Review - Sprint Booster v3

[PsiBlast]

I admit. I've long been a skeptic of this product and others like it. I mean, what's the difference between using this product and just pushing your foot down a little more on the accelerator?

I can tell you that there is indeed a difference.

Installation was honestly a little painful. Reaching underneath to un-clip the harness to your gas pedal requires a lot of hand strength. I finally gave in and used pliers (and nearly damaged the wiring in the process -- be careful!). But after it's out of the socket, you literally just plug in the Sprint Booster into the socket, and then plug the accelerator cable into the Sprint Booster. The unit basically sits in between.

I started out on Sport mode (green) level 5. Put the car into D, and I can immediately feel the difference. My first thought was, "ok, so this thing is just pushing the pedal down further for me". I drove around a bit longer, then switched the unit off to do a comparison. Car felt more sluggish again (particularly from a stop). So naturally, I just pushed the pedal down more to "simulate" the Sprint Booster.

Let me tell you: It's not the same. No matter how much or how fast I pressed the pedal (short of flooring it), there was this hesitation (that we're all familiar with I'm sure) with response. You can see it in your tach. The needle doesn't move up instantly. I would guess maybe a 50ms delay.

I turned the Sprint Booster back on. Tested again. The hesitation is gone. I turned it to the lowest setting (Sport mode level 1). Still no hesitation, but feels like less throttle (almost stock level). The tach needle moves up almost instantly. Maybe 10ms delay.

I tried Race mode level 1, and could not feel any difference in throttle response, but there was definitely more throttle input.

The car feels much more enjoyable to drive now. I drove to work this morning leaving it in D the whole time. Sprint Booster at Sport level 5. The car felt different, as if it had more low-end torque. I feel like I have confidence now pulling into traffic from a dead stop, not worrying about throttle delay.

So basically, the Sprint Booster seems to remove the input delay at all levels, and incrementally adjusts the throttle input level. I found that even at Sport level 6, the car downshifted too much, even with moderate throttle input. Sport level 5 seemed perfect. It didn't change tranny behavior (unwanted downshifting), gave just a moderate increase in throttle input, and nicely improved throttle response.

Later, I will test with the car in S.

[S3DUDE]

The problem with these devices is that they are not tested in real life. To me testing it real life would be having people like myth busters or Road Kill taking the car to a dragstrip or to a private rental road and do the testing their way(slow motion cameras, GPS, other speed devices, etc). I am not doubting your claims, I think that it is credible information but realistically speaking how much of an improvement it really is?.

If you said that you might save 50 miliseconds on response that is in my opinion insignificant in a dragstrip because once you are "pedal to the metal" you are now driving in a way that the device wouldn't make any difference. I can see some benefits if you are in a autocross or maybe a road course where you have to modulate the gas pedal and therefore the time used on pushing the pedal. Does it make sense?

[PsiBlast]

Makes total sense. For me, this added response time gives me confidence when I pull into a busy intersection. That's enough benefit for me to keep this thing.

[Corners4kids]

There is a Carista mod (I assume it would be a VagCom option too) where you can adjust the throttle response.

Stock is labeled “relative, determined by time” (no clue what that means).
The other choice is “direct, controlled by threshold”.

I changed to the second option in my car and have noticed a huge difference in throttle response with partial throttle modulation.

[FabianS]

I wonder if OBDeleven has something like that?

[PsiBlast]

Hmm, I'm curious too. I have OBDeleven. May return this product if I can make that tweak.

[Corners4kids]

I was a bit off on the actual language. Wrote my reply above from memory. Took a screen shot just now to show the actual menu. Hope this helps.

OP, I’m curious to see how you compare the menu mod to the Sprint Booster. I’d be interested if the Booster is in fact better than making the menu adjustment.

[Alik4041]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that your claims of 50ms may be understated given your impressions.

[949]

i would be interested to see the coding for vcds.

[MathildaS3]

After reading your post, I did this with Carista. The direct setting is a hair trigger compared to default!! 👍🏼

There is a Carista mod (I assume it would be a VagCom option too) where you can adjust the throttle response.

Stock is labeled “relative, determined by time” (no clue what that means).
The other choice is “direct, controlled by threshold”.

I changed to the second option in my car and have noticed a huge difference in throttle response with partial throttle modulation.

[Corners4kids]

Yessssss. Always happy to help someone enjoy our cars more. Thanks for replying.

[MathildaS3]

I shared this on FB 8V Audi S3/RS3 Owner’s Forum. One response included VCDS info:

1 - Module 44 - Power steering. Code (19249)
2 - Adaptation
3 - Select - switching driving profile

Choices :
A - Gradual, controlled by time (default)
B - Directly controlled threshold value

This has not been confirmed.

