Installing AEM Boost Controller & Gauge (and why you need one)

[@calico.88]

i came to the channel for the car content but stayed for Matthew himself, love your videos!

[@cmattdabrat]

Thank you! I appreciate it.

[@jakegenocide]

Love that it's done on a Cruze, even if it's a better Cruze than mine, it's still very similar routing.

[@2strokesimdone833]

Can't fault you for the solder joints, wasn't until I started building fueltech harnesses that I knew to always crimp. Excellent work as always man.

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks for sharing the knowledge. Makes sense to me. Learn something new everyday. I appreciate it!

[@davesworld2132]

I like the lubrication idea. Some of those opening are tough to pull a harness through.

[@cmattdabrat]

Definitely helps.

[@JosefTrull]

Hey! Another video! I'm excited to watch but I'm in Houston right now so I'm going to have to watch later.

[@cmattdabrat]

Thank Joe! Hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

[@builtbybagsy]

Keep getting more and more glimpses of what this 'budget' engine is going to do. Can't wait to see the results once it's all dialled in. Keep at it.

[@cmattdabrat]

Thank you!

[@jimhiscott2918]

Excellent video. You answered a lot of questions i had in this video that I did not have before. Huge help. Can't thank you enough👍

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks Jim! Since the start of this build I've had a cheap $20 ebay boost gauge, and no controller. Have just ran waste gate spring pressure. The setup was real simple. Initially programming the boost controller seamed a little complicated watching what videos were out there, but once I had it installed, it was pretty much a piece of cake. It's cool I can change the boost setting on the fly with the press of a button. I'm looking forward to wiring up the scramble boost which lets say for example, I'm running waste gate, and need an extra little get up and go, I can press the scramble button to essentially get the boost where I've set it for maximum effort. Only reason I didn't include it in this video is I'm still debating where I want to put the button that'll make it safe handling / control wise.

[@tvanb8729]

Great video, thanks. But it would be great if someone could make a tutorial what each function exactly means, and how you set it up safely etc. I want to buy one but I have no clue what I am doing since I have no clue what each function does :) .

[@QDArt-gj6lb]

I have an idea for u Matt. U see where the foh lights would go(cuz the ls models don’t come with fog lights) u could use that area to get some extra air into the the engine CAI. With some plastic tubing or whatever works.

[@cmattdabrat]

That's an excellent idea. I've thought about that and do plan on working on that as a project on it's own. Summer is fast approaching and need to keep the under hood temps down. She's been cooking under the hood even now with mild temps. A box to isolate the intake / filter, and cool air fed to it would help a lot. Although, at that point it's getting more complicated than just installing a water to air setup with an ice box. Lots to still think about an engineer.

[@Davsoto120]

@@cmattdabrat I have seen aftermarket hoods with the scoop that guides the cold air onto your intake

[@tomkyma]

I knew that was a Mac valve! With my experience using them in heavy duty industrial settings, you could probably mount it directly to the exhaust manifold and it would run forever 😂 they’re tough!

[@cmattdabrat]

True! Had an old pnuematic screen print press and there was water and rust all in the system. Valves were still rocking.

[@mastercricket7626]

rad bro and for those who dont have a controller just a mac valve u can do a safety sorta speak by plumb into the center port on mac for your line out and if it fails that reverts to gate pressure the straight thru way depends on the controller or it will give all the boost if it fail just a friendly heads up to any other builders in this spot n matt love the vids bro u are killin it with the editing bro .... peace and love all stay rad build on an have fun l8r

[@jimhiscott2918]

You know anything about fueltech? I bought the ft450 they sell. Not using the fueltech boost controller set up because it run off Co2. Not practical for a street car. I am wondering if the ft450 will support a 4 port boost controller and bbg? On the fueltech website they only sell the Mac 3 port so it raises some questions about supporting my 4 port.

[@mastercricket7626]

@@jimhiscott2918 i am not familiar with it tbh brotha but i would imagine long as you have a dual port waste gate it should still control it about the same but would deff look into it further brotha just to be safe ... besta luck with the build bro

[@cmattdabrat]

@@jimhiscott2918 The guys over at FuelTech I'm sure could answer your questions. Would love to get the car on FuelTech one day. ATM, the stock ECU will be okay until I exceed 3 bars, which probably wont be long as long as things hold. lol.

[@cmattdabrat]

Thank you, and we all appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

[@jimhiscott2918]

@@cmattdabrat I called FT and talked to Manny ext 2007. He wasn't sure either. So I'm like "now what?" Lol

[@modeverything1]

Hmm... I may have to look into this on my next build!

[@MichaelD429]

Can't wait for the Dyno.. should be interesting

[@cmattdabrat]

Same here!

[@backfire9563]

Hey so is the boost guage vacuum line connected to turbo line or intake manifold?

[@danssv8]

Awesome Matt you getting there

[@cmattdabrat]

Almost finished buttoning this thing up! Intake, exhaust, and N2MB wotbox. Then I can hand it over for a dyno tune session. These project all seemed to me like quick little thing, which I'm sure they are without trying to film everything lol.

