23 replies to this topic

[BE4ORE]

Hey Guys,

 

Can i have please have some opinions about mechanical vs electrical boost gauges.

 

I currently have a normal mechanical boost gauge installed in the glove box which looks neat but i bought a electrical boost gauge today which looks much nicer with stepper motor and warning peak as well as matching the cluster. 

 

So, my questions is which is better just for my information and how easy can i go from mechanical to electrical gauge? can i use some of the existing setup of the current boost gauge?

 

i want to mount in the corner near the pillar.

 

Cheers.

[patttyfox]

I've got a Defi electronic stepper boost gauge with the computer attached to it.

You should be able to use the existing vac line as you just plug that into a pressure sensor which then gets wired into the computer that comes with the Defi gauge.

I guess the only "feature" of electronic is you can record and replay boost runs and things. Also you don't had to run a vac like through the firewall as you can leave the electronic pressure sensor in the engine bay and just run through the pre made cable to the computer.

[BE4ORE]

this is a Defi look alike with stepper motor as well

 

http://www.ebay.com....3fd2a024&_uhb=1

 

pretty cool for its price actually. But either way i have to either run the vac line or wires through the firewall?

 

I'll have to take it apart this weekend and see how it's all connected. Any DIY on here, i searched but no luck.

[BE4ORE]

P.S. i also have a manual boost controller installed... would this affect anything?

[patttyfox]

Something else to consider 

 

https://fbcdn-sphoto...7606e1bab7397c0

 

Install for a boost gauge is pretty straight forward, what you should be able to do is use the existing vac line that you have tee'd off for the manual gauge and use this line to attach to the sender for an electronic gauge. 

 

Then all you have to wire in for an electronic gauge is a ground, permanent active, switched active and illumination. It's often easiest to grab these four off the back of your stereo as they should all be there. 

 

The manual boost controller shouldn't be an issue, as the boost gauge just reads the boost pressure and doesn't actually have any control over your boost pressure. 

[BE4ORE]

sweet as man, thanks heaps Patty. I'll be attempting this tomorrow and post up some results when im done

[patttyfox]

No worries man!

The gauge should come with a wiring diagram and what not anyway.

As long as you've got either in line crimps or a soldering iron and some pliers or wire strippers you'll be right.

Decided on a location for the gauge yet?

[WillC]

some food for thought. If you are going digital gauge they normally come with a sensor peice.

 

Mounting of this as close to the source your want to monitor as possible with minimal hose length. It goes the same way as your Wastegate control solenoid valve, you want it as close to the compressor and wastegate nippes as possible.

 

Further away means inaccurate readings and LAG.

[BE4ORE]

No worries man!

The gauge should come with a wiring diagram and what not anyway.

As long as you've got either in line crimps or a soldering iron and some pliers or wire strippers you'll be right.

Decided on a location for the gauge yet?

 

Does come with wiring diagram but in Chinese "English" way lol... have to make sense of it! Got soldering iron luckily so it should come in handy.

 

Wanted to get a single A pillar holder but this one came with stand gauge holder so will use that and mount it in the corner top dash.

 

 

some food for thought. If you are going digital gauge they normally come with a sensor peice.

 

Mounting of this as close to the source your want to monitor as possible with minimal hose length. It goes the same way as your Wastegate control solenoid valve, you want it as close to the compressor and wastegate nippes as possible.

 

Further away means inaccurate readings and LAG.

 

Yep, got a sensor sender with it so i'll hook that up where the vacuum line comes in from the firewall.

 

i'll prob take off all the dash surrounds and first observe how the mechanical gauge is installed and where the wires are going and then decide to re-route it all and install the new one. 

 

Hopefully i don't run into any bumps on the way, if that - it should be an easy install. 

 

wish i had someone here knew what they were doing... but all of you guys are either NSW or QLD LOL!

[patttyfox]

Worst comes to worst if you get stuck just post up some photos and I'm sure someone on here will be able to help!

But yeah as Will said definitely make the boost like to the sender as short as possible.

[BE4ORE]

Thanks boys will update you soon. 