[chris86vw]

So basically, the Sprint Booster seems to remove the input delay at all levels, .

How do you believe it does that?

You have pedal-----ecu---- throttle body

Now you have pedal-----$$-----ecu----throttle body

You are stating that somehow by adding a device in the middle of two other devices which now has to take the first signal, modify it and output a now one (that takes time) it some how sped up that signal?


No. It can't.




I have no issues with your opinions on how it feels, I just always get a chuckle out of this particular belief that it can do that.

[chris86vw]

I can see some benefits if you are in a autocross or maybe a road course where you have to modulate the gas pedal and therefore the time used on pushing the pedal. Does it make sense?

Those would be two scenarios where these devices would be terrible, possibly outright dangerous.


You removed resolution from your pedal, a dbw pedal (I love dbw) which already has crap resolution and no true relation of pedal position to throttle opening with these devices. You can press the pedal 20% and get 100% throttle opening in a DBW car depending on gear and load. So with a device that is just always telling the ecu you gave it more pedal which is interpreted it as at more torque request.... literally like you said you thought just means you can press the pedal more and get 100% the same result... it is not capable of anything more advanced. This is why you see it causing kick down in some modes that is way too aggressive, you may give it 5% more throttle but it tells the ecu you gave it 40% more and it kicks s

One of the best thing tuners do is actually get you back to a more 1:1/linear throttle in many dbw cars.

These devices remove control.. that is bad in a track environment.

[Corners4kids]

[PsiBlast]

How do you believe it does that?

You have pedal-----ecu---- throttle body

Now you have pedal-----$$-----ecu----throttle body

You are stating that somehow by adding a device in the middle of two other devices which now has to take the first signal, modify it and output a now one (that takes time) it some how sped up that signal?


No. It can't.




I have no issues with your opinions on how it feels, I just always get a chuckle out of this particular belief that it can do that.

Honest answer -- I don't know. All I know is that it works. Try it yourself if you're skeptical. That's what I did.

As a generic explanation: You push a button (i.e. step on the gas), it waits a bit and something happens (engine revs). With the sprint booster, it waits less. That's all.

[chris86vw]

Honest answer -- I don't know. All I know is that it works. Try it yourself if you're skeptical. That's what I did.

This isn't skepticism this is actually understanding how DBW works.

I have also tried them and driven many cars that the owners (unfortunately) installed them in.

Again I don't question your opinion on whether you like it or not, you can like it all you want and enjoy the changes you think are occurring.

And yes they do work, in that they increase(decrease too) the voltage signal to the ecu to make it think that you the driver have pressed the throttle further down. No one disagrees on that, or at least they shouldn't.

As a generic explanation: You push a button (i.e. step on the gas), it waits a bit and something happens (engine revs). With the sprint booster, it waits less. That's all.

No.. it can't

Putting a device between two other devices is not speeding up the signal at which they talk to each other, especially when the device in the middle now has to modify and spit out the new signal.

The device is not a time machine. The pedal is just a potentiometer (well two but not important), it sends a voltage signal and only a voltage signal to the ecu. The sprint booster cannot make the ecu receive that signal faster all it can do is modify the signal to something else.. which takes time even if not perceivable. The only way that the sprint booster could possibly get a signal to the ecu faster is if it sent it before it received your input.. it can't do that.

[PsiBlast]

This isn't skepticism this is actually understanding how DBW works.

I have also tried them and driven many cars that the owners (unfortunately) installed them in.

Again I don't question your opinion on whether you like it or not, you can like it all you want and enjoy the changes you think are occurring.

And yes they do work, in that they increase(decrease too) the voltage signal to the ecu to make it think that you the driver have pressed the throttle further down. No one disagrees on that, or at least they shouldn't.



No.. it can't

Putting a device between two other devices is not speeding up the signal at which they talk to each other, especially when the device in the middle now has to modify and spit out the new signal.

The device is not a time machine. The pedal is just a potentiometer (well two but not important), it sends a voltage signal and only a voltage signal to the ecu. The sprint booster cannot make the ecu receive that signal faster all it can do is modify the signal to something else.. which takes time even if not perceivable. The only way that the sprint booster could possibly get a signal to the ecu faster is if it sent it before it received your input.. it can't do that.

You obviously know way more about this than I do, but I'm telling you what my observations are. If I were to take a stopwatch and time how long it takes between the moment I press the pedal and the moment the RPM needle moves up, there is a difference with the unit on or off. If your explanation is as black & white as it seems, then there would be no difference in elapsed time between those two events. Yet, there is. How do you explain that?

