autometer plastic tubing broke near gauge

[triggerx]

Ok so Ive had a boost gauge for quite some time, and Ive been hearing this vacuum leak getting louder and louder over a few months.
Turns out it was the plastic tubing on the Autometer boost gauge breaking. Unfortunately it finally gave, however Im a little confused as to how to replace this thing.

For those who know how the autometers look in the back, the line broke off right where it connects to that bolt.

My question is, do I need to replace this entire bolt? because the line broke way too close to it, and both the vaccum line and the bolt seem to almost be one piece.

 

[Bud92gsx]

If you had a little extra line, you could just cut the line and stick the non broken part back into the gauge..

 

[phunny]

Shouldn't be one piece, just take the broken line out and fix it.

 

[triggerx]

I dont really quite follow, there doesnt even seem to be enough material to even connect to.
Is it possible to just replace the entire line all together?
heres a crude diagram of how the bolt looks right now.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

http://img852.imageshack.us/i/boltdiagram.png/
All of this seems to be one piece tho, the vaccuum and the bolt

The plan was to just replace it with rubber vaccum hose or reconnect it where it broke off at, but this bolt doesnt seem to work like that.

 

[97eclipseNT]

In the back of the autometer gauges is a compression fitting. Loosen the nut, pull out the old line and ferrel and get a new ferrel from any auto parts store. If you don't have enough line you can jsut replace the whole thing. Advance auto near me carries the plastic tubing for gauges.

 

[Bud92gsx]

The line is one peice..But the line feeds into that bolt..All you should have to do is unbolt it, cut the line, and reconnect it..That is only if you have an inch extra of line..Otherwise, you would have to get a new line..But there should be enough line to do as I just stated..

 

[triggerx]

Thanks so much Bud92Gsx, 97EclipseNT, and Phunny, I get it now.
Ofcourse I still have that long line going to engine side, so if I get a new ferell I should be able to slip it over the existing plastic line and put it back into the gauge.

While we're on this subject, would rubber vaccuuum hose be better?

 

[Bud92gsx]

No use plastic line, not rubber..Its the same concept as boost piping..The stock rubber piping does flare a bit when boosting..Upgrading to hard piping(like the plastic line for the gauge) reduces drop in pressure..And sometimes with hard boost piping you could see another couple psi in boost pressure..

Yes you can just cut the line, and reconnect everything and you should be good to go..Don't cut the line with a side cutter, It makes it a beotch to get back through the brass fitting and such..

 

[phunny]

Negative on the rubber line.

 

[ReYnd]

I find it hard to believe that a thick-walled, small inner diameter vacuum hose would swell to any noticeable degree. It's what I use, those plastic lines are junk and blow off more often than not, and to me they're not worth sticking some sort of tiny little clamp on.

To the OP, I'm still confused a bit. Did you mean that the plastic line cracked, or that the brass fitting broke? If the former, cut the remainder of it off the gauge's nipple with a sharp blade. Cut the remaining line with that blade so it's uniform on the end, then reattach it. If the fitting broke, screw it out and find a new one at Lowe's or any place that sells similar fittings.

 

[gofer]

I agree with ReYnd, those plastic clear vacuum lines that most boost gauges come with are shit. They start getting stress cracks in them from a few weeks of engine bay heat cycles and then you've got 40 little boost leaks all the way to the gauge. The first thing I suggest to ANYONE installing a boost gauge is throwing that trash line in the garbage and going with a rubber line. I'm running 30psi and none of my rubber vacuum hoses "swell" under boost to anything noticeable and the rubber lines last forever if you take care of them.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Amen to that Corey^^^^

I have always used rubber line and I have never had a problem with it.

Hard plastic, or flexible rubber. I'll take the rubber any day.

 

[kchaazz]

I for one believe there is definitely a pressure drop issue involved with long lengths of rubber line on boost guages and I have proof. I had a mechanical boost gauge in my car, and a Greddy Profec B spec 2 boost controller. After I got everything dialed in and the car tuned, the boost gauge, plumbed with plastic tubing, read a consistent 25psi, while the EBC, plumbed with the rubber line which came with the unit, registered a consistent 21 to 22psi. I was determined to find out which one was reading correct , so I removed the boost gauge, took it to my shop and set up a test rig. Using shop air with an inline regulator with a gauge, I hooked my boost gauge and a 100psi air gauge together and began raising pressure. The gauge on the reg, my boost gauge, and the 100psi gauge read perfectly in sync, from 5psi all the way to 30psi. I then powered the greddy in the car and used a very short length of tubing hooked to another regulated air source with a gauge inline. Surprisingly, the Greddy read pressure consistent with the gauge, but when I hooked the air to the long length of rubber hose the EBC was actually using during operation, there was a 2- 3 psi difference again. I agree that the nylon tubing is crap and I actually had mine fail in the same spot the OP did and I think the rubber is better for longevity's sake, but there can be a bit of a pressure drop. Has anyone ever tried the flexible (somewhat anyway) .125" copper tubing that comes with some of the mechanical oil pressure gauges??

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Copper is okay, but it can still bend and kink or break which is why I don't care for it.

 

[Xeiros]

I've used both myself. I don't like how much of a PITA the nylon tubing is to route sometimes, especially after it's been wound into that tight little coil for forever. The last few times I've just used silicone tubing. I figured if it's good enough for my vacuum and boost lines under the hood, it's good enough to run to my boost gauge.

 

[my dreamt dsm]

What a B. My boost gauge was reading zero and I smelled like burnt plastic coming from my heat vents. I popped my hood and notice rubbing noise coming from my belts. I looked in back and notice that my boost gauge plastic hose was rubbed to the point where it made a hole.
Now where do you guys by anything that trust worthy and small to replace it. I know you guys spoke of rubber up there but where can I find it?
If not I'm just going to put hella tape around the hole and silicone it

 

[ReYnd]

Ask for a length of vacuum hose at your favorite parts store. Something around 5/32" ID should be good. If it's rubber, you should notice that the walls are pretty thick. Otherwise they could swell or collapse. Don't know if they're made in silicone, but I wouldn't bother with those.

 

[biglady112]

Back when I used to run a boost gauge over four years ago(datalog a MAP sensor now) I always used rubber hose. I just could not bring myself or let my friends use the nylon hose. Been doing it that way for over 10 years.

 

[triggerx]

Well I did end up fixing it, just bought a 1/8" compression tube from auozone and used the old vaccuun hose. Thanks so much you guys.
I Dont know, I always feel like the plastic hose would suffer from the heat the most. Maybe I should wrap them up with some kind of heat resistant tape.