Bosch iBooster Retrofit

[81dmc]

Wow, great job, impressive. Thanks for sharing. Now I want this in my Volvo Amazon too. Hope you can help me out by sharing some more details.
What is the part number of the big ECU connector or perhaps even, do you have the links for purchasing the housing and crimp pins?
Thanks in advance.

No problem! Here's the info I gave to another asking the same question via PM.

Midsize pin for connector This pin needs to be trimmed to fit. I couldn't find the correct one.:
https://m.ebay.com/itm/Bosch-BDK-2-8...S/132378925515


Large pin for connector:
https://nexelec.com/BOSCH-1928498807/


Small pin for connector:
https://nexelec.com/BOSCH-1928498705/


And finally, the connector:
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32706325552.html

[jangell]

This is really cool. I'd also like to do it at some point, but I have a few questions:

Did you wind up sticking with the Chevy Volt reservoir, or going with another solution?

You said you re-flared the brake lines. I'm curious what is involved with that, or if you could just get adaptors (I mean, since you had to get M10 to M12 adaptors anyway...).

Do the stock brake lines happen to reach the iBooster as-is, or did you have to fabricate them to get them to where they needed to be?

I'm also wondering about the pedal travel sensor; what did you do for that? I see you mentioned the connector, but I don't see anything about the sensor itself.

I'm also curious about how you wired the connector to the car. It looks like the four wires for the travel sensor, and I guess all the "Fused B+" wires go to 12v, and the two ground wires to ground... and that's it? I assume the ignition control/start is to make sure your foot is on the brake when you start the car, similar to the start inhibit relay on automatic DMCs. And the rest looks like CANbus pins.

Thanks!

-- Joe

[jangell]

Responding to myself: I googled re-flaring and found out that double flare kits are inexpensive, and that it's pretty easy to bend brake line into whatever shape you need, as long as you're careful not to crease them or to bend them so far that they tear open. So that answers that bit.

-- Joe

[81dmc]

This is really cool. I'd also like to do it at some point, but I have a few questions:

Did you wind up sticking with the Chevy Volt reservoir, or going with another solution?

I stuck with it for now, but it is unfortunately too tall. If I can eventually get my hands on a reservoir from a model 3, I will change it to that. (It is lower profile)

You said you re-flared the brake lines. I'm curious what is involved with that, or if you could just get adaptors (I mean, since you had to get M10 to M12 adaptors anyway...).

AFAIK, no one sells the necessary adapter to avoid reflare. Only way is the double flare and use the m10 to m12 adapter.

Do the stock brake lines happen to reach the iBooster as-is, or did you have to fabricate them to get them to where they needed to be?

I replaced the front brake line that comes from the tee fitting because it is accessible. As for the rear, I reused it, but it is tight! At least too much for my comfort. Going to replace that when I lift the body for the engine swap...

I'm also wondering about the pedal travel sensor; what did you do for that? I see you mentioned the connector, but I don't see anything about the sensor itself.

The travel sensor is integrated into the booster. You just have to wire it up to the big connector.

I'm also curious about how you wired the connector to the car. It looks like the four wires for the travel sensor, and I guess all the "Fused B+" wires go to 12v, and the two ground wires to ground... and that's it? I assume the ignition control/start is to make sure your foot is on the brake when you start the car, similar to the start inhibit relay on automatic DMCs. And the rest looks like CANbus pins.

All fused b+ pin are for 12v constant. The "run/start control output" is the 12v switched output wire from the ignition switch. I recommend using the run position 12v output. Chryslers diagrams have a weird name for switched 12v...

[oudevolvo]

No problem! Here's the info I gave to another asking the same question via PM.

Thanks! I managed to get my hands on an iBooster with the original ECU connector still attached.
That one has part number 1928405762
If anyone is interested, here is the datasheet for that family
https://gs-gsconnector-us.resource.b...1928A00508.pdf
There appear to be three types:
Bosch-iBooster-connectors.jpg
Looking at those images the key-ing on the side is different.
So actually I'm quite surprised the 1928405763 from Aliexpress actually fits.
Good to hear that it does!

[81dmc]

I know other vehicles have different keying, but the connector found on Aliexpress will work for sure with the Gen 1 Tesla ibooster.

[jangell]

I stuck with it for now, but it is unfortunately too tall. If I can eventually get my hands on a reservoir from a model 3, I will change it to that. (It is lower profile)

Cool, good to know.

AFAIK, no one sells the necessary adapter to avoid reflare. Only way is the double flare and use the m10 to m12 adapter.

No problem -- I didn't realize how common and straight-forward reflaring is. Doesn't seem like much of a problem.

