Anyone have experience with the ViPEC v88?

[MainFrame]

I'm considering going standalone and I wanted to get people's opinions on the ViPEC unit. I'm wanting to implement complete flex fuel capabilities, among other things.

[EJ257]

I have no direct personal experience with the unit.

Mike @ Innovative Tuning seems to really be the go-to guy to talk to about the unit; he's had probably the most hands-on experience with it out of any tuner I've seen. He's pretty easy to talk to, so reach out to him (http://www.innovativetuning.com/contact/) I may end up going with the V88 when I get the new motor / rotated setup in (if so, he'll be tuning the car, because of his experience). A buddy of mine has a GT30 wagon with the V88 unit, and god it was a fun car, even though it's limited by 650cc injectors.

If you do go the ViPEC route, I'd strongly urge you to try to get Mike in for a tuning trip. Nothing against Keith, but with how many cars Mike has tuned on that system, I'd feel more comfortable with him behind the laptop.

[MainFrame]

Yeah, I shot him an email the other day, just waiting for a response. I think they may be the only shop that offers a plug and play harness for the ViPEC that's ready to go for us (otherwise you're looking at a lot of cutting and splicing to get it hooked up).

I really think this is the route I want to go, but once again I have brought myself to a cross roads so to speak. I talked to Ron Watson yesterday and his bugeye with the GTX35 isn't hitting full boost till 5k. If I'm not seeing full boost before 4500 I'm gonna feel like shooting myself in the face. He was saying AVCS heads would easily get an extra 500-700rpm sooner spool. I never wanted to change heads because my ECU can't control AVCS. But if I got the ViPEC I could put dual AVCS heads on it, and assuming the builder properly clays the pistons to really see how much advance I can actually run, it would be a great street setup.


But then I'm talking probably close to $3k for the ViPEC and tuning, and another $600-$800 for the heads. Then add the cost of building the heads, PnP, expenses rack up quickly.. money I don't really have. I could just move forward with my current build and pray for decent spool. Then save up for the ViPEC and new heads, but then it doesn't make much sense to put so much money into building my current heads when I'm just going to switch them out down the road.

[EJ257]

Yeah, I shot him an email the other day, just waiting for a response. I think they may be the only shop that offers a plug and play harness for the ViPEC that's ready to go for us (otherwise you're looking at a lot of cutting and splicing to get it hooked up).

I really think this is the route I want to go, but once again I have brought myself to a cross roads so to speak. I talked to Ron Watson yesterday and his bugeye with the GTX35 isn't hitting full boost till 5k. If I'm not seeing full boost before 4500 I'm gonna feel like shooting myself in the face. He was saying AVCS heads would easily get an extra 500-700rpm sooner spool. I never wanted to change heads because my ECU can't control AVCS. But if I got the ViPEC I could put dual AVCS heads on it, and assuming the builder properly clays the pistons to really see how much advance I can actually run, it would be a great street setup.


But then I'm talking probably close to $3k for the ViPEC and tuning, and another $600-$800 for the heads. Then add the cost of building the heads, PnP, expenses rack up quickly.. money I don't really have. I could just move forward with my current build and pray for decent spool. Then save up for the ViPEC and new heads, but then it doesn't make much sense to put so much money into building my current heads when I'm just going to switch them out down the road.

How much could you expect selling them when you switch?

[MainFrame]

How much could you expect selling them when you switch?

That's the thing.. if I could know ahead of time that someone with the money will be in the market for some well built non-AVCS heads when it came time to swap then my decision would be a lot easier. People are just so weary of buying high cost used parts like that, and rightful so.

[EJ257]

That's the thing.. if I could know ahead of time that someone with the money will be in the market for some well built non-AVCS heads when it came time to swap then my decision would be a lot easier. People are just so weary of buying high cost used parts like that, and rightful so.

It's a tough call. I'd hold off until you talk to Mike.

[kellygnsd]

Yeah, I shot him an email the other day, just waiting for a response. I think they may be the only shop that offers a plug and play harness for the ViPEC that's ready to go for us (otherwise you're looking at a lot of cutting and splicing to get it hooked up).

I really think this is the route I want to go, but once again I have brought myself to a cross roads so to speak. I talked to Ron Watson yesterday and his bugeye with the GTX35 isn't hitting full boost till 5k. If I'm not seeing full boost before 4500 I'm gonna feel like shooting myself in the face. He was saying AVCS heads would easily get an extra 500-700rpm sooner spool. I never wanted to change heads because my ECU can't control AVCS. But if I got the ViPEC I could put dual AVCS heads on it, and assuming the builder properly clays the pistons to really see how much advance I can actually run, it would be a great street setup.


But then I'm talking probably close to $3k for the ViPEC and tuning, and another $600-$800 for the heads. Then add the cost of building the heads, PnP, expenses rack up quickly.. money I don't really have. I could just move forward with my current build and pray for decent spool. Then save up for the ViPEC and new heads, but then it doesn't make much sense to put so much money into building my current heads when I'm just going to switch them out down the road.

I have the Link G4 Extreme which is the Link version of the V88 (Link makes boths hardware). Vi-pec and Link no longer officially make there adapter harness to allow you to run the V88 wire in unit as a plug and play unit and I thought I got one of the last ones available but both Vipec and Link offer replacement board versions that you just install in your factory ECU case, plug in your harness and go. Miles @ Fine Line Imports hooked me up with mine. Is the harness that innovate sells the factory adapter harness or one that they made themselves?

[MainFrame]

I'm not sure.. my understanding was that it's an adapter harness that they make themselves, but I have very limited info to go on. I'm going to give Mike a call on Monday and see what he has to say about it. The factory replacement option sounds pretty appealing.

[kellygnsd]

Check out the Link and Vi-pec websites and read up on both a bit more on there current offerings before you buy. Will this be going in a WRX or STi? If you have an STi you won't need an adapter harness if you go with the replacement board model.

[MainFrame]

2002 WRX

[EJ257]

I have the Link G4 Extreme which is the Link version of the V88 (Link makes boths hardware). Vi-pec and Link no longer officially make there adapter harness to allow you to run the V88 wire in unit as a plug and play unit and I thought I got one of the last ones available but both Vipec and Link offer replacement board versions that you just install in your factory ECU case, plug in your harness and go. Miles @ Fine Line Imports hooked me up with mine. Is the harness that innovate sells the factory adapter harness or one that they made themselves?

Seen you post a bunch on Nasioc. Didn't know you were a member over here...

Please post a thread on your build (with pics) here so I have some fap material

[MainFrame]

Seen you post a bunch on Nasioc. Didn't know you were a member over here...

I was thinking the same.

[kellygnsd]

Seen you post a bunch on Nasioc. Didn't know you were a member over here...

Please post a thread on your build (with pics) here so I have some fap material

I'll post something up in the next few days here. I'm kinda bummed that I have any status updates because of B-W.