Question about electronic boost controllers

[dsapper]

Maybe there is something I am missing but I always see people recommend and use manual boost controllers. I hear very little about electronic boost controllers. My only other turbo car was an eagle talon TSi and I never heard anyone mention manual except for really low budget builds as a stop gap to being able to afford an electronic one.

With electronic you get quite a bit of options and much more control. Is there something about the buick that lends itself to the manual way as being a better way to go? I've seen a couple with electronic controllers on here but they are far and between.

 

[TurboDave]

Is there something about the buick that lends itself to the manual way as being a better way to go? I've seen a couple with electronic controllers on here but they are far and between.

Not really, just cheapskate owners. There are lot's of guys running electronic controllers. I use my Translator Pro to control the boost on my 86, and the BstC (boost commander) (open loop controller) to take care of the boost on my 87. There are many other options.

 

[TurboTnZ06]

I run both, The BstC is nice and easy to use and adjustable for 7psi with one solenoid. Troubleshooting my bad ATR wastegate at the BG race, I switched to the manual style to narrow the culprit. I should go back to the electronic, since it has a ramp-in that's better than a manual can offer. I'd like to go AMS1000, but too many other items of higher priority.

 

[gnon18s]

I prefer manual boost controllers. IMO nothing is as clean a simple as a manual bc. A lot of import guys run electronic bc because they think they look cool beside their turbo timer velcroed to the dash. My 91' Talon ran trap speeds of 125-127mph @ 25lbs with a old/ugly manual bc somebody gave me for free.

 

[dsapper]

Ahh my first turbo car was a talon. Crushed bov days lol. I like some of the options of an electronic one, different boost settings for different fuel, or a "valet mode", boost variable by gear etc. Most of it is just candy but I was wondering why so few buicks used them

 

[TurboDave]

That's the primary reason I run electronics, to vary the boost from 2nd to 3rd gears. I can run a LOT more boost in first and second than can be run in 3rd.

 

[Dynalow00]

I love my TurboSmart electronic controller- its much smarter than I am. Lots of settings and options. I mounted mine on the column for an 'old school' look. Right in line with my Scanmaster and speedo...

 

[CGASTON]

Not really, just cheapskate owners. There are lot's of guys running electronic controllers. I use my Translator Pro to control the boost on my 86, and the BstC (boost commander) (open loop controller) to take care of the boost on my 87. There are many other options.

Dave,

Didn't know that trans pro controls boost? Maybe we could talk some time about it!

 

[TurboDave]

Dave,

Didn't know that trans pro controls boost? Maybe we could talk some time about it!

If you saw an older maual, it wasn't very well documented until the later version manual. The third connector on the pro is an expansion conn. and adding a wire to one of the pins and connecting that to the stock boost control wire is what does it.

 

[Mr T type]

If you saw an older maual, it wasn't very well documented until the later version manual. The third connector on the pro is an expansion conn. and adding a wire to one of the pins and connecting that to the stock boost control wire is what does it.

can you be more specific about this one dave? I know this is an old thread but I have a trans pro and I am planing on using the boost controler. do you run one wire from the trans pro and cut one of the factory wires? can you do this at the ECM? what solenoid works with this system best? most places have the trans pro discontinued but I am really loving this thing after rick brought me up to speed.

 

[dank GN]

Go love my boost leash with bump box . I am runing CO2 and can control all aspects of boost . Like how fast it comes in , how hard it hits , if I'm traction limited I can solve the issue by ramping in the boost Alil longer .

 

[ttypewhite]

Electronic boost controllers are not for everyone. The manual one will work perfectly fine with a great majority of people on this board. I ran a manual boost controller for many years with great success.....until I upped the hp on the car. When I was running high nines, I ran a manual boost controller. Set my boost to 30psi, and went on the transbrake, hit the 2 step at 20psi and let it eat. No problem. It would hook consistent 1.37 sixty foots.
When I put my staged motor in with a 76mm turbo, it changed the whole dynamics of the game. I can no longer use a manual boost controller and get decent results. With the bigger motor and turbo, I can not leave at 20psi no more, I have to leave at 8psi, and when I release the transbrake button I go from 8 to 30 in a blink. It throws too much too soon and a lot of energy is wasted in the sixty foots. With a electronic boost controller, I'm able to ramp the boost so I can use exactly what the chassis can handle and 330 the car 100x better with less effort trying to keep it straight. Once I got to the 145mph mark in a Buick, that was the noticeable area that the manual boost controller no longer worked well when trying to extract the best time "AT THE TRACK". On the street, the manual boost controller is fine and does what it's supposed to (set it and forget it). If your not tracking it and trying to extract every little tenth, the manual boost controller is more then most will ever need in a street car.

 

[TurboDave]

can you be more specific about this one dave? I know this is an old thread but I have a trans pro and I am planing on using the boost controler. do you run one wire from the trans pro and cut one of the factory wires? can you do this at the ECM? what solenoid works with this system best? most places have the trans pro discontinued but I am really loving this thing after rick brought me up to speed.

If you have the translator pro manual on pages 21 and 22. and the hookup diagram is on page 29. basically you're cutting into the stock boost solenoid wires with the pro signal. It's a closed loop system which can use the map signal input to the pro or you can use it open loop also.

 

[Mr.Spool]

Electronic boost controllers are not for everyone. The manual one will work perfectly fine with a great majority of people on this board. I ran a manual boost controller for many years with great success.....until I upped the hp on the car. When I was running high nines, I ran a manual boost controller. Set my boost to 30psi, and went on the transbrake, hit the 2 step at 20psi and let it eat. No problem. It would hook consistent 1.37 sixty foots.
When I put my staged motor in with a 76mm turbo, it changed the whole dynamics of the game. I can no longer use a manual boost controller and get decent results. With the bigger motor and turbo, I can not leave at 20psi no more, I have to leave at 8psi, and when I release the transbrake button I go from 8 to 30 in a blink. It throws too much too soon and a lot of energy is wasted in the sixty foots. With a electronic boost controller, I'm able to ramp the boost so I can use exactly what the chassis can handle and 330 the car 100x better with less effort trying to keep it straight. Once I got to the 145mph mark in a Buick, that was the noticeable area that the manual boost controller no longer worked well when trying to extract the best time "AT THE TRACK". On the street, the manual boost controller is fine and does what it's supposed to (set it and forget it). If your not tracking it and trying to extract every little tenth, the manual boost controller is more then most will ever need in a street car.

Well said