Boost Gauge reads 15PSI...I'm stock!!!

[GreySpeed]

I just installed my Autometer Boost/Vac gauges and in WOT it reads up to 15PSI, although it doesn't feel any different than the day I bought it. At 3000RPM when the gas pedal is half way, it jumps to 5PSI and then in WOT it jumps to 12 and then up to 15PSI. I have it T'eed into the hose at the top right of the intake manifold, the 3 inch long U shaped tube. Any idea what's causing this???

[Ryoga28]

Check your wastegate vacuum line. Maybe it fell off or something.

[GreySpeed]

I don't think it's that, cuz if that vacuum line did come off, the pull would be a lot harder than it is. The car is definatly not boosting at 15PSI.

[t3ase]

and this is why i buy quality shit.

anyway, check all connections and hoses to/from the gauge. if that doesnt show anything abnormal, try another gauge, that one may have lost calibration.

[GreySpeed]

Yes, I tried another Boost/Vac gauge and it reads the same. Maybe i'm not tapped into the right source? Anyway, I found that I'm not the only one with the problem:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84308&highlight=gauge+problem

[peepsalot]

Got a pic of your wastegate line? where did you tap the gauge, there isn't really any spot that a boost gauge wold read you a higher than what you are boosting.

[GreySpeed]

I tapped into the exact same spot as seen in this How-to:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50210

Although the rubber tubing going to the gauge is actually slightly larger in diameter than the line it is tapped into. Any effect?

[GreySpeed]

Anyone else with some input? Any help is appreciated.

[ForceFed]

If you tried two gauges and you are tapped in correctly...the answer is simple...you ARE boosting 15 PSI....

[t3ase]

youd know if you were hitting 15psi, trust me. try two different brands of gauges, not the same kinds.

[ForceFed]

youd know if you were hitting 15psi, trust me. try two different brands of gauges, not the same kinds.He wouldn't know if it has always run at that...nothing to compare it to.We know because it is different then when it started...his might have always been like this.

[t3ase]

eh, can you beat modded mustang gts or camaro ss'?

[mspHtown]

well when you at wot does the msp throw u into the back of ur seat hard?
stock boost doesnt really at all.
15 will

[t3ase]

eh, it wont throw you in your seat but youll feel a slight pull. ;)

[t3ase]

any chance the T fitting has a small crack in it?

[GreySpeed]

I've been in an SR20 at 9 pounds and this is no where near that so my guess is, I'm not really boosting 15.
No there's no craks in the T, however, the hose to the gauge is larger than the hose it's tapped into.

[t3ase]

erm, does the T fitting account for the difference?

[GreySpeed]

The T fitting has two small ends and one bigger end.

[GreySpeed]

Is it possible that more air is getting to the gauge than passing through?

[t3ase]

the proper sizes?

[GreySpeed]

It is the T that came with the gauge.

[t3ase]

did all tubes fit very tightly on to the T?

[GreySpeed]

Yea they are all on tight, no leaks. If there was a leak, wouldn't the gauge read a lower vac level. Right now it is 21-24 at idle.

[505zoom]

Which autometer gauge is it? If it is the C2, then you are about the 5th person that has this same issue. I have been using the reading on my TT for about 2 years just because the C2 gauge doesn't work. We should do a mass exchange/return on them and get some shit that works.

[GreySpeed]

It's the Ultra-lite mechanical gauge.

[505zoom]

It's the Ultra-lite mechanical gauge.

Wow, first time I have heard this from a ultra lite user. Try a different source and see what happens. I am pretty sure that I tried the TT and gauge on the same line and only the gauge was reading too high, but go ahead and try it and see. I assume that you tried the other gauge on the same source?

[GreySpeed]

Yea, the other gauge was the samw source. It's weird cuz the needle moves as I push the gas. If i put the pedal to the floor, the needle moves from 10 vac to 5 psi before the turbo has kicked in (2500RPM)

[505zoom]

Yea, the other gauge was the samw source. It's weird cuz the needle moves as I push the gas. If i put the pedal to the floor, the needle moves from 10 vac to 5 psi before the turbo has kicked in (2500RPM)

Yea, I have pulled out the sender for mine because I am waiting to send it back to autometer, but before I pulled it I was getting the same kind of shit. Damn gauge would read 5psi just from revving the car in neutral to 1500rpm... 15psi at WOT when I was only running 6.

That damn C2 electrical gauge was supposed to be good and was fairly pricey too.:mad:

:wtf: Autometer?

