Sprint Booster for the 2015 Genesis 5.0

[Rey]

Check on-line with Sprint Booster (Google)

 

[Roc 5.0]

All I want to know is does the Sprint Booster completely override the throttle cutoff that you get when flooring it and having the rear wheels spin (I'm not talking about the esc problem). I am told that Hyundia programmed the tcu to only open to 40% max regardless of full throttle pedal position until about 30-40 mph and if full throttle is attempted the tcu basically partially shuts down the engine until over that mph. Which is why some feel as though their heads will hit the steering wheel as the engine takes off then is starved, then almost immediately picks up only to possibily starve again until the tcu allows full opening. If the SB solves this design interference, then I will be a buyer and forget about feathering the pedal like a ballet dancer through that range.

 

[edizzle89]

All I want to know is does the Sprint Booster completely override the throttle cutoff that you get when flooring it and having the rear wheels spin (I'm not talking about the esc problem). I am told that Hyundia programmed the tcu to only open to 40% max regardless of full throttle pedal position until about 30-40 mph and if full throttle is attempted the tcu basically partially shuts down the engine until over that mph. Which is why some feel as though their heads will hit the steering wheel as the engine takes off then is starved, then almost immediately picks up only to possibily starve again until the tcu allows full opening. If the SB solves this design interference, then I will be a buyer and forget about feathering the pedal like a ballet dancer through that range.

It probably wont fix that problem. It only increases the ramp rate of the throttle signal. The ecu/tcu still have full control of the throttle like it did before.

 

[carguy75]

All I want to know is does the Sprint Booster completely override the throttle cutoff that you get when flooring it and having the rear wheels spin (I'm not talking about the esc problem). I am told that Hyundia programmed the tcu to only open to 40% max regardless of full throttle pedal position until about 30-40 mph and if full throttle is attempted the tcu basically partially shuts down the engine until over that mph. Which is why some feel as though their heads will hit the steering wheel as the engine takes off then is starved, then almost immediately picks up only to possibily starve again until the tcu allows full opening. If the SB solves this design interference, then I will be a buyer and forget about feathering the pedal like a ballet dancer through that range.

I believe so. However, I can not be certain since I do not know what is going on with the throttle body electrical signal with the Sprint Booster.

The Sprint Booster does seem to make the throttle more responsive or touchy to input and the car does move faster from a stand still when the engine reach about 2k rpms without torque braking the engine. However, that is more from the automatic torque converter locking up. Many stock automatic cars are slow off the line unless you hold the brake and rev the engine to build up power quickly. The Sprint Booster does not override that aspect of how the engine/transmission works. The Sprint booster just allows the engine to rev quicker without the gradual throttle opening programming. I do not know how it works, but it does.

My car just move faster with the Sprint Booster activated, works for me. It is like comparing ECO mode to Sport mode. However, with the Sprint Booster the stock Sport mode is like ECO mode compared to the Sprint Booster setting. So the Sprint Booster just adds a more aggressive drive mode for the throttle calibration.

 

[carguy75]

After putting some miles and more usage with the Sprint Booster I decided that I may have had the settings too high. I was using the Sprint Booster in race mode with a level 9 setting which is good for straight acceleration runs, but not when engine braking and feathering the throttle around curves. The level 9 setting gives too much of a voltage signal to the throttle system which seems to make the system think it need full throttle with every press of the gas pedal.

I have decided to just use race mode setting 1 on the Sprint Booster for my Genesis. The drive-by wire system seem to be happier with that setting(less surging and down shifting confusion) and it is easier to drive the car with that setting overall. The level 9 setting is best used when you want to dust a fast car in a straight line such as at a drag strip.

Just my latest observation.

 

[DaNooch]

After putting some miles and more usage with the Sprint Booster I decided that I may have had the settings too high. I was using the Sprint Booster in race mode with a level 9 setting which is good for straight acceleration runs, but not when engine braking and feathering the throttle around curves. The level 9 setting gives too much of a voltage signal to the throttle system which seems to make the system think it need full throttle with every press of the gas pedal.

I have decided to just use race mode setting 1 on the Sprint Booster for my Genesis. The drive-by wire system seem to be happier with that setting(less surging and down shifting confusion) and it is easier to drive the car with that setting overall. The level 9 setting is best used when you want to dust a fast car in a straight line such as at a drag strip.

Just my latest observation.

Fyi you can get the same thing from BTR for a lot less money.. just saying.

 

[carguy75]

Fyi you can get the same thing from BTR for a lot less money.. just saying.

No, I can not.

I have the 5.0 V8 engine. Does BTR provide a tune for the 2015-up 5.0 models? If so, will the BTR actually cost less than $260?

 

[DaNooch]

No, I can not.

I have the 5.0 V8 engine. Does BTR provide a tune for the 2015-up 5.0 models? If so, will the BTR actually cost less than $260?

