Stratified Automotive Controls

10/19/2026

Stratified 20G vs GS JB400 — which turbo makes more sense for a street-driven VA STI?

We had the opportunity to tune two very similar VA STIs on our Stratified dyno and wanted to show you graphically how to choose your turbo for YOUR application. Both of these cars are running supporting bolt-ons, both are on pump gas, and both were tuned using the COBB Tuning Accessport. The big difference is how the two turbos deliver the power.

The Stratified 20G comes on sooner and carries a much stronger torque advantage through the lower and middle part of the rev range. That matters in the real world. Pulling away from a light, rolling into the throttle on the street, or getting back into boost after a shift, the 20G responds sooner and makes the EJ257 feel more eager more of the time.

The larger GS JB400 (now discontinued) gives up some of that response and low-RPM torque, but once it is fully spooled and the engine is kept higher in the rev range, it has the advantage. That makes it better suited to situations where you can consistently stay in the upper part of the powerband, such as track driving or high-RPM pulls.

Neither approach is inherently better — it depends on where you want the performance.

For a primarily street-driven STI, we prefer the broader, more responsive powerband of the 20G. For a car that spends more time at high RPM and prioritizes top-end power, the larger turbo starts to make more sense.

Sometimes the best turbo isn’t the one with the biggest peak number — it’s the one that puts the power where you actually use it.

10/12/2026

Just in case you were wondering what some tasteful crackles sound like on a 2025 Auto GR Corolla (thanks Michael for taking the video)

https://youtu.be/p7FWgi7bw8g?si=JHiaXW_N1uG2k1O6

Protunes: https://www.stratifiedauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=356_358_381&products_id=1160

Final tune wrapping up with Stratified, thought I would indulge my ...

09/30/2026

Our friends at Zip Tied Tuning came over with an interesting project. And tune we did.

🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! G...

09/29/2026

449 WHP. 404 LB-FT. And response that makes it fun everywhere.

Our Stratified 20G was developed to be an excellent match for EJ-powered STI builds where response, usable power and stock-block-friendly performance matter more than simply fitting the biggest turbo possible.

This STI laid down 449 WHP and 404 LB-FT on ethanol-blended fuel on our dyno—and in this video you can see just as importantly how quickly the turbo responds and brings that power in.

The combination includes:
Stratified 20G Turbo
Injector Dynamics 1050cc injectors
COBB Flex Fuel
COBB Accessport

We calibrated the complete package in-house, taking advantage of ethanol to extract the performance the 20G is capable of while retaining the response and drivability we want from a street-focused STI.

Peak horsepower only tells part of the story. Spool, transient response and area under the curve are what you experience every time you put your foot down.

449 WHP | 404 LB-FT

Plenty of airflow to completely transform the car without giving away the response that makes an STI so much fun in the first place.

That’s the 20G sweet spot.

09/26/2026

Apparently it’s still the ’90s around here. 😎

A little snapshot of what’s been occupying the shop lately — three very different cars, all from an era when adding boost usually involved a little more creativity.

BMW E30 - with force induction.
1993 NA Miata — turbocharged.
2G Eagle Talon — with a decidedly not-small turbo.

No drive modes, no digital dashboards, no 10-speed transmissions. Just lightweight cars, mechanical simplicity, standalone ECUs and turbochargers making everything more entertaining.

We spend a lot of time developing and tuning the latest platforms, but there’s something especially satisfying about keeping these older enthusiast cars alive, improving them, and applying modern tuning knowledge to hardware from another era.

Different platforms. Different approaches. Same goal: make interesting cars more fun to drive.

And judging by the shop lately, the ’90s aren’t going anywhere.

Which one are you taking home?

09/21/2026

Keep the heat where it does the most work. 🔥

A closer look at the optional turbo heat blanket for our STR64 turbo upgrade for the GR Corolla and GR Yaris.

A turbo blanket does more than reduce underhood temperatures. By retaining heat in the turbine housing, more exhaust energy stays where we want it—helping drive the turbine rather than radiating that heat into the engine bay.

That’s particularly valuable in the tightly packaged G16E engine bay, where managing heat becomes increasingly important as performance increases.

Our optional blanket is designed to fit the STR64 as well as OEM turbo closely, providing a clean installation while helping:

• Retain heat and energy in the turbine
• Reduce radiant heat in the engine bay
• Protect surrounding components from unnecessary heat exposure
• Complement the thermal management of a higher-output build

In this video I show the blanket and turbo up close and walk through installing it on the STR64. Yes it can be done with the turbo in the car as well.

It’s another small piece of the complete GR Corolla package we’ve been developing—complementing our tuning for bigger builds.

More airflow. More power. Better heat management.

09/13/2026

Focus ST got it first. Now it’s the Fiesta ST’s turn. 🔊

Our map-switchable overrun burbles are now available for the Fiesta ST, bringing the same functionality we recently released for the Focus ST to another EcoBoost favorite.

Using the 5 map slots on the COBB Tuning Accessport, you can choose between different levels of overrun sound—from keeping things quiet to adding progressively more character when you want it.

No reflashing. No committing to one sound all the time. Just select the map slot and choose the personality you want.

Daily drive it quietly. Turn up the burbles for a backroad drive. Make some noise when the mood strikes.

☑️Focus ST
☑️Fiesta ST

More control over tuning—and more ways to make your EcoBoost your own.

09/04/2026

You asked for it - we listened and delivered!

Crackles, redefined.We've offered crackle tunes for the Fiesta ST...

09/01/2026

Wastegate preload matters more than you might think.

Setting the preload on a pneumatic wastegate actuator is a simple job, but getting it right is critical for consistent boost control and proper turbo operation.

In this video, we walk through how to correctly set wastegate actuator preload using our STR67 turbo for the MK6 GTI as the example (but this applies to any pneumatic wastegate) — including what we’re looking for and why the adjustment matters.

Too little preload can make it difficult to achieve the boost you want. Too much can cause boost spikes post spool. The goal is to give the actuator the correct starting point so the hardware and ECU can work together as intended.

The STR67 uses an adjustable pneumatic actuator, allowing us to properly configure the wastegate for the application and calibration.

We’re big believers that supplying performance parts is only part of the job. Understanding how they work, how to install them correctly, and how to calibrate the complete system is just as important.

Better hardware + Better information = Better results.

08/28/2026

*454 WHP — and still breathing through the factory catback.*

This 2016 Golf R is a great example of what we like about a well-sorted EA888 build: strong power without sacrificing the broad, responsive powerband that makes these cars so effective and fun to drive.

At the heart of the setup is a *Garrett Stage 1 PowerMax* turbo, supported by our Stratified catalog of fueling parts. On E60, we dialed the combination in to 454 WHP, with a wide powerband that carries the performance rather than chasing a single peak number.

Fueling is a big part of making that possible—and much of the system comes directly from us:

* *Stratified 980cc MPI*
* *Stratified Brushless LPFP*
* 4-bar MAP sensor
* Garrett Stage 1 PowerMax
* Full bolt-ons
* OEM catback exhaust

Using the *COBB Accessport* , we calibrated both the ECU and DSG, with the car set up to take advantage of both 93 octane and ethanol fuel.

The result is exactly what we want from a street-focused Golf R: quick response, a huge usable powerband, smooth DSG operation and 454 WHP on E60 when it’s time to turn things up.

It’s also a great demonstration of why we’ve continued developing our own fueling solutions for the EA888 platform. The turbo, MPI, low-pressure fuel system, ECU calibration and DSG calibration all have to work together to create a package that performs as well on the road as the dyno sheet suggests.