How to set up the Tru-Boost controller

[HS]

Check out the four part Tru-Boost video series HERE!

Setting up the Tru-boost  

1. With the gauge powered up and the engine running hold the left button for 2 seconds and switch to Run Mode A.
2. Then hold both buttons for 2 seconds to get into program mode.  
3. Press the left button once to get into program mode A. Once in the Program mode for setting A, start from 10% duty and add 2% duty at a time until the desired boost pressure is achieved.  Do a full-throttle pull in a high gear and watch for boost spikes. Please remember depending on the engine/turbo/manifold design you might not get any boost increase until you get to 20-30% duty.  In this case you can add 5-10% at a time until you get closer to your desired boost level.  
4. Once you get to your desired boost turn the key off and back on or press both buttons till you are out of program mode.

5. Hold both buttons again to get into program mode and keep pressing both buttons till you get to the sPr/Gae option (waste gate crank pressure). You can see page7 to follow the tree structure. To help the turbo spool quickly, the Tru-Boost can hold the solenoid at 100% duty if boost is below this pressure. Think of it like the electronic equivalent of a wastegate spring. Start from 1psi and increase the sPr/Gae value 1 psi at a time until you go over your desired boost target.  For example: If your target boost is 15psi and you add 1 psi to your waste gate crack pressure and your boost goes up to 16psi you will need to decrease the number for sPr/Gae.


Depending on your turbo, manifold, engine characteristics or combinations you might end up with boost pressure dropping off at high RPM or Boost pressure spiking high at high RPM.  The Tru-Boost controller can't compensate for this, it was designed to be a simple boost controller without too many options. Just make sure you follow the steps above to accurately and quickly set up your Tru-Boost controller.  

[Stu Hagen]

Ha..ha.. first post here~!   
I just installed this Tru Boost and it seems to work fine. Its very noisy tho!
I have couple of questions, or observations.
1) There is no backlight, just the sweeping LEDS?
2) There is no way to display peak boost? Hard to see what was just peaked when your driving.
3) I have a "twins" Supra and I am using this to control my #1 turbo boost. It is working, but my only question is the "spr" setting  from 2.00-->10.0 I think, what is this relating too? If I run an internal wastegate, is this figure mean anything to me? Is this the same as "gain" on another style EBC like the SBCiD? Is this relate to the "speed" on how fast boost ramps up? It doesnt seem to do much for me between the minimum and maximum. Since I am never really going over 18psi or 4500rpms, I am thinking this feature isnt going to do much for me
4) Is the "A" and "B" boost settings just like 2 channels? One for Race gas the other for pump gas so to speak?
5) When you do make changes, I am reading that you "must" either power down, or continue to push the buttons until you get to "run", correct?

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get the most out of this compact guage.

[Mr. Evo IX]

I'll try to answer although I'm having a problem with the truboost myself (spiking).

1.  The truboost is not  backlit, you only get the sweeping LED gauge and the digital readout.  It's too bad that the LED's dont light around the gauge as depicted in the pictures... vs the 1 LED being lit at a time.  Also the truboost is substantially dimmer than their Wideband gauge which is another annoyance.

2.  I would love to know the answer to this myself?  But as far as I can tell it doesnt do this, I thought I read that it would in the product details.  I hope this is possible.

3.  I also cannot see a difference with the wastegate setting either.  Although I think this setting might be able to help me with my spiking problem.  Maybe I havent raised it enough to see my boost go above the set point in A or B to back it down.  I've run it in OFF to see where my wastegate spring operates at - from 11.5 - 12.5 depending on gear and RPM so I set Gae or Spr to 11.5 but I can't see any difference from 2.00 to 11.5 to 12.5

4.  Yes the A and B are just 2 channels. I have my A set at 20psi and my B set at stock boost levels.

5.  You dont have to reboot it go back to run. Try holding buttone 1 and 2 for a second or 2 to cycle through PRG, OFF, A, B, RUN  I think that's how it works (from memory, once you get the hang of how to cycle through the menu's it's pretty easy but hard on the fingers).  If you hold them too long on PRG, it goes through the PRG Menu.  Not sure about the exact order but I know that you can get to run.  RUN keeps your last setting used.. A or B. 

[Mr. Evo IX]

Press and hold the right button for 2 seconds to display peak boost.  Press and hold right button for 5 seconds to clear peak boost.

[Stu Hagen]

That was a quick answer~! How did you find that out so quickly? That is good news on the peak boost.

Can you hear the solenoid go crazy from inside the car like I can??  Weird.

Stu

[HS]

The solenoid is always ticking so the gauge knows its connected.  If the solenoid gets disconnected or stops working the gauge will display ERS for error solenoid.  The solenoid is usually mounted in the engine bay so you shouldn't be able to hear the solenoid ticking.

As for the GAE or SPR function, it holds the wastegate shut until you reach that number.  If your target is 10psi and you have the SPR set to 12 you will have problems and boost fluctuation.  Just follow the setup instructions at the top of this post and you'll be fine.  If you are still having boost spike issues with your SPR setting at 1 then your turbo/waste gate combination isn't a good match.