Google is your friend.. were talking about a pedal tuner here man?? You can get them on ebay for $70..

 

[carguy75]

Google is your friend.. were talking about a pedal tuner here man?? You can get them on ebay for $70..View attachment 20126

The pic says $179 for a no name pedal tuner not $79. Sprint Booster is well known product name and reliable. However, the BMS tuner would probably do the same job as the Sprint Booster.

I still like the smaller design of the Sprint Booster, so I would still buy the Sprint Booster for esthetics as it is easily hidden and is not an eye sore. The BMS is the most cost effective version yet I would not want the tacky looking control box mounted in my Genesis.

You can also get a used Sprint Booster cheap on Ebay as well.

Sprint Booster smaller streamlined design mounted out of site but still easily controllable from the drive seat.

 

[carguy75]

I have noticed that the Sprint Booster may affect the stock throttle system calibration. I was looking at some old OB2 data, and the stock throttle opening at idle in my Genesis is 25% even in ECO mode, whereas before it was around 15% or so before installing the Sprint Booster. I also think that my idle speed is bit higher as well.

I do not have any saved older OB2 data before the Sprint Booster install, but I do have a pic with the throttle being opened at 25% at idle/engine shutoff. Therefore, I wanted to let anyone know that the Sprint Booster seems to affect the throttle opening position even when the unit is switched off.

Therefore, you may have to do a factory throttle re-calibration to get the throttle by wire system back to stock specs if you decide to remove the Sprint Booster. The additional throttle opening at idle could affect fuel economy as well due to raising the idle speed slightly.

The throttle opening percentage at engine shutoff. 25.5% in ECO mode, which is pretty high for an idle speed. Most cars are 15% or less, which I think it was before the Sprint booster install.




A run made on my 2006 Cadillac Escalade with a few mods. The throttle opening is 3.1 percent at 500rpm idle/shutoff. Big difference. I also noticed that the throttle body coolant bypass on the Caddy results in lower intake temps compared to the Genesis. I may have to do coolant bypass on the Genesis as well.

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[carguy75]

I did a little research about the Genesis drive-by wire system and discovered that the Genesis throttle by wire system only opens the throttle body to 86% at wide open throttle. Hence the lag since the WOT kickdown only opens the throttle to 86% max due to the design.

Makes sense to me now why pressing the gas pedal seems like it is restricted even with the Sprint Booster since the kick-down switch closes the throttle to 86% by design even if the Sprint Booster gives a different signal under normal gas pedal travel. I have noticed that the Genesis moves quicker when the gas pedal is only press halfway down with the Sprint Booster engaged since the sprint Booster signal is high enough at 50% throttle to fully open the throttle body without using the kick-down and bypass the 86% limit it makes.

Information from the official 2015 Genesis 5.0 service manual.

 

[kaigoss69]

^^^ So are you effectively saying that with the sprint booster installed, you are get 100% open throttle at only 50% pedal (and anything beyond 50% pedal has no further influence), and that without the sprint booster the max. throttle opening is 86%? So the sprint booster actually creates more power?

 

[carguy75]

^^^ So are you effectively saying that with the sprint booster installed, you are get 100% open throttle at only 50% pedal (and anything beyond 50% pedal has no further influence), and that without the sprint booster the max. throttle opening is 86%? So the sprint booster actually creates more power?

To sum it up , yes.

The only way to get full throttle without the Sprint Booster module would be to press the gas pedal all the way down, however doing so will activate the kick-down switch which limits the throttle opening to 86%. The Sprint Booster allows the throttle to open to 98%(mechanical limit per specs) due to manipulating the voltage in such a way that the system fully opens the throttle at only half pedal travel well before the kick-down switch is activated.

Therefore, the engine is actually making more power due to more air being allowed to enter the throttle body in theory as opposed to the stock kick-down power level limited to 86% throttle. 86% throttle vs. 98% throttle opening. How much power is gained from a 12% throttle opening is anyone guess, but a gain is a gain.

The engine power is raw and hard to control with the Sprint Booster, but it does make the Genesis very fun to drive and much more competitive if I remember not to floor the gas pedal. I have learned to just press the pedal half way with the Sprint Booster and the car moves like it is supercharged. If I press the pedal all the way down the engine bogs due to the throttle plate closing even at speed due to the kick-down.

I first thought it was the traction/stability control reducing power, but learned it is the kick-down reducing the throttle opening back to 86% from 98% when I stomped the pedal.

 

[AgentSmith007]

The engine power is raw and hard to control with the Sprint Booster, but it does make the Genesis very fun to drive and much more competitive if I remember not to floor the gas pedal. I have learned to just press the pedal half way with the Sprint Booster and the car moves like it is supercharged. If I press the pedal all the way down the engine bogs due to the throttle plate closing even at speed due to the kick-down.

