b&m short shifter,stage 3 clutch, the utec, and the boost 3/8 mod( i think that is what it is). i think that is all the engine mods? should i run a utec or something else?

i dont think that i have rest the ecu. i did unplug the neg on the battery. should i have done something else also?

I believe for the older WRXs you absolutely need the ABC to reach full boost thats called for in the maps. As everyone says, the map that's on the UTEC are very conservative. You really need to tune it.

I didn't say reset the ecu, but REFLASH. I recommend for a great tuning get your stock ecu reflashed with a good map. Then tune your UTEC with a more aggresive tune. I am sure someone here can help you if you don't have a tuner near you. The UTEC HAS to have a boost controller for the WRX, it says it in the manual you got with the UTEC.

Geez... read the UTEC manual.

ALL of the TurboXS basemaps require the boost level to be set properly by the end user. It's been the same way since day one.

From the TurboXS website: "All maps are defaulted to run closed loop boost control. Boost levels should be checked immediately and modified as needed."

yes i know i need a abc. i ordered it is on its way. i was just trying to hit stock boost in all the gears. but anyway i pulled out the utec and downloaded new maps. im now hitting fill boost and the car is running good. i guess i had the old maps. just need to work on the boost spikes and the idle runs a little rich. i like to try to do all the work myself. dont like to run and have someone do it. thanks for all the help guys!!!


YOU GUYS ARE MY TUNERS.....LOL

get some logs together and post them for us and we can try to help you.

YOU GUYS ARE MY TUNERS.....LOL

oh god.

oh oh, this isn't going to be good.