[chris86vw]

How do you explain that?

Very easily, the tach is not necessarily representative of what the engine is actually doing anymore. Hasn't been for quite some time. Early systems when switching from an actual tach signal from ecu to the cluster to purely CAN had issues with tachs not responding fast enough, a noticeable delay which was also responsible for some peoples perception that DBW is slow. But since then things have changed and manufactures will program how they send a tach signal based on throttle input and other parameters not just the engines actual speed alone.

So yeah if you press the pedal from 0 down to 30% and before got say 50% throttle opening but now you press it from 0 to 30% and get a 75 or even 100% throttle opening the ecus are programmed to say hey this guy wants to drive fast send a higher signal than we are currently at so that by the time he sees it might actually be there. It makes it appear that it is responding faster.

In some Vehicles even switching in and out of sport mode will alter the visual effect of the tach simply to change what the driver thinks is happening...oh it revs faster in sports mode.. but it doesn't. In some they do rev faster but that is the ecu altering the signal not the pedal. The SB can only alter the pedals signal, ecu still decides what to do with it.

[MonzaA4]

I was a bit off on the actual language. Wrote my reply above from memory. Took a screen shot just now to show the actual menu. Hope this helps.

Regarding the previous Carista discussion, was that performed using the iOS version of the app?

[PsiBlast]

Very easily, the tach is not necessarily representative of what the engine is actually doing anymore. Hasn't been for quite some time. Early systems when switching from an actual tach signal from ecu to the cluster to purely CAN had issues with tachs not responding fast enough, a noticeable delay which was also responsible for some peoples perception that DBW is slow. But since then things have changed and manufactures will program how they send a tach signal based on throttle input and other parameters not just the engines actual speed alone.

So yeah if you press the pedal from 0 down to 30% and before got say 50% throttle opening but now you press it from 0 to 30% and get a 75 or even 100% throttle opening the ecus are programmed to say hey this guy wants to drive fast send a higher signal than we are currently at so that by the time he sees it might actually be there. It makes it appear that it is responding faster.

In some Vehicles even switching in and out of sport mode will alter the visual effect of the tach simply to change what the driver thinks is happening...oh it revs faster in sports mode.. but it doesn't. In some they do rev faster but that is the ecu altering the signal not the pedal. The SB can only alter the pedals signal, ecu still decides what to do with it.

IDK... Seems the tach is pretty spot on in relationship to the engine revs that I hear and feel, and the actual motion of the car (tach moves, the car moves).

Like I said in my review, it has nothing to do with how much pedal I give. For example, I can give 30% pedal with the sprint booster on and I jump off the line quicker than with 80% pedal (or even if I floor it) with the sprint booster off.

I think there's a factor here that you are either overlooking or ignorant of, because real-world results don't match your explanation.

[Corners4kids]

Regarding the previous Carista discussion, was that performed using the iOS version of the app?

IOS version. I am on the Beta program (they invited me after I sent feedback saying the electronic parking brake release wasn’t working), but one of my pals isn’t and he was able to do it with the regular IOS.

[chris86vw]

I think there's a factor here that you are either overlooking or ignorant of, because real-world results don't match your explanation.

Nope, you posted an anecdote not anything that shows real world results.

Whether you like it or not the SB cannot get a signal to the ecu faster than the pedal alone can.. It is not possible.

[stevwang]

Thanks for sharing your review


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[QShip18]

Just installed one on my RS3, Holy Crap! Great thing is when and if I take the car to the track I can simply turn the Sprint Booster off. On the street though it sure is fun!

[excelT4]

I've been rocking a sprint booster on my s3 for over a year now. I think I have v2, but even that has contributed significantly to daily enjoyment. I had the same experience as you. I was very skeptical at first, but I couldn't stand the 'lag' of this car, and I was stuck with it so I was willing to try anything To make it more enjoyable, this did the trick. 😊

[PsiBlast]

Nope, you posted an anecdote not anything that shows real world results.

Nope. No need to show real world results. I'm not trying to prove anything. I was a skeptic. I tried it. I shared my experience. That's all.

Whether you like it or not the SB cannot get a signal to the ecu faster than the pedal alone can.. It is not possible.

Not possible, yet my throttle response is faster. And I'm not the only one saying so.

Just throwing this out there... Maybe there is a built-in dead zone in the pedal, or a built-in delay, and the sprint booster removes the dead zone (or delay). I pull into traffic and there is no delay and it gives me confidence. W/out the sprint booster, I can slam the gas into traffic and there is hesitation before the car moves.