[BE4ORE]

Guys,

So I'm attempting to do this now and a bit stuck as suspected. The mechanical boost gauge had only 3 wires running from it as you can see below... Black, White and orange.

 20140721_123040_Densham Way.jpg   85.72KB   6 downloads

It's connected to the ciggy lighter if it's clear enough. Where as the electrical boost has 4 wires, below:

 20140721_122847_Densham Way.jpg   47.09KB   6 downloads

I know black is negative and red is positive but where does the red connect to?

Plus where should I place the sensor exactly? Inside under the dash or in the engine bay?

Plz help.

[patttyfox]

The mechanical gauge would have only had 3 because it didn't require a sensor input.

The new electronic boost gauge will have a positive which is the red, a ground which is the black, out of the other two, one would be the sensor and the other should be the illumination to know when to light up the gauge.

The sensor elude be best on the firewall in the engine bay

[BE4ORE]

Ahhh I see. So besides the positive n negative, I'm assuming orange is illumination and white is sensor then?

Also, if I put put the sensor in the engine pay wouldn't it heat up and melt? Or should I just put next to the firewall under the dash?

Thx again.

[patttyfox]

It should be? Didn't it come with a wiring diagram? But sounds right.. Since the orange was your illumination for the old gauge wasnt it?

I have my sensor in the engine bay just mounted up high on the firewall and it doesn't get hot at all. Remember it is a long way away from both the turbos and the exhaust.

[BE4ORE]

Today was a nightmare installing this man. The instructions I got with it are like this...

 20140721_234909_Densham Way.jpg   106.34KB   6 downloads

Somewhat makes sense but wish it was a bit more descriptive. For now I've put it together and connected everything and only works when I put the parking lights on. I'll have to get back to it again and make sure it has consistent power.

On the bright side, I fixed the busted cluster bulb which looks nice now

[patttyfox]

What do you mean it only works when the parkers are on?

The whole gauge doesn't work or it just doesn't illuminate?
From what I gather off those instructions the orange and white determine the colours?

[duncanm]

Instructions are as clear as chinglish can be.

 

Once you've performed the opening ceremony:

 

The power connector is the 4-wire red/white/black/orange. Either of the top two sockets on the meter look like they'll do.

• red = +12V
• white = GND
• orange / white determine the gauge colour per the table (note 7). 

The sensor connector seems like red/white/black at both ends - so no need to futz with that.

 

It sounds like you messed up the power connection.  Maybe you've connected one of orange/white to the parkers and left the other N/C rather than connected to Acc? 

 

 

(though I must say - it worries me a bit when this stuff says connected straight to +12V.  I figure the red should really be connected to Acc).

[BE4ORE]

What do you mean it only works when the parkers are on?

The whole gauge doesn't work or it just doesn't illuminate?
From what I gather off those instructions the orange and white determine the colours?

 

so the gauge only works when i switch on the parkers, im assuming cos im using the existing wires which were connected to the ciggy wires so i'll have to change that!

 

 

Instructions are as clear as chinglish can be.

 

Once you've performed the opening ceremony:

 

The power connector is the 4-wire red/white/black/orange. Either of the top two sockets on the meter look like they'll do.

• red = +12V
• white = GND
• orange / white determine the gauge colour per the table (note 7). 

The sensor connector seems like red/white/black at both ends - so no need to futz with that.

 

It sounds like you messed up the power connection.  Maybe you've connected one of orange/white to the parkers and left the other N/C rather than connected to Acc? 

 

 

(though I must say - it worries me a bit when this stuff says connected straight to +12V.  I figure the red should really be connected to Acc).

 

Chinglish alright, that's why i was lost... but lucky i had minor past experience with this.

 

So i've connected the red (+) to the red on the back of the stereo and the black (-) to the ciggy black wire? and then i connect the orange or white to the illumination of the stereo? is that right???

 

I have placed the sensor in the engine bay against the firewall which is fairly short hose length, however, i am pretty sure and notice lag in boost and not to mention that it only reaches about 13psi now when on mechanical i used to reach 16psi peak.

 

Please help?

[BE4ORE]

anyone???