[@shamarbrown5683]

So where does the boost reference from back of the gauge hook up too

[@cmattdabrat]

Any vacuum / boost source. I have mine hooked up to a port directly on the intake.

[@Holmbergihergi1]

Just found your channel love the content man!!

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks Leo!

[@detskysade2581]

To all the people planning to solder things in their cars. Don't do it! Soldering is great for boards and bad for wires. It will create wire fatigue, higher resistance in the system, and be more prone to corrosion. Go with wire cramping instead and if you want to do extra, add some silicone for insulation. Other than that great video!

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks!

[@DurtyHandz]

I learned that with my headlights. One day they didn't work and I had done a projector retrofit. Went to check the wires and they were extremely brittle. Kept stripping wire rubber away and the actual wires kept falling apart.

[@johnsnow1355]

The best connect is a sealed crimp connection for high moisture environment. These ones with the glue inside that melts when u shrink the cover. For interior wiring soldering is the way to go since it's a more stable environment. For any wiring involving ecu wiring never use a 120v soldering iron unless the computer is unplugged. U have to use a butane torch soldering iron so no current is introduced Into the wires. You will possibly fry your ecu or deploy a air bag if u use a plug in solder iron.

[@Drozi-xh6vj]

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️bullshit , learn how to solder proper 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@cruzfernandez4554]

Thank you for sharing your informative video. I own a 2012 BMW X5 with an N55 engine, and I’ve been experiencing some issues lately. Recently, I observed that the boost solenoid was energized even at idle. Could you please advise if this is normal behavior?

[@cmattdabrat]

Glad it helped! Wish I could help, but I couldn't tell you. Might want to reach out to AEM.

[@bigdreeamer]

Good video. Very detailed.

[@cmattdabrat]

I appreciate it!

[@vtphantom147]

When it says to connect bottom of wg to manifold what does that mean? Do they mean to connect bottom of wg to manifold and the solenoid to the turbo?

[@cmattdabrat]

Not 100% sure what you're asking. Do you have a boost controller? If not, you'll want to hook a boost reference to the bottom of the wastegate so it'll open. If you put it on top, it wont open and you'll get all the boost.

[@leocruzemodsandgaming9970]

Did you have to program the boost controller?

[@cmattdabrat]

You have an A and B boost setting. So you can set one for x amount of boost, and the other for y. Really easy to program.

[@leocruzemodsandgaming9970]

@@cmattdabrat just to be clear , the electronic boost controler can be programed by the aem boost gaude A and B toggles? And by the way hope your doing well.

[@Six_ftdeep32]

Where do you run the scramble boost wire too?

[@cmattdabrat]

Just need to run it to a switch that'll ground it.

[@sirob584]

Do those push to connect fitting hold the air pressure well?

[@cmattdabrat]

Absolutely. They'll hold well over 100 psi. Or screen printing press runs off of our air compressor that's running constantly between 155-175 psi of pressure. All push to connect fittings. You just have to watch for heat though, but that's really no different than using rubber hose.

[@sirob584]

@@cmattdabrat thanks man. I may go this route

[@technicallyeco.2751]

Mine pulls more vacuum am 1.4l?? 🤷‍♂️

[@cmattdabrat]

Probably. The cams and their overlap I'm sure are creating less vacuum which is why it has a little bit of a lump to it at idle.

[@Itsolivera]

Works with twins ?

[@cmattdabrat]

I’m sure you could probably tee the connection off to each waste gate.

[@Faibonelorginal]

brother where did you get the meter holder for your cruze? Did you make it yourself or did you buy it somewhere? pass me the data

[@cmattdabrat]

I got it from ZZP!

[@Faibonelorginal]

@@cmattdabrat auto_awesome would you share the link? I'm from Mexico, do you think they can send me here? In fact, I am barely getting my hands on tuning in everything related to the mechanical and there are not many people who make videos of Chevrolet Cruze. I have a 2016 lt turbo 1.4Lt (the silhouette of the car is like yours, not the new generation)

[@DankestJedi]

It'll make about 415ish 420ish hrsprs hopefully when you dyno!! She's a ripper!

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks!

[@jamariusfairley4989]

Have you race anyone yet

[@EmilianoMigisRomero]

He race a clapped out evo before

[@cmattdabrat]

Just the Evo so far going up hill. Hung in there. There's a guy with a C7 Vette I asked if he would run me once I get it dyno tuned. He's game.

[@johnsnow1355]

I still think it's very sketchy having gauges mounted on top of a explosive device like the side impact airbags 😳😳😳

[@cmattdabrat]

Got a good point.

[@billsanderson1806]

For anyone watching this, in a fuse tap you don’t add the amperage of the fuses together, the original circuit has a 15A fuse and the added circuit has a 20A fuse with this setup, not 35A total. Great walkthrough otherwise!

[@cmattdabrat]

Great tip!

[@victorwilks88]

Spinning boy ! Like share and subscribe 👆

[@cmattdabrat]

Thanks Victor!