I'm not sure what else I can say beyond this. I'm done trying to explain my experience into your theories about how DBW works. It just works. Period.

[PsiBlast]

I've been rocking a sprint booster on my s3 for over a year now. I think I have v2, but even that has contributed significantly to daily enjoyment. I had the same experience as you. I was very skeptical at first, but I couldn't stand the 'lag' of this car, and I was stuck with it so I was willing to try anything To make it more enjoyable, this did the trick. 😊

Awesome! For me, it was less to do with performance, and more to do with safety... as it was frustrating (and dangerous) accelerating from a stop with that factory delay.

[chris86vw]

Nope. No need to show real world results. I'm not trying to prove anything. I was a skeptic. I tried it. I shared my experience. That's all.

I responded to YOUR post where YOU stated that you posted real world results.

You can't even remember what you posted...

Not possible, yet my throttle response is faster. And I'm not the only one saying so.

You have posted nothing to show your throttle response is faster. It doesn't matter if other people say it also. Claiming something doesn't make them true.


Claiming things that you have no factual data to show are true and claiming it as fact is a disservice to the community.

I'm not sure what else I can say beyond this. I'm done trying to explain my experience into your theories about how DBW works. It just works. Period.

I don't expect you to say anything, really no one should continue speak about things they don't understand like you are doing.

I didn't post theory on how DBW works, they are verifiable facts on how it works...


I 100% agree that the SB does just work and I don't doubt that your experience is positive, I never said it did not work or anything about your experience itself. What I did say is that it doesn't do one of the things you claim it does. SB doesn't even claim it does what you are saying it does.. because it can't.

[Delqath]

How is the SB in S mode? I had a V1 on my SRT6 years ago (before the selective control) and it was too responsive.

[sotodojo]

I hate to shoot a horse that should have been dead a long time ago, but chris is right. All the chart shows from SB website is that it increased the voltage signal faster. Basically that means when you think you are pushing 25% of the pedal, the ECU is receiving a 50% signal (exaggerated example). The delay is still present, and you would never be able to feel a 50ms difference. How do I know this? I literally design systems that use similar electrical components and properties. The delay is present because the ECU has to translate the analog voltage signal to a digital signal, and then process it. In fact I will go one step further and guarantee that the SB actually slows down response more, because the fastest opamps (operational amplifier) on the market still delay the signal, but this delay would be roughly 10-75 nanoseconds (depending on how cheap this company wants to be with their component selection). Real world results would be hooking up an oscilloscope and looking at the signal in time with and without the SB device. You are sharing seat of the pants results, like that air filter that gives the guy at cars and coffee +3HP and +5 stamina in bed.

TLDR;

Does this help me accelerate faster? YES
Does this reduce the delay from pedal push to movement? NO

Yours Truly,
Electrical Engineer

[Brandon K.]

Obviously it is not possible for the SB to deliver a signal sooner than what the peddle can without it. However there is one thing on here that never seems to come up...how the electronic throttle is programmed to behave based on the amount of input and the change of the input over time. The SB may also delivers a varied signal with time.

For example, the ECU may very the speed it opens the throttle depending on degree of the throttle input and the speed of the change in the input. It may also open it wider on tipin to help build some boost then close it some afterward.

The SB may have similar signal manipulation...say when you 1st touch the throttle it could send a signal to open the throttle 100% for the first few moments then back it down to something more reasonable. The ECU would interpret this as you mashing the peddle and open the throttle a lot more and possibly faster. This could easily give the sensation of a faster throttle response.

Practically speaking, this could reduce the delay in most driving situations that don’t involve pounding the peddle to the floor.

On my B8, there is a big and annoying delay between when the peddle is depressed and the car starts to move. That time feels to be reduced significantly on the APR tunes vs stock. Moving to an HPA tune, that delay has increased back to stock levels and it sucks.

I know that Saab turbos with throttle by wire were programmed to exaggerate the initial throttle opening on tipin to build boost more quickly so the cars felt more responsive.

Just some food for though.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[beflythis]

i have a remus responder which is a clip-on in exactly in the same implementation. I leave it on daily! many of you here are correct/close and so no need really to argue - what it actually does is increase the throttle sensitivity. so if you're actually pressing pedal 10%, car is being told it's actually 30% and so on (however sensitive or not you set it).

