Calibrating boost gauge?

[DALAZ_68]

so i installed my mechanical boost gauge...

is there a way to calibrate mech boost gauges?if so how...cuz it seems to be reading slow...i even removed it from its mounting point cuz i thought the line might be pinched....but the same stuff...

any idea gents :mepoke:

[g6civcx]

so i installed my mechanical boost gauge...


That's your problem right there. The mechanical boost gauge has a feed line going into the dash. Anything pinches the line and you'll get a bad reading.

What's worse is you're making your turbo work extra hard to pressurize the extra line.

Sell it and get a digital boost gauge.

[sr20boostn20]

What kind of gauge is it, Ive been using an Autometer Sport-comp mechanical gauge i never had a problem,



What's worse is you're making your turbo work extra hard to pressurize the extra line.


are you serious? making th eturbo work extra hard?

don,t you need a line for the electronic one too, i need a line to the sensor for my boost read out on my power fc

[g6civcx]

are you serious? making th eturbo work extra hard?

Think about it. A mechanical gauge needs a boost line going to the dash. That's like poking holes in a straw. It's not a big deal but on an already laggy turbo every little bit helps.

don,t you need a line for the electronic one too, i need a line to the sensor for my boost read out on my power fc

A digital sensor gets mounted on the manifold. You can tap the FPR line. You still have to run a line for the signal but the line is a wire, not a tubing that adds volume to the system.

Do you understand?

[sr20boostn20]

Think about it. A mechanical gauge needs a boost line going to the dash. That's like poking holes in a straw. It's not a big deal but on an already laggy turbo every little bit helps.

well im not one to sit here and argue all day about nothing,

but the super thin clear vacuum line that you use for a boost gauge is pressurized with about half a breath.

its not really like poking holes in a straw either, because if you poked a hole in a straw its a leak. And the small piece of vacuum line isnt a leak, its sealed its just maybe 2-3 extra square cm's of free space that needs to be filled with air.




A digital sensor gets mounted on the manifold. You can tap the FPR line. You still have to run a line for the signal but the line is a wire, not a tubing that adds volume to the system.

Do you understand?

When using an apexi product either an avc-r or power fc. they include for you a boost sensor. This on you avcr is for displaying and controlling the boost with the help of a solenoid. and on the power fc it is for boost display on the commander. It can be mounted any where mine happens to be on my strut tower. this sensor requires a small vacuum line to work. Then a wire brings signal through the firewall and to the ecu boost gauge ect.

now do you understand. you still need a vacuum line weather you use electronic or mechanical boost gauges.

[g6civcx]

now do you understand. you still need a vacuum line weather you use electronic or mechanical boost gauges.

The difference is the length of the vacuum line. The line for the digital sensor can be much shorter. For a boost gauge the ideal sensor placement is on the FPR line as close to the manifold as possible, not all the way back in the dash.

It can be mounted any where mine happens to be on my strut tower. this sensor requires a small vacuum line to work.

You're talking about a boost controller which is completely different from the OP's question, but should be mounted as close to the source as possible. Start your own thread if you want to talk about ideal placement for a digital boost sensor.

[sr20boostn20]

we both know what were talking about respectively,

happy new year.

[fromxtor]

What about using a vaccum block?

[nismostate]

What's worse is you're making your turbo work extra hard to pressurize the extra line.


uh, no. the turbo is not getting any strain from a mech gauge. it might be a small delay due to the longer line but not straining it.

[Koopa Troopa]

Think about it. A mechanical gauge needs a boost line going to the dash. That's like poking holes in a straw. It's not a big deal but on an already laggy turbo every little bit helps.

That's rediculous... Dude, changing my boost guage to an electrical one isn't going to make my T04S spool any faster. :rofl:

[cotbu]

Vac boost or just boost? I've been thinking about this. Unless the gauge is really far away or hooked up wrong there should not be a noticeable delay. Lets say it's a vac boost gauge and the source line only sees boost, that would cause a delay. Put up a video and description of your install.

[DALAZ_68]

Sell it and get a digital boost gauge.huh...i knew id get atleast one of these :ugh:


im tryin to work with what i got here man.... :bigok:

[Koopa Troopa]

I'm guessing the line is pinched somewhere.. My mechanical Blitz guage never really had any noticeable delay.

[g6civcx]

im tryin to work with what i got here man.... :bigok:

It's a simple vacuum line. Pull the gauge out in the engine bay and see if it's still doing the same thing.

If it's doing the same thing then you don't know how to hook up a boost gauge, the gauge is garbage, or you don't have any boost at all.

