Boost and Throttle Controllers: Easy Ways to Boost Vehicle Performance

Nowadays, there are countless different ways you can tune your vehicle. From performance mods, throttle controllers and boost controllers, to improved safety features like traction control and emergency brakes. Depending on your goals and budget, how you approach tuning can differ.

Boost controllers and boost control parts are some of the best ways to improve performance on your vehicle. They allow you to control how much boost or pressure is being delivered by the turbocharger, which can help increase horsepower and torque throughout the entire power band.

Boost Controllers

What are They?

Boost controllers are electronic components that work in conjunction with a turbocharger’s waste gate. When activated, they open up a valve that lets exhaust gas enter the turbine shaft at a controlled rate, allowing it to spin faster and produce more boost.

Boost controllers are simple to install, and don’t require any modifications to your vehicle. They can be installed in a matter of minutes with just a few tools and wires from the power supply (battery) to activate the boost control device. The only thing you need to do is tune your car’s ECU (if necessary) so it knows how much pressure should be delivered at all times. Boost controllers usually come with various performance tunes that you can choose from depending on your vehicle’s year, make and model.

Boost controllers are mainly used for increasing horsepower and torque on the dyno and street, but can also be installed on track cars as well. They’re popular with turbocharged petrol vehicles like: Honda Civics, Mazda RX-7s and Ford Focus STs (MK1, MK2 and RS). But they can also be found on some diesel cars such as BMW’s Mini Cooper SJCW Edition, VW Golf R and Skoda Octavia VRS.

There are two main types of boost controllers: Mechanical and Electronic. The main difference between the two is that electronic ones can be tuned via your car’s ECU, whereas mechanical ones require manual adjustments to the waste gate valve itself. 

What Do They Do?

Boost controllers increase horsepower and torque on your vehicle in several different ways: They allow more exhaust gas into the cylinder at a higher pressure when you’re driving hard, which results in more power being delivered to the wheels. This is because there’s more air and fuel entering the combustion chamber with every stroke of the piston, resulting in a much smoother delivery of power. The higher pressure allows for better cylinder scavenging as well, which reduces lag and improves overall performance. More exhaust gas also means less valve float (or “wastegate creep”), which can help improve response time too.

By opening up the waste gate at a controlled rate, you’re able to fine tune how much boost is being delivered at all times. This allows you to tune your car’s ECU so it doesn’t over-fuel or under-fuel, which can help improve horsepower and torque on the dyno as well as during daily driving.

What Are the Benefits?

Boost controllers are one of the easiest ways to increase performance on your vehicle without having to modify any parts. They’re also very affordable, with some costing just a couple hundred dollars. And if installed correctly, they won’t void your vehicle’s warranty.

They’re also very easy to install, and don’t require any modifications to your car. All you need is a few tools and wires from the power supply (battery) to activate it. Depending on how much boost you want to add, you can choose between different models with different levels of pressure regulation.

Does My Car Need One?

If you have a turbocharged petrol vehicle, then yes. But if you’ve already modified your vehicle with performance parts, then a boost controller might not be necessary. Some people choose to install them on their tuned cars just for added safety and reliability.

Throttle Controllers

In conjunction with a boost controller, you can get a throttle controller, which is another performance part that helps improve fuel efficiency by reducing idle throttle lag. This allows you to tune your car’s ECU so it doesn’t over-fuel or under-fuel, which can help improve horsepower and torque on the dyno as well as during daily driving. You should also consider installing a cold air intake system (CAI) if you have one installed already. A CAI is an affordable way of increasing horsepower and torque without having to modify any parts. 

And if installed correctly, they won’t void your vehicle’s warranty either. They’re also very easy to install, and don’t require any modifications to your car. All you need is a few tools and wires from the power supply (battery) to activate it. The best part about throttle controllers is that they’re quite affordable and come with a variety of different performance tunes depending on your car’s year, make and model.