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Autometer Boost/Vac Gauge

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EclipseGSX99

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
hi, I need to ask you guys about the accuracy of the Autometer Boost/Vac Gauge.

here is what I noticed:

[when the engine is off, the needle will sit on -1 vacuum side, but when you tap on the gauge it will come back up a "little" and then the needle will "almost" sit on the "0" box reading, but not quite.]

I know I can send the gauge to them to get it fixed, but is it worth? I e-mailed the service, they said that it would take 8! business days to have it fixed.

Now back to the question, from your similar experience is the gauge accurate while "running" or should I send it back to autometer service and just drive with no boost gauge for at least two weeks.
I have no way of checking the gauge. And I don't want to overboost because my boost is set at 16psi. Thanks.
 
#3 · (Edited)
i wouldn't worry about it too much... your t25 won't do much over 15-16psi... mine does the same thing, rests at just under the little 0 area when the car is off. it seems to be pretty accurate other than that though.

nice rims btw... do you like the ADR's? they're heavy mofo's, that's for sure! i had a set of them on my old probe. looked awesome when they were clean, but a BITCH to keep clean!!!! my old car
 
#4 ·
Same thing happened to my VDO gauge, 'cept mine sits at 2 in.HG vac when the car is off, it definitely reads higher vac now. Since I know my car doesn't produce more vac, and the inaccuracy is off by 2, I'm assuming my boost reading is also wrong. I say that because when new, the gauge read 19 inHG vac at idle. Now it reads 22 inhg at idle.

My car was stock most of the time I've had this gauge. Stock boost was around 12-13 PSI. After the guage stretched towards the vac side, it reads 10-11 PSI.

So I'm almost 100% certain that if the needle is not on 0, the gauge is going to be inaccurate.

Since then, I've done a lot of intake mods. I keep my boost down around 13-14 PSI to be safe. When my guage hits 15 or so, I get fuel cut...

I plan on getting a new gauge soon.

Personally, I think this is very common with the combo vac/boost gauges. Underneath them all, they use the same technigue for measuring vac / boost. It's called a bourdon tube. It's a flattened & sealed copper tube that is bent in a circle. When pressure is added, the tube tries to straighten itself, when vac is added, the tube will tighten into more of a circle. The vac pressure our cars hit is more than boost (just look at the swept area the needle moves in the vac zone). So vac tends to tighten the tube up over time. It doesn't take much, the tiniest movements in the tube (I'm talking c-hair here) cause big movements in the needle. So the tiniest stretch in either direction causes the needle to be set off. eh, it's a theory..

Personally, I want to find the perfect gauge and I'm still looking :D
 
#5 ·
pb4ugotobed said:
i wouldn't worry about it too much... your t25 won't do much over 15-16psi... mine does the same thing, rests at just under the little 0 area when the car is off. it seems to be pretty accurate other than that though.
Click to expand...
I don't know about that, one of the hoses on my MBC popped off once, and I spiked to 22 PSI before fuel cut saved my ass (on my stock 95 TSI T2small. And I think my boost gauge reads 1 or 2 PSI low...
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
So that would pretty much explain that Autometer Gauges are POS. If I could prove, that [while at rest the gauge is off and while the pressure is applied works good] - then I wouldn't worry.
I could get it fixed but I'd be loosing both time and money.

1. 2 weeks to get fixed. :mad:
2. Shipping. :mad:

p.s. My brother's Greddy is off by 5psi LOL

Yeah ADRs are tight looking but since they're white I have to constantly clean them, but it's all good :D
Those on that probe look nice as well.
 
#7 ·
EclipseGSX99 said:
So that would pretty much explain that Autometer Gauges are POS. If I could prove, that [while at rest the gauge is off and while the pressure is applied works good] - then I wouldn't worry.
I could get it fixed but I'd be loosing both time and money.

1. 2 weeks to get fixed. :mad:
2. Shipping. :mad:

p.s. My brother's Greddy is off by 5psi LOL

Yeah ADRs are tight looking but since they're white I have to constantly clean them, but it's all good :D
Those on that probe look nice as well.
Click to expand...
my advice... go to walmart and buy a bottle of the orange clean spray cleaner stuff. it works AWESOME, gets off ALL the brake dust and grease with absolutely no effort! makes the keeping clean task much easier :) i had a CV boot break open on my probe, threw grease EVERYWHERE. i used that shit, and the entire wheel was absolutely spotless in less than 5 minutes. i never believed an infomercial until i put the stuff to a true test. now, getting drunk as hell and ordering shit off of tv really did pay off... this time! now, i still don't know what to do with 100 classical songs for kids :D
 
#8 ·
EclipseGSX99 said:
So that would pretty much explain that Autometer Gauges are POS. If I could prove, that [while at rest the gauge is off and while the pressure is applied works good] - then I wouldn't worry.
I could get it fixed but I'd be loosing both time and money.

1. 2 weeks to get fixed. :mad:
2. Shipping. :mad:

Click to expand...
I had the same problem...I personally would rather take the time and few bucks for shipping than buy a new gauge. Any gauge will eventually go bad. Thats why they have warranties! And autometer isn't bad for the price. You'll really be bitching if you get an HK$ and it goes bad...
 
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#9 ·
It's not just Autometer. Most gauges, mechanical that is, rely on the copper tube method.
Here's one for ya.
I dropped my brand new Autometer pro-comp when I was installing it and when I picked it up it was on -20 on the vac side :eeek: With some tweaking of the copper tube inside which was easy to get to with a screwdriver, I was able to get it back to 0, thank god cause I thought I just threw some $ in the trash. I checked it's readings against my old gauge and it's dead on so I say do it yourself and if you can't get it right send it in ;)
 
#10 ·
I've got autometer ultra light gauges and there dead on. I like them alot and they look good. I've always used autometer gauges and never had a problem.
 
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#12 ·
RippinGSX said:
I dropped my brand new Autometer pro-comp when I was installing it and when I picked it up it was on -20 on the vac side :eeek:
Click to expand...
D'oh! With my luck I would drop it on its face and shatter it.:( I haven't looked at the back of my gauge in a while...but how did you get in it with a screwdriver. I thought I remember it was pretty sealed. My warranty is up now, so I'll have to fix it myself next time it is off.
 
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#14 ·
OK, that'd make sense. I'm not going to mess with mine now, but I'll keep it in mind for another time. Thanks.
 
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