Remus responder has three primary settings, with three sub-settings for each (9 total). I leave it on (2) (3). Had it on (3) (1) (lowest option for highest setting) when I was stage 1 and it was perfect. had to lower it a bit when I went stage 3 as it was a little over the top. :)

by far and large, the BEST $250 'addon' i have purchased to date. it's hilarious because it doesn't technically add any boost to the vehicle, but it feels like it does due to the increased responsiveness. As others have pointed out, TONS of fun for street/city driving, quick overtakes and passing on the highway, etc.

only downside i have noticed thus far is that when my transmission is cold, driving in sport manual with the full manual tune option (and using the remus responder) i'll once in a while get hard shifts between 1 and 2 and will nudge the car slightly. when i temporarily lowered the responder setting to (2) (2), didn't experience this once. Something about the increased sensitivity messing with the dsg while in between gears... (?) not sure.

if you are considering a sprint booster or the remus responder specifically, TRY IT! such a fun addon for low cost.

[sotodojo]

Brandon,

Good food for thought! The SB is definitely just manipulating voltage though, and the biggest delay in the system is the analog to digital conversion. The signal from the ECU to the throttle body would be traveling as the speed of light (electrons and such) so i'm going to lean towards your "sensation of faster throttle response". If it were to manipulate the throttle without input or with a guesstimate of how fast you are trying to go then Gods Speed to everyone that runs this thing. If it fails they could potentially goi WOT without control. I just hate watching misinformation spread.

[wfujay]

Brandon,

Good food for thought! The SB is definitely just manipulating voltage though, and the biggest delay in the system is the analog to digital conversion. The signal from the ECU to the throttle body would be traveling as the speed of light (electrons and such) so i'm going to lean towards your "sensation of faster throttle response". If it were to manipulate the throttle without input or with a guesstimate of how fast you are trying to go then Gods Speed to everyone that runs this thing. If it fails they could potentially goi WOT without control. I just hate watching misinformation spread.

Wow, this was going to be the first mod for my 18 S3, but I had actually never even thought of this possibility. I'll email REMUS and get their thoughts on this because it's a damn scary proposition.

[PsiBlast]

TLDR;

Does this help me accelerate faster? YES
Does this reduce the delay from pedal push to movement? NO

Yours Truly,
Electrical Engineer

It's actually the opposite. It doesn't help me accelerate faster, but it does reduce the delay from pedal push to movement.

You (and others) can regurgitate all the "science" you want regarding DBW. But it doesn't jive with real world results. The danger of science (especially when mixed with ego) is that it closes your mind off to other possibilities beyond your scope of belief. Once you think you've figured it all out, you've effectively boxed yourself into a specific set of beliefs. The challenge is to look outside the box. I'm speaking as someone who also works in the engineering field.

Btw, if you think 50ms is imperceptible, then you've never played a FPS on dial-up.

[Pittdawg]

It's actually the opposite. It doesn't help me accelerate faster, but it does reduce the delay from pedal push to movement.

You (and others) can regurgitate all the "science" you want regarding DBW. But it doesn't jive with real world results. The danger of science (especially when mixed with ego) is that it closes your mind off to other possibilities beyond your scope of belief. Once you think you've figured it all out, you've effectively boxed yourself into a specific set of beliefs. The challenge is to look outside the box. I'm speaking as someone who also works in the engineering field.

Btw, if you think 50ms is imperceptible, then you've never played a FPS on dial-up.

FYI my 2014 Q5 TDI, even after a tune still had a pronounced throttle delay (especially from a dead stop) that sounds virtually identical to what I have heard 2.0T owners complain of. However, the Sprintbooster all but eliminated it, exactly as PsiBlast has indicated throughout this thread. The biggest misconception is you can just mash your pedal down harder/faster to simulate a Sprintbooster but it's simply not the same.

[MikTip]

I had the Sprint Booster on my B6 Audi....from the first day it came on the market years ago...thru to its latest verson.

Several tuners offered ECU flash which had code for improved throttle response...

I dont have it on my S3 because I have United Motorsports tune... which for me I feel has good throttle response.

I'm curious of how Sprint Booster would perform with the tune, and if I would turn it down to lower settings????

I still have the SB from my B6...it doesnt fit the S3...

[chris86vw]

ITT:

Science isn't a thing and a Q5 TDI has a throttle... awesome

[Yoshimura]

How do you believe it does that?

You have pedal-----ecu---- throttle body

Now you have pedal-----$$-----ecu----throttle body

You are stating that somehow by adding a device in the middle of two other devices which now has to take the first signal, modify it and output a now one (that takes time) it some how sped up that signal?


No. It can't.

I don't know long it could take me to floor it but if a device send a 100% signal as soon as I began to touch the throttle, then adding a device in the middle of two other devices could speed up that signal!

So, Yes. It can.