Good Boost Guage?

[96talontso]

Megan Racing Gauges - Performance Parts Catalog - Bonehead Performance Inc - How Fast Should Look!

^^ Is that a bad guage or just an extremely good deal? (Its the boost guage im looking at)

 

[Calan]

...the high dollar gauges tend to be off by as much as 5psi. That 5psi can yield a slow car or a blown motor.

I'll take your word that you tested several gauges. But if you don't have any results or information on sample sizes, manufacturers, etc... your claims don't mean much; and it does nothing but cause more confusion within an already confused community.

I would love to see that data though, as I think it could be very beneficial.

FWIW - I don't understand how a boost gauge can be responsible for a blown motor. If someone is seriously tuning a car based on a boost gauge "value" and what they THINK the motor should be doing at any given amount of boost, they are going to blow it up anyway.

If boost suddenly climbs 5 psi over where it normally runs and was well-tuned at, that's a problem; what difference does it make if it is reading 2-3psi off of true manifold pressure? A boost gauge should be used as a reference; not as a tuning tool.

 

[Revmoto]

I'll take your word that you tested several gauges. But if you don't have any results or information on sample sizes, manufacturers, etc... your claims don't mean much; and it does nothing but cause more confusion within an already confused community.

I would love to see that data though, as I think it could be very beneficial.

FWIW - I don't understand how a boost gauge can be responsible for a blown motor. If someone is seriously tuning a car based on a boost gauge "value" and what they THINK the motor should be doing at any given amount of boost, they are going to blow it up anyway.

If boost climbs 5 psi over where it normally runs and was well-tuned at, what difference does it make if it is 2-3psi off? A boost gauge should be used as a reference; not as a tuning tool.

I don't know how sensitive these cars are to boost but a guy who want to bump his boost up by 1-2psi could go up to 5psi and pop a motor. One could replace a broken gauges see that his new gauge reads 5psi lower and turn up the boost and pop his motor. The motor isn't the only scenario of disaster as one could prematurely wear out a turbo. I don't know how well your turbos hold up to a given psi but if they were ran 5psi higher than they should you could blow it or at the very least run it out of its efficiency area and blow hotter air into your car.

 

[Calan]

Well hopefully anyone with any amount of tuning knowledge is watching the wideband, IAT's, knock, and possibly EGTs while trying to squeeze out a few more ponies... rather than a boost guage.

Most everyone I know makes changes and tunes for power, and THEN asks "Hey... how much boost were we pushing?". I have noticed that drivers in the F&F movies seem to pay an awful lot of attention to them though.

 

[Nasty Dream]

My advice is to buy one that goes to at least 20 or 25 psi, has a light (or you will not be able to see it at night), is small so it can fit in a gauge pod (unless you have a different plan), and has vacuum.

Get one that sits at 0 when the engine is off. Mine sits on 4 psi, and that has always bothered me (even though everyone has said it means nothing).

Also, buy a new one not second hand. In my experience, most car parts you buy second hand, as I have found, have something wrong with them.

Finally, shop online for the best prices and selection.

I have an Apexi, and it's been fine. It has a peak lock feature, but I haven't really needed that yet - car isn't fast enough yet to force me to watch the road. hehe

If you want my honest opinion, I don't trust the accuracy +/-4 psi. It's probably not that bad, but I'm going to replace it anyway when I upgrade my turbo.

i have a 96 Talon TSi with 90000 miles on it

That's really good - a little lower than mine even.

 

[Revmoto]

Well hopefully anyone with any amount of tuning knowledge is watching the wideband, IAT's, and knock while trying to squeeze out a few more ponies... rather than a boost guage.

It isn't the guys with tuning knowledge I am worried about. It is the people who haven't heard of tuning or supporting mods but they know that they want to crank up boost because they heard friends do it or saw a youtube video with car x running XXpsi making XXXwhp. The first thing people want to do when they buy a turbo car is crank up the boost. Well that and put a tight BOV YOOOOOO.

