I finally installed Andy's VGS mod yesterday so I thought I'd share some pics and comments.

First off, I went to Autozone and picked up 10' of 5/32" ID vacuum hose. $5.50.

Turns out i was lucky since there was an open box of assorted tees and the salesperson just let me take 3 5/32" ones.

Proceeded with the install by first removing the intercooler.

I had previously installed my boost gauge and tapped into this vacuum nipple on the intake manifold....



Then I simply followed Andy's diagram and cut a 3" piece of hose, teed off the same line again, and measured and cut another length of hose to the BPV.

Andy's diagram:



Tee-ing off the vacuum nipple on the intake manifold.

The orange hose is connected to the nipple, one tee going to the BPV, one tee going to another tee that goes to the FPR and my boost gauge. Boost gauge hose is the clear white plastic one.



Here is a pic of the completed install minus the intercooler.

1) Boost line again.
2) Vacuum nipple on the intake manifold is on the other side of the clamp. It's quite hard to get to get to but I managed with a long pair of angled needle nose pliers.
3) New vacuum hose routed along an existing tube.
4) Shows the location of the BPV.
As Andy pointed out, pull the existing hose towards the front of the car to remove it. I found it easier to use my hand, having my fingers pointing in the direction of (4) at a 45 angle if that makes any sense at all.



And here's a close up of the BPV- you can see the stock hose capped off with a snug screw as per Andy's recommendations (to allow for easy swappage between stock and VGS).



One note on re-installing the IC. I threw an SES code P0171 - System too Lean (Bank 1 of 2) because I did not re-attach the boots properly. You have to make sure that there is no movement when you tighten down the clamps. TO do this you make sure you tighten the INNER clamps first.

Other than that the install took me 45 minutes to do.

In terms of performance, the car feels pretty awesome now (minus the flat spot due to software and/or 63mm TB). It flips between vacuum and boost MUCH quicker...so that when you stomp on it, the car reacts right away and you get the boost NOW.

Too bad it doesn't remove my flat spot.....But I will re-install the stock TB when I have a chance and to some more testing...


Hope this helps!

 

great write up - thank you!

 

I dont want to sound like an idiot, but what is the purpose of a VGS? Could you have one, and a catch can at the same time?

 

You don't sound like an idiot.

Check out this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...on+vacuum+gain

The basic idea is that you change the source of vacuum that controls the BypassValve (valve that allows/disallows boost) in order to increase its efficiency in opening/closing. It therefore switches between boost on and boost off much quicker than the stock configuration.

 

Wow i just installed it. It was a bit harder than i thought. I it just me or is the car considerably faster, or quicker whatever you might say. But, about an hour after i did it my car went into limp mode, untill i tuned it off and on again. Could this be tied into the install?

 

Most likely. Given that this happened to me, did you check to make sure that your intercooler clamps and rubber boots are not moving at all? If it pops off competely I imagine that you could go into limp mode.

Did you throw an SES light?

The car *is* considerably faster, as boost is one earlier, kicking off that great positive feedback loop of more boost, more speed, more boost, etc......

 

Thanks so much for the pics!!

 

My SES light is still on, anyone else experience this problem...

 

You probably did the same thing as me - when reattaching the IC the boot has to be clamped down with the inner brackets first or else your boot might pop off. I got a "System Too Lean" error and went out and bought an scanner from Autozone to clear it.

After re-attaching the boot properly it has not come on since.

 

.

 

Three questions:
1. Is it really necessary to pull the IC, don't want to if I don't have to?
2. How much was the code scanner from Autozone?
3. What is the boost change? (Will this cause me to need to compensate for more boost? Colder plugs, etc?)
Thanks - Jeff

 

1 - No, but you should at least remove the cover.
2. $140 for the Actron OBD-II scanner (works great)
3. Boost change? None. But it feel like boost came on earlier.

On a side note (ok maybe not such a side note) I've reverted back to stock.

I think I have bigger problems, though, since I am now getting 18mpg instead of my normal 24avg and the culprit may be a leak in the FPR line (the rubber grommet popped off and I am picking up a new one @ the dealer tomorrow). I tried to pop it back on but it's been driving like CRAPPOLA ever since.

 

Turns out my Fuel Pressure Regulator unit was defective. The tip of it has this screen....which evidently just popped off (remmeber I teed into my existing connection on the FPR line on the OTHER side, not the actual regulator side so it wasn't my fault).

Tech at the dealer said he has seen this quite often and that it is due to punching it.

Who me?



So now my mpg is back to norm (~24 city/highway) and I will attempt VGS again.

 

So how did you notice? By the MPG, is there another way to find out.

 

I knew something was wrong by the way the car drove as well. Felt like it was fighting as it revved up....

Also there was this one time when I punched it in 2nd and when I went to punch in 3rd, absolutely nothing happened. No throttle response and the whole car just kind of lurched forward unexpectedly.

So I guess the moral of the story is, don't punch it too hard.

 

traction control? :D

 

So, I'm curious, is the VGS as effective on '05 & '06 models?

 

The hose that you need to plug with a screw, I accidentally yanked it off completely and cant find the nipple the hose came off? Can I just leave it off?

 

I've got an 05 MCS and think its the best $5 I've spent in the mod dept; I also know some one who has an 05 MCS that was decently modded (HAI,cat-back, 19%, software) and there was no differance felt on his car.

I compared my car with just VGS and CAI to a JCW car and felt I had the better all around preformer, while the JCW just had a few more ponies at the redline.

 

Some of you may not have read the existing, very long VGS thread, but there are a few things in that discussion that seem missing in this, version II of the issue. The VGS is not designed to improve performance, per se, but rather to solve a problem called the YoYo. It does this quite well, but the evidence that it makes your MINI go faster or any other consequence is highly debatable. The anecdotal evidence mostly presented here suggests to me that most people get rid of the YoYo but few find new power or performance in their cars.
Don't get me wrong: I'm not suggesting you deny yourself the VGS, but go into it with open eyes.
I would also recommend zip tying all vacuum tube connections to avoid any leaks, or tubes actuall coming off (this happened to me quite some time after installing the VGS, due to messing with the IC). If any tube comes off, you'll get limp mode, crappy performance and an SES.

good luck,

 

Not 100% sure but I think it would be best to find that nipple and plug the hose up.

 

1QKMNIS: I'd be finding that connection. If you have done the VGS, then that short tube connects the bypass valve with the intake tube just near the throttle body. You normally remove it from the BPV and block it off leaving it attached to the intake tube. I presume it is here that the exposed connection is--you should not leave it open, as I think it is after the TB, so may increase the A/F ratio. If it's before the TB, then all it's doing is allowing warm, unfiltered air, albeit a small amount, into your TB. Either way, you should pull the IC and RHS horn off and find the offending orifice and block it off.

cheers,

 

I second that!

About 5 days after my first run at the VGS I blew a vacuum line straight off the FPR.

Didn't go into limp mode, but threw a SES and fuel economy was worse.

Went for another run and jammed that sucker in there and zip tied it all. Hasn't popped off again in 2 months.

 

I have an 06 that after the intake, pulley, header, cat and exhaust began to have the dreaded "yo-yo" (not sure any of the above was the cause).
VGS seems to work very well at this point. I agree...best $5 spent in a long time.

 

In the Yo-Yo department, probably not because it seems that the 05+ have most of the yo-yo problems fixed.

However, it's just as effective in the more boost sooner department.