I replaced the front brake line that comes from the tee fitting because it is accessible. As for the rear, I reused it, but it is tight! At least too much for my comfort. Going to replace that when I lift the body for the engine swap...

I need to redo my brakes more fully at some point (weird thing where the first press of the pedal is soft, but works, and the next press is hard; after ~20 seconds of driving again, it resets and does the soft-then-hard thing again), so I was thinking of installing the iBooster at the same time.

I guess that rear line runs between the body and the frame? That sounds like fun... And I just replaced my A/C lines, too.

But the real question now is how you found an iBooster for $80 -- the ones I see on eBay are in the $700 range. It seems these are only used on the autopilot-capable Teslas, and a simpler (but larger) $200 one is used on basic package.

The travel sensor is integrated into the booster. You just have to wire it up to the big connector.

Ah, I see -- I'm guessing those wires were probably part of a larger Tesla harness, which is why it wasn't included with the booster. Makes sense. I was surprised it wasn't wired internally until I realized they literally just took two off-the-shelf parts and combined them into the same package.

All fused b+ pin are for 12v constant. The "run/start control output" is the 12v switched output wire from the ignition switch. I recommend using the run position 12v output. Chryslers diagrams have a weird name for switched 12v...

The "output" name threw me off for the switched 12v. I guess the 12v constant is so that you get the booster even if the car is off, and the switched tells it that it can do more active communication over CANbus or whatever.

The pinout looked complicated at a glance, but it sounds like it's actually rather simple. I'm guessing all the "fused b+" pins are just to get enough current for the electric motor over the normally thin wires.

Thanks!

-- Joe

[oudevolvo]

An update from my end. Off topic, please let me know if you mind, then I'll delete my update.
I managed to install the iBooster in my car.
iBooster-passen-op-flens.jpg

I do have a question as well. How did you implement the brakelines? What layout do you use?
I've been told that the Tesla Model S master cylinder might step down in diameter for the rear, which leads my source to believe they use a Front/Rear circuit split (rather than X-split).

[Robmac123]

It certainly looks like a neat solution. I'm curious about the fluid volume and balance of the master cylinder front to rear. It looks like the master cylinder is part of the iBooster so I wondered if it is adjustable for front to rear bias anyhow and how the volume of fluid it moves would 'fit' the Delorean's calipers.
Master cylinders aren't generally regarded as universal fit items, as far as I'm aware, and I'm assuming that the Delorean would need a different front to rear bias to a Tesla or to a normal front engined car (I don't know what the weight distribution is in a Tesla).
I just wondered if the front brakes would tend to lock up when used in a Delorean due to having so little weight up front, if the iBooster is delivering the same front/rear bias as it does in the donor Tesla ?

[81dmc]

An update from my end. Off topic, please let me know if you mind, then I'll delete my update.
I managed to install the iBooster in my car.
iBooster-passen-op-flens.jpg

I do have a question as well. How did you implement the brakelines? What layout do you use?
I've been told that the Tesla Model S master cylinder might step down in diameter for the rear, which leads my source to believe they use a Front/Rear circuit split (rather than X-split).

Works fine as a front/rear split system. No idea what the Tesla uses. I believe there is no diameter change however. It really feels like a 50/50 system from road experience. The fittings on the master are M12 inverted flare. If you have smaller brake lines that use an m10 nut, buy the adapter that I used (m10 inverted flare to m12 inverted flare). I had to reflare my bubble flare lines, but it was well worth it.

It certainly looks like a neat solution. I'm curious about the fluid volume and balance of the master cylinder front to rear. It looks like the master cylinder is part of the iBooster so I wondered if it is adjustable for front to rear bias anyhow and how the volume of fluid it moves would 'fit' the Delorean's calipers.
Master cylinders aren't generally regarded as universal fit items, as far as I'm aware, and I'm assuming that the Delorean would need a different front to rear bias to a Tesla or to a normal front engined car (I don't know what the weight distribution is in a Tesla).
I just wondered if the front brakes would tend to lock up when used in a Delorean due to having so little weight up front, if the iBooster is delivering the same front/rear bias as it does in the donor Tesla ?

Master cylinder is not part of the ibooster assembly. It is just a new design from bosch. I've seen them coupled with vacuum boosters too. No adjustment, unless you want to mount a bias block.

However, from my experience driving my car, the combo feels great with stock calipers. The front doesn't really lock up sooner than the rear (tested on wet roads), and the car is an absolute pleasure to drive in the city now. My leg is no longer in pain after awhile.

I mean, you could argue that the fluid volumes aren't perfect, but then again what is? These cars are engineering headaches in stock form!