Simple if you thought about it and search a little bit instead of asking stupid questions and then come back acting like you know everything. If you know everything then don't ask.

[Slidin240Wayz]

what kind of gauge?

[DALAZ_68]

It's a simple vacuum line. Pull the gauge out in the engine bay and see if it's still doing the same thing.

If it's doing the same thing then you don't know how to hook up a boost gauge, the gauge is garbage, or you don't have any boost at all.

Simple if you thought about it and search a little bit instead of asking stupid questions and then come back acting like you know everything. If you know everything then don't ask.

wow...how am i acting like i ''know'' everything...honestly...point me to the post that signifies it...becuase im at a loss to u response there...

i asked a question...u decided to not to answered said question...but to instead state ''' just buy a digital''... that not what i asked...i didnt ask which is better...i think ur pointing that figure in the wrong direction there good sir...

ive checked the line and its not pinched...

my only next thought would be...is that

at stock with the CA i shoudl be able to push 8lb no prob...correct me if im wrong on this...but that just it...stock would mean im running a SMIC...which im not...

from what others have told me...due to the size of my FMIC and pipping size... im loosing roughly 3lbs which would add up to 8...

so my current though is...im pushing 8lbs...but due to the FMIC...only 5 Lbs are actually being felt... which my gauge is reading, 5lbs...

any thoughts on this :hs:

[jspaeth]

What kind of FMIC??

A good one should only give 1-2 psi drop AT MOST

[DALAZ_68]

What kind of FMIC??

A good one should only give 1-2 psi drop AT MOST
greddy :ughd:

[Koopa Troopa]

It's a simple vacuum line. Pull the gauge out in the engine bay and see if it's still doing the same thing.

If it's doing the same thing then you don't know how to hook up a boost gauge, the gauge is garbage, or you don't have any boost at all.

Simple if you thought about it and search a little bit instead of asking stupid questions and then come back acting like you know everything. If you know everything then don't ask.

I can't remember ever seeing a car build boost parked unless it was using a 2 step...

[g6civcx]

I can't remember ever seeing a car build boost parked unless it was using a 2 step...

Tape the gauge to the hood and go for a quick drive or dyno.

[g6civcx]

wow...how am i acting like i ''know'' everything...honestly...point me to the post that signifies it...becuase im at a loss to u response there...

Mechanical boost/vacuum gauges have been around since before Russ was born. If you bothered searching you would know that.

i asked a question...u decided to not to answered said question...but to instead state ''' just buy a digital''... that not what i asked...i didnt ask which is better...i think ur pointing that figure in the wrong direction there good sir...

I did both. Since you were vague my answer was vague. All you said was that it was slow to respond and the line is not pinched. Look at your original post.

Right underneath that I said check for pinched lines or upgrade to digital for better response. That's all I could have said based on the information you provided.

ive checked the line and its not pinched...

Then there you go.

my only next thought would be...is that

at stock with the CA i shoudl be able to push 8lb no prob...correct me if im wrong on this...but that just it...stock would mean im running a SMIC...which im not...

from what others have told me...due to the size of my FMIC and pipping size... im loosing roughly 3lbs which would add up to 8...

so my current though is...im pushing 8lbs...but due to the FMIC...only 5 Lbs are actually being felt... which my gauge is reading, 5lbs...

any thoughts on this :hs:

You didn't say it was showing 5 lbs. You only said it was slow. Read your original post. It would have been helpful to know this from the beginning.

To answer your original question about calibrating a mechanical pressure gauge, you hook it up to a hand vacuum pump with a built-in pressure gauge. You check the readout on the pump against the readout on the gauge. They should be the same. There's also a way to check the pressure reading. They make tools for that stuff.

Most gauges are not user calibrated. If yours is defective you have to return it or throw it out.

If you're underboosting then that's a totally different question. You may have leak, bad turbo, wastegate stuck open slightly, etc. There's no way to expect factory level boost on a used motor.

You need to check over the entire turbo system.


That's the definitive answer for your question based on all the info you've given. Read over the thread again. I don't think anyone here bothered to answer any of your questions. All they want to do is argue some :bs: that they think they know.

Thread done unless you have some new info you want to hit us with.

[DALAZ_68]

did the boost leak test just to be on the safe side and everything was tight...did hear or feel anything wrong...:tweak:

so im assuming what i stated earlier is true....cuz of my FMIC....im loosing lbs :keke:

[Slidin240Wayz]

Pressure test the fmic