[GreySpeed]

(argh) Yea, Autometer. When I turn off the car, the needle doesn't even rest in the middle of 0, sits closer to 1vac. I'm gonna try Stewart Wagner or something else and see if that works.

[505zoom]

Try another source first just to be sure... it will save you the cost of a new gauge and some time, if nothing else. Try the brake booster line for starters.

[GreySpeed]

Which one is the BB line? Also, if i try that, what do i do about the line that is already cut?

[t3ase]

coupler.

[505zoom]

Here's a couple OLD ass pics of mine... should help ya find it.

Orange arrow identifies the best place to locate the line:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/505zoom/vacuum%20booster.jpg

Here is a diagram of ye old setup:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/505zoom/Vacuum%20diagram.jpg

Here is how it looks now:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/505zoom/Apr21pics1.JPG

http://www.msprotege.com/members/505zoom/Apr21pics2.JPG

http://www.msprotege.com/members/505zoom/Apr21pics4.JPG

Here is the package and part # for the cheap T fitting:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/505zoom/brakebooster_T.JPG

Use the cheap T fitting for temporary use, and go ahead and just replace the short little line that you tapped with a new hose. I would suggest getting a vac block if you decide to keep it on the BB line, as you can see from the pics it looks a hell of a lot better without all the worm clamps and seperate T's.

Hope this helps.

[505zoom]

Oh BTW, you can pick up that T fitting at autozone. It is a Vacu-Tite brand assortment pack, and costs about 4 bucks.

[GreySpeed]

In the first pic, what did u tap into that little 3inch u shaped hose?

[505zoom]

In the first pic, what did u tap into that little 3inch u shaped hose?

The gauges, lol. That is why I am wondering if it will work to put the autometer on a different source. My TT worked fine on there, but I don't think I ever tried moving the autometer sender to a different spot. Cheap little fix if it works, and if it doesn't, then you are only out about 5 bucks.

[GreySpeed]

Yea, I have pulled out the sender for mine because I am waiting to send it back to autometer, but before I pulled it I was getting the same kind of shit. Damn gauge would read 5psi just from revving the car in neutral to 1500rpm... 15psi at WOT when I was only running 6.

That damn C2 electrical gauge was supposed to be good and was fairly pricey too.:mad:

:wtf: Autometer?

Did you ever end up fixing this problem?

[505zoom]

Did you ever end up fixing this problem?

Nope, I was going to send it back to Autometer through a local shop, but they closed down and I haven't found another shop that will send it back for me yet. Like I said, I don't think I tried moving it to another source because of the fact that my TT was reading properly when it was hooked up to the same line as the gauge.

It very well could be that you got a broken gauge, I'm just trying to suggest simple fixes that will let you know for sure.

[GreySpeed]

Nope, I was going to send it back to Autometer through a local shop, but they closed down and I haven't found another shop that will send it back for me yet. Like I said, I don't think I tried moving it to another source because of the fact that my TT was reading properly when it was hooked up to the same line as the gauge.

It very well could be that you got a broken gauge, I'm just trying to suggest simple fixes that will let you know for sure.

Yea, I understand. I just don't wanna start cutting lines and have to replace them and such. The store i got it from opened up a brand new other Autometer gauge for me to try, so hopefully they'll do the same with a diff. brand. Comments on Stewart Wagner gauges? If there were leaks at the T, would that cause the problem?

[505zoom]

Stewart Warner is solid around here.

I don't think it would read HIGHER if it was leaking. That just makes no sense to me at all. I think it's either your source, or a bad gauge. I don't understand why 2 brand new gauges at the same shop would BOTH be broken and have the same high reading, but I guess stranger things have happened with these cars.

[GreySpeed]

Stewart Warner is solid around here.

I don't think it would read HIGHER if it was leaking. That just makes no sense to me at all. I think it's either your source, or a bad gauge. I don't understand why 2 brand new gauges at the same shop would BOTH be broken and have the same high reading, but I guess stranger things have happened with these cars.

Yea, that's true. But I'm tapped into the same source as you are so I hope it's the gauge.

[505zoom]

Yea, that's true. But I'm tapped into the same source as you are so I hope it's the gauge.

Well, since mine never worked when using that source, we can't really know now can we? haha.

Tell ya what, I will go out tomorrow and throw my sender back in, and tap it into my vac block on the brake booster line. I will let you know if it is just the gauge (like I think it is), or if it was the source that we were using.

I'll post the results in here.

[GreySpeed]

Should I try tapping into the wastegate line seen in the second pic?