 

[Calan]

It isn't the guys with tuning knowledge I am worried about. It is the people who haven't heard of tuning or supporting mods but they know that they want to crank up boost because they heard friends do it or saw a youtube video with car x running XXpsi making XXXwhp. The first thing people want to do when they buy a turbo car is crank up the boost. Well that and put a tight BOV YOOOOOO.

Like I said... those guys will blow it up anyway. Since they don't know how much boost their car can handle in the first place, it's irrelevant if the gauge is accurate or not. They'll just turn it up until it blows up or they hit fuel cut.

 

[Nasty Dream]

Wow, I completely missed this argument, luckily. Turbo postin' mode, you guys

Anyway, most DSM newbs are on the 2g, with forged pistons and turbos that couldn't blow the motor if you tried. hehe

 

[Revmoto]

Like I said... those guys will blow it up anyway. Since they don't know how much boost their car can handle in the first place, it's irrelevant if the gauge is accurate or not. They'll just turn it up until it blows up or they hit fuel cut.

Yes but if it was my brand boost gauge I wouldn't want my product being involved in the cause of the incident.

 

[daren_p]

My input, most automotive gauges are overpriced junk. Autometer, had 4 or 5 over the years, none of them very accurate (all mechanical gauges). Currently run Defi Electronic gauges both boost & oil pressure. They are the most accurate gauges I've tested. For those that question the accuracy of what I'm testing gauges against, its a $700 test gauge that has been calibrated on our $16K deadweight tester. I have also tested other Defi gauges for buddies & they have always been bang on as well (as far as automtoive gauges go).

 

[4Lurker4]

My input, most automotive gauges are overpriced junk. Autometer, had 4 or 5 over the years, none of them very accurate (all mechanical gauges). Currently run Defi Electronic gauges both boost & oil pressure. They are the most accurate gauges I've tested. For those that question the accuracy of what I'm testing gauges against, its a $700 test gauge that has been calibrated on our $16K deadweight tester. I have also tested other Defi gauges for buddies & they have always been bang on as well (as far as automtoive gauges go).

That's what I figured on the Defi gauges, good that you have proof on it . Not to mention you can re-zero them (the BF/link and advanced ones) if you ever think they are becoming inaccurate.

 

[Revmoto]

That's what I figured on the Defi gauges, good that you have proof on it . Not to mention you can re-zero them (the BF/link and advanced ones) if you ever think they are becoming inaccurate.

He has no more proof than I do and I have come up with a completely different outcome of defi.

 

[4Lurker4]

He has no more proof than I do and I have come up with a completely different outcome of defi.

I'm not debating your tests, besides, didn't you mention the ones you tested were mechanical only (i.e. the old Defi gauges that don't need a control unit).

 

[Revmoto]

I'm not debating your tests, besides, didn't you mention the ones you tested were mechanical only (i.e. the old Defi gauges that don't need a control unit).

No I have also tested AEM digital and digital defi's. Defi's are sweet but not accurate. They have died off in the evo community because of that. AEM digital has been the most accurate to date for me besides my map sensor and the best part is you can log it.

 

[1gAWT]

Autometer FTW

 

[idkiliketurbos]

I have a prosport mechanical boost gauge and it seems to work great. I have had it for about 8 months now and needle is still right at 0 with the car off and I have no idea why anybody has issues wiring the prosport gauges up. I have never done wiring before and I got my boost and oil pressure gauges all lit up how I want them in about an hour. I would definatly buy from them again.

 

[Morales92]

just go to a stereo shop and tell them to hook it up to power source thats what i did for my prosport. cost me about $25 and i just did the rest.

 

[96talontso]

^^ see thats all wayyyy over my head hahahah

 

[4Lurker4]

It's easy, all you need to do is hook up the power wire of the gauge with the power wire for the cigarette lighter (you can use it's ground and the night time light wire coming from it's bulb). All you need to do is take off the driver side panel of the center console (2 screws if I remember right) and everything is there. If you're not too handy with a soldering tool, just crimp the wires. As for the boost source, http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...099-boost-gauge-install-where-tap-source.html

Don't pay someone for something like this, it's not worth it.