I first thought it was the traction/stability control reducing power, but learned it is the kick-down reducing the throttle opening back to 86% from 98% when I stomped the pedal.

I think this may be what happened to me the other day.

I was driving on highway around 50 mph and then saw car coming from entrance ramp. I decided to speed up so that car can get on highway behind me and I stepped on the pedal. And I think I stepped on the pedal too far, I got revs to 5,000 RPM but car barely moved. May be it was that kick-down thingy that you explained in your post, may be something else.

And for sure, it is very fun to drive Genesis with Sprint Booster.

 

[Jalvin Cohnson]

To sum it up , yes.

The only way to get full throttle without the Sprint Booster module would be to press the gas pedal all the way down, however doing so will activate the kick-down switch which limits the throttle opening to 86%. The Sprint Booster allows the throttle to open to 98%(mechanical limit per specs) due to manipulating the voltage in such a way that the system fully opens the throttle at only half pedal travel well before the kick-down switch is activated.

Therefore, the engine is actually making more power due to more air being allowed to enter the throttle body in theory as opposed to the stock kick-down power level limited to 86% throttle. 86% throttle vs. 98% throttle opening. How much power is gained from a 12% throttle opening is anyone guess, but a gain is a gain.

The engine power is raw and hard to control with the Sprint Booster, but it does make the Genesis very fun to drive and much more competitive if I remember not to floor the gas pedal. I have learned to just press the pedal half way with the Sprint Booster and the car moves like it is supercharged. If I press the pedal all the way down the engine bogs due to the throttle plate closing even at speed due to the kick-down.

I first thought it was the traction/stability control reducing power, but learned it is the kick-down reducing the throttle opening back to 86% from 98% when I stomped the pedal.

If I am understanding you correctly, as long as you push the gas pedal to 50%+, but not all the way down, is where you get the best performance? Because this would go around the kick-down, while at the same time giving you a throttle that opens 12% more? If this is true, than you may have finally made my mind of up for me.

 

[kaigoss69]

I am wondering if a kick-down blocker would be beneficial. It is just a small block of plastic that limits travel of the pedal and prevents kick-down activation. The only question in my mind is this one...is kick-down still beneficial in any way with the sprint booster installed? - I'm not sure but I think the feature is usually there to provide maximum power (in terms of gear ratio vs rpm) at times when you need it like when you are passing. So the question is, does the car accelerate better, at any speed, without the kick-down feature engaged?

 

[AgentSmith007]

So the question is, does the car accelerate better, at any speed, without the kick-down feature engaged?

Yes, it does for me. And, like carguy75 says, you have to "remember not to floor the gas pedal"

 

[Jalvin Cohnson]

Yes, it does for me. And, like carguy75 says, you have to "remember not to floor the gas pedal"

If you combine this method with the Sprint Booster, then you are getting maximum acceleration with a 12% increase in how open the throttle is, correct?

 

[AgentSmith007]

If you combine this method with the Sprint Booster, then you are getting maximum acceleration with a 12% increase in how open the throttle is, correct?

Jalvin,

I am not sure I understand your question completely, but here are my observations.

1. Case scenario before Sprint Booster:

I am driving on a highway at 50 mph in 6th gear with my ZF 6-speed transmission. Another car is driving next to me in the lane on the right. I see ramp ahead and decide that I want to exit highway and go to McDonalds. I have two options:

1. Slow down to 30 mph and get behind that car
2. Speed up (break speed limit traffic rule for several seconds) and go in front of the car.

I choose option #2. So, I press gas pedal half way, nothing happens for about second or two (ECU is thinking), then I feel like transmission shifts from 6th to 5th gear and car speeds up, but not enough to overpass car on the right. So, next I floor the pedal and transmission goes into 4th gear, RPM goes to about 4,500 and car takes off and I am in front of that car and can take exit ramp. And all this may take between 5-8 seconds.

2. Case scenario after Sprint Booster was installed.

The same situation and two options as in case #1.

I choose option #2. So, I press gas pedal half way. Transmission goes into 4th gear, RPM goes to about 4,500 - 5,000 and car takes off like on steroids. I am at 75 mph in a few seconds and I am in front of that car with about three cars length.

 

[kaigoss69]

If you combine this method with the Sprint Booster, then you are getting maximum acceleration with a 12% increase in how open the throttle is, correct?

The way I understand it...

1.) No sprint booster - push pedal all the way down, without engaging kick-down switch = 98% throttle opening
2.) No sprint booster - push pedal all the way down, engaging kick-down switch = 86% throttle opening
3.) With sprint booster - push pedal 50%-100% down (no kick-down) = 98% throttle opening
4.) With sprint booster - push pedal 100% down (engaging kick-down) = 86% throttle opening