Which model do you have?

The BDD451A, or BDD451A2?

I've heard from some members that they both work.

I emailed the seller on Ebay and he says the BDD451A may cause a Check Engine Light.

I am committed to buy a used one (in our for-sale forum), but it is the BDD451A and I'm a little concerned on whether or not it works. The seller had it in his SRT and said there were no issues.

Any help?

Thanks,
Shawn

 

I have the 451A. No problems... works great. Makes the car a real rocket!

 

Thanks for the encouragement.

Off-topic:
Your location says H-Town, you mean Houston, correct?

You ought to come west a bit and hit one of the Central Texas Crossfire Meets! Or, maybe we can do something a little further East.

 

Not to hi-jack this thread, but I too am from Houston, and wonder if we can get something going here, or perhaps, you guys in the CTC, could arrange something further this way ?

 

451A is the proper part number for ANY Crossfire with an Auto-Stick. I know nothing about the 451A2.

Hope that helps... Cheers!

 

From the manufacturer, they say the 451A2 is specifically for the SRT/AMG cars. Supposedly it is a little more 'mild', and not quite as touchy.

SQ

 

Haven't had a problem with my 451A being too 'touchy'... You just learn the differences.

I had my SRT6 for almost 3 or 4 months before I installed the Sprint Booster, so it took a week or two for me to really learn the throttle response again.

Hope that helps...

 

If you had to do it over, would you have bought the sprint booster?

I've talked to a few people who have had them, then removed them...and said it is night/day difference.

Thought I'd ask!

SQ

 

What's the best place to get sprint booster and is really worth it? Any advice?

 

I've learned to train/program the throttle control memory myself (foot action) and eliminate throttle lag. Isn't this what driving is all about? Don't we have cruise control for the times we don't?

I have no need for $280 gizmo built with $10 of passive electronic components.

Why would any automobile manufacture purposely "design-in" throttle lag?

 

There is one for sale on MBworld.org IT says for a non amg but members on here seem to be running the A minus the 2 just fine. That is where i picked mine up just installed it today actually with my new green filters. I have had the most aggressive sprint booster you can get in my manual limited crossfire and it made it a rocket almost impossible to drive in bumper to bumper traffic. The seat of the pants feeling was similar to an evo. The one I installed tonight was the less aggressive one with the 2 on the end. IT is for the AMG engine and is recommended. Very noticeable difference not as aggressive but the way the car should have been from factory. It feels good to chirp second...

 

What performance gains are you seeing over factory?
More horsepower? More torque? Can it be measured on a dyno or 1/4 mile ET? Would a stock SRT with this device dust one thats not equipped?

I keep hearing about all this performance gains - but nobody can tell me what this device really "boosts".

OR does it just fool the throttle controller into thinking your pressing the gas pedal faster and harder then you really are?

I ask a simple and fair question. Does anyone know?

 

Here's what I know - which, admittedly, isn't much -

The Crossfire is a 'drive by wire' throttle, meaning when you press the pedal, it is sending a signal to the TPS sensor and throttle telling it how much to open.

Well, even if you slam the pedal down, it 'gradually' sends this signal until it reaches full throttle. This is a big complaint on 99% of 'drive by wire' pedals (especially with the crossfire), as opposed to those with an actual mechanical linkage, bet it by cable, rod, etc. It makes the car appear to have a lot of throttle lag.

With the sprint booster, this process is made shorter - therefore, you get seemingly better throttle response. It fools the system and speeds up the time it takes to achieve full throttle.

You can say that you drive your car hard, you reset your throttle frequently, etc...but theoretically, this will still help.

It is the same amount of horsepower, same amount of torque, etc.

The only thing that MAY change is the 1/4 mile because you are on the throttle quicker. This could both help and hurt though. If you are getting more throttle response, you'll be more prone to break the rear loose and lose time.
You should also feel like you have a much quicker car when just driving around town.

I bought one used- and I'm not scared to say when I feel like I wasted money, so you can expect an honest review from me. I also drive my car hard, and reset the throttle just about every time I drive it. So, we'll see what happens.

Should have it installed by Friday night, just in time for a good cruise and show/shine.

Report back then and expect a review.

SQ

 

Very good ShawnQ - very straight forward.

I will take it a step further.

If I were open the hood on my pickup, I could hold the (mechanical) throttle linkage in my hand and pull back to make the engine go vrooom.

