cobb access port question

[Capt Crunch]

Coming from the Subaru world, I think the AP is worth the money, it's just that the actual tuners don't have enough experience with the car.

I remember the days when a stage 2 (turboback exhaust and tune) WRX made 210 whp, and that was awesome. Now 250 whp is the norm, just because tuners got better at tuning the car. Same thing happened with STIs. As tuners got more comfortable they got way more power out of the car with the same parts. Now engine management, usually the Cobb AP, is the first thing you buy for Subarus.

I'd bet that the same thing will happen here; maybe not as quickly or as widespread simply because the MS3 is not as popular a car. Still, I think the ability to individually tune for your car and it's modifications is the best mod you can do for power and reliability.

 

[lestat13]

Coming from the Subaru world, I think the AP is worth the money, it's just that the actual tuners don't have enough experience with the car.

I remember the days when a stage 2 (turboback exhaust and tune) WRX made 210 whp, and that was awesome. Now 250 whp is the norm, just because tuners got better at tuning the car. Same thing happened with STIs. As tuners got more comfortable they got way more power out of the car with the same parts. Now engine management, usually the Cobb AP, is the first thing you buy for Subarus.

I'd bet that the same thing will happen here; maybe not as quickly or as widespread simply because the MS3 is not as popular a car. Still, I think the ability to individually tune for your car and it's modifications is the best mod you can do for power and reliability.

When I was looking at a few used WRX I test drove some stock, some with bolts ons, and one with just intake, AP, and catback (not turbo back) and WOW the difference the AP made was NIGHT AND DAY! If I ended up getting the WRX it would have been my first mod.

I am anxious to see what really happens with the MS3 and the AP. I'm just dying for bigger numbers sooner

 

[lamp3]

One thing I'm havin trouble waping my head around is why everyone is complaining about power. I'm coming into this car from a protuned stag 2 STi (had an rx8 for about six months inbetween). I have been very impressed with how strong this car pulls. and all I have right now is the cobb intake and some light wheels. From lookin at he numbers, with a stge 2+ cobb is getting about 315 wtq and 280ish whp. thats enough to run with an evo or sti with bolt ons from a roll. and the AP will increase the drivability. It cost what 200 for the intake 700 for the AP and 400ish for a DP for a total of around 1300 bucks. Oh and dont forget our cars can be had for 10k or more less

 

[sleeper3]

what about people who don't have cobb stuff? it's a waste until the tuning software comes out.

 

[funkyman]

One thing I'm havin trouble waping my head around is why everyone is complaining about power. I'm coming into this car from a protuned stag 2 STi (had an rx8 for about six months inbetween). I have been very impressed with how strong this car pulls. and all I have right now is the cobb intake and some light wheels. From lookin at he numbers, with a stge 2+ cobb is getting about 315 wtq and 280ish whp. thats enough to run with an evo or sti with bolt ons from a roll. and the AP will increase the drivability. It cost what 200 for the intake 700 for the AP and 400ish for a DP for a total of around 1300 bucks. Oh and dont forget our cars can be had for 10k or more less

Who gets 280@ the wheels with a CobbNot anyone i know unless they upped the boost which you can do anyway no need for a 700usd AP.

 

[ericrapp]

Plugs

. patience, and I suggest that you do not run more than 15,000 miles on our spark plugs, especially since the car is running slightly higher boost levels. Even iridium or platinum plugs do not last long IMO. I would highly suggest you make this part of your standard maintenance procedures.

I will be able to access the findings and post what we suggest after some additional sets are sent to us. Would you like a free Cobb hat for your offerings? They are actual nice IMO. If so, please e-mail me your shipping address, christian@cobbtuning.com This offer is good to the first 5 people that can send me their used stock plugs with some information as to what fuel you were using, what boost levels, what mileage is on them, and what cylinders they are from. 2 down.

Thanks,

Take care,
Christian.

I am ready to replace plugs. Which part# and what gap for replacement do you suggest for a cool motor with 15-18 lbs peak boosting. I am at almost twenty thousand and have never looked at plugs. Shame on me. I will replace this weekend if someone can give me part # for the colder ngk

 

[aaronc7]

Ericrapp: from what I know I would go with the Denso or NGK 1 step colder plugs

NGK: LTR7IX-11
Denso: ITV22

the NGK comes pregapped @ .044 I think and the denso is .032. Our recommended range if from .028 to .031, so the Densos would only need MINOR regapping, so it seems like it would work the best. Hope this helps.