 

[LandoAWD]

For something this insignificant (lighting it), just use a vampire tap.

 

[4Lurker4]

For something this insignificant (lighting it), just use a vampire tap.

STM: PIGTAIL FUSES This is what he is talking about. Also incredibly easy to install.

 

[daren_p]

He has no more proof than I do and I have come up with a completely different outcome of defi.

I have no more proof in what? Based on the fact that I've only tested 6 or so Defi gauges (all electronic) or that my testing methods are no more proven to be accurate then yours?

If your saying both our testing methods are basically the same, you've got to be kidding. What are you comparing to, a MAP sensor? Who says your MAP sensor is accurate? I'm comparing to a digital pressure gauge with two decimal points. This gauge is certified against our pressure standard, which is a $16000 deadweight tester. That dead weight tester is certified again a pressure standard for North America. You have got to be kidding me if you are saying comparing gauges to your MAP sensor is the same as what I'm doing

 

[Revmoto]

I have no more proof in what? Based on the fact that I've only tested 6 or so Defi gauges (all electronic) or that my testing methods are no more proven to be accurate then yours?

If your saying both our testing methods are basically the same, you've got to be kidding. What are you comparing to, a MAP sensor? Who says your MAP sensor is accurate? I'm comparing to a digital pressure gauge with two decimal points. This gauge is certified against our pressure standard, which is a $16000 deadweight tester. That dead weight tester is certified again a pressure standard for North America. You have got to be kidding me if you are saying comparing gauges to your MAP sensor is the same as what I'm doing

I am not knocking your methods just making a comment to the other members post. I have ran three MAP sensors on my car and all read the same. I would like to see your defi results since myself and many other find defi to be off. This is coming from my tuner who compares them to cars running a MAP for ecu controlled boost to their Defi gauge. People really buy them for looks.

 

[daren_p]

While comparing gauges to a MAP sensor is generally better then what alot of guys do (& in general, the MAP sensors I've tested have been pretty good), their stated accuray is not even close to my testing method. Pressure gauge calibration is a portion of what I do for a living, we calibrate laboratory grade test gauges, so I can assure my test meths are accurate.

I do have the results written down for my gauges somewhere, but I have no clue where (as they were tested when I bought them about 3yrs ago). I'm not sure what posting my results would prove anyways as I could just type anything I want? I can assure you they were accurate, if not I would have been sending them back (have done that in the past with Autometer). I know the boost gauge was within 1psi, full scale.

From searching (at the time of purchase) I found the exact opposite (& still see the same when I come accross a what gauge should I get thread), Defi is always claimed to be very accurate.

My gauges are the white racer series, the other Defi gauges I tested were a buddies setup. He bought them used a few years back, they were the linked version & the results were the same, very accurate for an automotive gauge.

Now if you had said guys buy Autometer for the name, that I would agree with (well atleast their mechanical gauges). I have also tested greddy gauges, which also tested very accurate, but I replaced them just because of issues with Greddy products I've had in the past (& removed all their products from my car).

I also use the Apexi AVC-R 4 bar sensor for logging boost (which has been tested to be accurate) & it still reads the same as my Defi gauges after 2-3 years.

 

[daR3alEddieJ]

you can get that same gauge way cheaper on ebay if thats the one u really want....i like autometer cobalt series, but the ultralite and carbon fiber series are cool too....good quality at a price that doesnt break bank....otherwise check out faze, defi, greddy, etc....i recommend checkin ebay before u buy anything tho brah.

 

[xxxspeedxxx]

I am saving up for AEM true Boost gauge, AEM Wide band gauge, and AEM oil pressure gauge, and of course all digital. that like $500 thou.

But you guys know me, only the best of the best gets in my 1g dsm