[djoye]

The wiring for the solenoid is +6 feet long for a reason!  Mine is in the engine bay and I can't hear it at all but I've also got an external waste gate dumping so it would be difficult to hear anyway.

SPr - CRACK PRESSURE
I've got a TiAL 38mm waste gate with a 13psi spring but my SPr is set somewhere just above 4.  I initially had SPr set to 13 but it spiked quite a large amount so I followed the instructions and lowered the value quite a bit until boost went straight to target without spiking.

SPr = CRACK PRESSURE!  "Crack pressure" is what they call it in the instructions and I think what they mean by that is the pressure at which your waste gate begins to crack open so SPr seems to have little to do with the actual spring rating and more to do with the pressure at which the spring begins to give.  When I had SPr set too high I could hear the waste gate open on its own and then shut as the tru-boost took over.  Of course that went away once the tru-boost knew to kick in earlier.

Perhaps if your waste gate spring is around 5-7psi then the tru-boost should just remain on all the time and SPr should be set to its lowest value.

[apudapus]

is there a way to adjust the "gain" for the boost controller?

i have a 300ZX twin turbo and there is quite a distance of hoses to travel to the wastegates.  therefore it will take time for boost pressure to open the wastegates (initial spike in boost and then fall off).

i previously had an HKS EVC V boost controller with an "offset" setting and i did not have the same issues that i'm having now with the AEM Tru Boost controller.

[djoye]

is there a way to adjust the "gain" for the boost controller?

i have a 300ZX twin turbo and there is quite a distance of hoses to travel to the wastegates.  therefore it will take time for boost pressure to open the wastegates (initial spike in boost and then fall off).

i previously had an HKS EVC V boost controller with an "offset" setting and i did not have the same issues that i'm having now with the AEM Tru Boost controller.

Waste gate crack pressure is what controls boost spikes.  You lower that value to reduce or remove initial spikes.

[abrahamsr20]

its there any way to use a switch to go hi boost?

couse  its too easy to miss hi boost  by the gauge...

[Roadside Tech]

You say the engine needs to be running while setting it up?? could this be the reason for my flashing ERS???

[eagrinsonis]

hey,
   I HAVE A TRU BOOST IN MY MAZDASPEED PROTEGE, CAME WITH THE CAR .  I DONT HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE IT.  WHEN I AM DRIVING AT REGULAR SPEEDS IT WILL SAY 19,20,21 AROUND THERE. THEN WHEN I PUNCH IT IT WILL DROP TO .03, .09, .54, 1.3, 3, 9 ALL KINDS OF CRAZY NUMBERS LIKE THAT . THEN THE LEDS WILL GOO ALL THE WAY AROUND WHEN I START THE CAR BUT AS SOON AS THEY GO ALL THE WAY AROUND THEY WIL NEVER TURN ON. ONLY THE DIGITAL, CRAZY, NUMBERS WILL SHOW NOT THE LEDS.

[Rick G]

hey,
   I HAVE A TRU BOOST IN MY MAZDASPEED PROTEGE, CAME WITH THE CAR .  I DONT HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE IT.  WHEN I AM DRIVING AT REGULAR SPEEDS IT WILL SAY 19,20,21 AROUND THERE. THEN WHEN I PUNCH IT IT WILL DROP TO .03, .09, .54, 1.3, 3, 9 ALL KINDS OF CRAZY NUMBERS LIKE THAT . THEN THE LEDS WILL GOO ALL THE WAY AROUND WHEN I START THE CAR BUT AS SOON AS THEY GO ALL THE WAY AROUND THEY WIL NEVER TURN ON. ONLY THE DIGITAL, CRAZY, NUMBERS WILL SHOW NOT THE LEDS.

Did you ever sort this out?

Looks like your readings are set to bar and 1.3(almost 19 psi) is too high for your car unless you've upgraded your turbo and obviously the readings it's jumping to after the 1.3 bar arent 3 & 9 but .03 and .09 and the numbers you see while not in boost are your vacuum readings.

First find out what pressure is safe to run on your car/turbo.

Change your boost readings to PSI, it might be easier for you to set it up. 

Lower your SPr until it doesn't overshoot your desired boost, start at 5% SPr and you'll probably also need to lower your boost, which is in percentages also.(15% boost duty does not mean 15psi or 1.05bar)

I have a 06 WRX with a small upgrated turbo (td05/18g) and my boost duty is at 67% with SPr at around 12% to hit 20psi. (not that you should follow this, just posted as an example)

Good Luck and hope this helps anyone else.

[srtratblock]

On your wrx are you holding 20psi at this setting? I was curious if psi holds steady,or if psi drops slowly when your going up through RPM          Appriciate any comment to this question.

[djTragik]

ok so i was able to set my tru boost conntroller , 10 on channel A  & 18 on channel B, my question is what do i put for the crank wastegate ... SPR?  its for my 02 subaru wrx