Clubplug.net has the denso, search ITV22

Hope this helps

 

[ericrapp]

I was aware of this product about the day my car arrived. It might be a good thing that the Access has taken this long to be released. i certainly look forward to the folks experiences and the upgrades that start to trickle out from these Cobb guys.

 

[lamp3]

funkyman, I was goin off of what the cobb stage 2+ dynos look like.

 

[ericrapp]

again

Ericrapp: from what I know I would go with the Denso or NGK 1 step colder plugs

NGK: LTR7IX-11
Denso: ITV22

the NGK comes pregapped @ .044 I think and the denso is .032. Our recommended range if from .028 to .031, so the Densos would only need MINOR regapping, so it seems like it would work the best. Hope this helps.

Clubplug.net has the denso, search ITV22

Hope this helps

Helps? hell yes. Thank you, again, sir. My saturday morning is now planned.

 

[Christian.]

MS3 owners with an AccessPORT, we would like your input.

We have set up a link on our forums asking for your input as to what you would like us to focus on. We should be able to address all requests in time, but we would like to see where you would like us to start. Please respond to the Poll appropriately and we will start focusing where you would like us to. Please be sure to direct your fellow enthusiasts to this link so they can give their input. We appreciate your input and we look forward to hearing from you.

Take care,
Christian.

 

[aaronc7]

welp, put the new plugs in. I read somewhere online they were gapped to .032 but my gapping tool said they were about .027-.028, so I just left them as they were.

It's been several days since I ran the stage 2 plus map, so I'll try to compare as best as possible. I think it's an improvement over the 4 dollar platinum plugs that I regapped from autozone but its still not quite there. Feels like it will slightly stutter still, usually when boost is spiking or above the target psi. For example....flooring it in 4th at 2.krpm it will not stutter all the way to 6k, but shift quickly from 3rd to 4th, or hammer it in 4th at 4k rpms and the boost will spike a little, then it stutters and boost is abruptly brought back down and will keep boost at 15 psi or so.

5th and 6th gear on the highway felt really good, right around 17psi or so and because I was lower in the rpm range no kind of stutter etc. The stutter happens the most when going through the gears (when I've found that boost will spike the most). Sometimes even in 2nd or 3rd but mainly 4th gear. It felt good out and about driving. I did a 1/4 mile i trapped 100mph again time was 14.6 but my 60' was 2.6 so I wasn't launching or anything obviously.

I think I heard the tires squeal a couple times in 1st and 2nd, thats a good sign, lol. But not as much as the stock map. I can understand though if they wanted to control wheelspin (although personally I like the stock map and how it gives mroe power in first and second).

Right now I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do. I might give it a little more time and see what happens. I can't wait 'a few week' and see what happens to the stutter, because by then my 30 day period will be up. Remember I trapped 103 and 104 with stock map before, so right now its not as quick. I would like an expert opinion on the 'ecu learning' and if giving it a few more days/weeks will actually change anything. What do you guys think?

 

[aaronc7]

Alright haters, Christian sent me a new revised beta calibration this evening. He said he raised a few limits (not boost though) and did some fueling adjustments, as well as allowed more power in the first two gears.

Whatever he did, the stutter I could not get rid of is completely gone. Boost spikes up to 19.0-19.4 psi at most and then settles back down in 4th gear (gear I did all the pulls). WGDC doesn't go crazy and go to zero (which is what was causing the stutter I believe...some sort of lesser version of 'boost cut').

1st and 2nd definitely have more power, does not feel tame and boring like it used to. The good news is though, the power seems just about first in 1st and 2nd, at least for my wheel/tire/suspension setup. Not so much power that I lose traction and just spin the tires, but enough that the front end gets a little squirly and I'm holding on to the steering wheel nice and tight. It's hard to say but boost may not come on quite as hard as stock (cruising steady in 2nd and then going WOT at around 3k rpm), but its definitely got some of that wild child feel back. Boost not coming on quite as quick is probably a good though in regards to wheelspin.

Haven't got to do my ever so scientific 1/4 mile runs on the AP yet, lol but driving around it felt really good and pretty beastly. It's still a beta map and Christian tells me they have several revisions that are in the works (I got v101F). Cobb tends to keep things under wraps a little bit sometimes, but it definitely seems like they are listening to us and working with us to improve the maps, just have a little patience. V101 should be out late next week (hopefully).

 

[SwampAss]

that's very good news Aaron.