Originally Posted by wstar

Well, technically Open Loop is "control based on static tables + learned trim values" and Closed Loop is "control based on sensor feedback directly". You can have Open Loop without full throttle. Normally only during initial engine warmup, but also if you screw with your ECU settings too much it can stay open full time because it never sees the right conditions to enter Closed (I had that: from putting the idle high and adding fuel at the bottom of the rev+pedal range. Car drove great, but never-ever entered Closed Loop. Didn't even notice until I needed to get it to pass an OBD-II inspection and it would never complete a Drive Cycle).

Back on the original question: Gen3+HFC+CBE shouldn't really hurt you anywhere in the rev range once the ECU adjusts. LTHs do hurt the very bottom end of the rev range, sub-3K. It'll get a little laggy digging out of that hole in high gear, but it's not a huge thing. There's really no reason to care about sub-3K performance anways. If you want the car to do interesting things, downshift more