You can get an HKS VPC that can correct all the problems the afc cant. Recirculating the BOV does not mean you wont hear the PSSH noise, it will just be slightly quieter. Once you get even higher up in hp/boost, it makes a very apparent difference when you vent to the atmosphere or when you recirculate it. It does help the turbo to stay spooled ALOT. The only good thing that comes from venting to the atmosphere is the noise level, everything else is bad. The MAF couonts all the air that goes through it and expects that air to stay in a closed loop. When you vent, that air mysteriously dissapears and leaves the a/f ratio very lean. Too lean and you get the problems like stalling or backfiring like you said. The VPC or a standalone will allow you to set teh idle a/f unline the AFC which will allow you to adjust for the difference in the unmetered air, the only downfall is it will run you about 600-800$ when all you really have to do is dump the air back into the intake. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('>