If I wanted a sprint booster for my truck, I would build a mechanical gear at a linkage point, say 2:1 ratio so that when I press my gas pedal down, at 1/4 pedal I would be at 1/2 throttle thus fooling me into thinking I had more performance (i just touch the pedal and man my trucks a rocket). But once I got to 1/2 pedal, I would be out of throttle response and the gig would be up and potential customers would gawk at such a silly device.

So I go back and design a lobe on my gear so I only get a 2:1 ratio on the first 3/8 of pedal travel and then back to something like 1:1 for the rest of the pedal travel. Ensuring the driver gets some throttle response when pressing the pedal to the floor.

That is all the sprint booster is. A simple amplifier (about $10 in parts - the connectors being the most expensive components) technology that's been around since the 1940's that adjusts the sensitivity of the pedal signal to the throttle controller. Not to much different then what's in you car stereo.

What I find amazing, is that people will lay down $280 for a $10 gizmo and then complain about the price of synthetic oil or tires etc...

 

I have had mine for several months and there is a major difference in the response time. It is night and day between the two SRT's that I have in the acceleration from a dead stop through mid range. When you floor the car they are similar. Mine might be slightly quicker. I received one last week for the other SRT, but haven't had a chance to have it installed.

 

It's actually more than $10 in parts. There's a microchip, a micro controller and a couple caps and transistors. There was a thread over at MBWorld where a guy opened one up and was going to try to repro it with stuff at radioshack. Couldn't be done.

 

Looking forward to it.
I have yet to purchase a sprint booster. Many owners swear by them. crossfirefrank offered to let me drive his NA Crossfire w/the SB installed (@Woodward), but I didn't get the chance.
I do sometimes feel some throttle lag when I give it gas, especially from a stop. I've reset my throttle, etc., but when 2 miles of my 6 mile commute are limited to speeds of 20 mph - 35 mph, not sure how much it helps (plus I don't normally drive aggressively).
~ $300 (with S/H) is quite pricey for a little chip and wires, but if it is absolutely fantastic, I may be in.
Good luck w/the install.

 

BrianBrave,

I am sure it isn't too terribly expensive - but there is more to it than those little IAT resistors that you see on ebay for every car known to man.

DanielNTX is more in the 'chip' field, and he could probably tell you much more about it than myself.

BUT, as far as I know, it does almost exactly what you said you could do to your ford truck - but it is done electronically. Knowing these cars, it is not as easy as some people may think, or as it may seem.

I got mine out of the classifieds for $200 and a pair of K&N filters included - I was going to buy one for $300 and see what I thought, so I couldn't pass up the 'used' deal.

It is 'in route' to San Antonio as of 10/2 11 am, so it should arrive tonight, and be 'out for delivery' tomorrow - I hope! It is scheduled for Friday delivery, but they come a day early every now and then...

If it comes in tomorrow, it will be installed ASAP and I'll report my un-biased opinion.

From what I've read, the only people who aren't very impressed with them are the guys with 600 hp Mercedes, and some of the guys with manuals because they make the throttle too 'touchy' and tough to drive the manual tranny. Some of the 55 series guys use them, and even with 400+ hp they still love the effect they have on the car.

Tune in later for an update.

SQ

 

I used to design electronic circuits - (DC to DC power converters).

Open your booster up and take a high resolution picture.

I will tell you exactly what's in it and price it out. There are what?, two or three wires on the connector it goes between? that rules out any externally powered IC's (requiring a external voltage reference) thus limiting the types of amplifiers available for use.

The company that makes this device makes one for every drive-by-wire car known to man. So it is not a "MB" thing.

If it makes you feel good do it. That's their marketing genius - they sell the sizzle - not the steak.

I wanted to add one more thing - this device now becomes a single-point-of-failure. if it goes "poof" - your crossfire goes no-where.

One more thing - if you wire two sprint boosters in series - will you get twice the "boost"?

 

I installed a booster a few weeks ago and the boost and instant throttle response over stock was truly unbelievable. Unfortunately, after about two weeks it malfunctioned and I needed to return it for another unit. The whole process took about two weeks and while it was back to stock, the car was much less exciting to drive. I just put the new one in today and again, unbelievable instant throttle response. It reminds me when I used to race go carts. The slightest blip of the throttle and it throws you back. I love it. I just hope this one holds up.

Steve