Originally Posted by 
the_grubb
				
			 
			Yes, thanks I am aware of the Dawes Valve set up.
My take on the Isuzu is 'Reliability is Everything' (ie. whatever the F happens I can always drive it home) and I guess simplicity is a relative thing.
The Dawes set up is a crude (albeit better than nothing) means to control boost rate and max. boost on a VNT.  For a comparable price I can do exactly the same but with much greater precision using electronics and have the ability to add in other little extra treats to the control such as cycling vanes on start-up, extended idling and shut down.  I have as much confidence in my electronic set up being as reliable as a Dawes set up and actually with the cycling of vanes would think the turbo will be better looked after making the whole system more reliable.  Either way, if the electronics did fail (just as if the Dawes valve failed), could still drive it home.
With the addition of a TPS it's possible to add lots more function to the control such as part-load settings and rate of change settings.
One of the draw backs I see with the Dawes is that it controls the vanes relative to only boost and RPM (in a non-direct relationship).  So it can't tell the difference between a steady state cruising at 200RPM in 5th producing 10psi and a transient response of accelerating in say 3rd giving it a bootfull and at that instance is producing 10psi at 2000 RPM.  Now we won't get too technical here as there will most likely be differences due to the fact it is a transient response (which could either be a good or bad difference), but for the purpose of the example, the vanes will be set in the same position - which may not be the ideal position for the desired output.  For instance, cruising in 5th at that speed in that condition you may be better of with 8psi.  I have noticed just switching the vanes on and off that whilst cruising in 5th, vanes closed producing 13-15psi isn't really any difference in power with vanes open making 5-6psi, so probably half way in between is ideal - the balance between boost required/vanes restricting flow - which can be crudely adjusted out with a Dawes or finely adjusted with electronics, but with a bootful in 3rd, your most likely better of with 20psi at that instant - something the Dawes can't do which electronics can.
Another feature, although not sure how quickly the vanes response will be to the vacuum signal to know how much of an improvment it will make, but with a system set for maximum say 20psi boost, cruising along in 5th at part-load, with vanes in position producing say 8psi boost and then dump the foot to overtake;
Dawes: Vanes open gradually as boost rises until 20psi is met and maintianed (limited).
Electonic:  Vanes slam closed producing 20psi near instantly (ie. more boost quicker to burn more fuel for increased torque), then open up as required to maintain (limit to) 20psi.
Anyway, some fool  :( has got to test the full limits of their VNT.  No use buying a ferrari and then having your grandma drive you around in it :)
Actaully there is no reason why you couldn't run electronics and a dawes set up in 'parallel'.  If one fails you revert to the other.