help me pick a boost gauge

413turbo · #1 (**permalink**) July 5th, 2008, 08:21 PM

boost gauge???

i only want to buy one, ever.
should i get just boost or boost/vac.
then 30, 35, or 40psi

it's a toss up between the autometer "z" or "es" and stewart warner

summitracing.com

that should be a comparision link, if it worked.

what all will a vac gauge tell you, problem wise?

413turbo · #2 (**permalink**) July 5th, 2008, 09:17 PM

if the sunpro or vdo are any good, i might just save some cash and get one of those.

wow, no reply's. let's try this then....

which gauge would bush, obama, or clinton use?

ChavoLC2 · #3 (**permalink**) July 5th, 2008, 11:08 PM

Just hooked up a Autometer 30/30 Vac./Boost gauge with carbonfiber faceplate works well purchased it from Summit...

RUQWKNF · #4 (**permalink**) July 5th, 2008, 11:21 PM

The 30-0-30 style gauges are best for the street use, where traction is limited. You will learn, through practice, at what point your tires will hold vs vac/boost levels when power braking. This is the method I used for years when playing around on regular radials. Then sticky DOT tires came out and I switched over to the 0-whatever boost level style gauges.

Vac/Boost/Vac gauges will help diagnose some issues with your motor, as well as be very helpful if you are running vacuum brakes.

This is the current boost gauge I run in my '87.
Autometer Z-Series #2614

0-30, 0-35 and 0-60 psi boost gauges are for the serious racers who need to glance at their boost on the top end. They are also easier to read, larger numbers.
Just my experience.

Patrick

no-nos · #5 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 12:37 PM

autometer +1

jasjamz · #6 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 01:28 PM

I use the same one as Patrick. Had it for years and its still working well!

aquickv6 · #7 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 04:39 PM

The Z series looks nice in the picture. Around the dial lighting or LED?

413turbo · #8 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 04:46 PM

i told someone today this is one of the hardest decisions i've had to make- he had comments for that, lol.

ok, in the future i may do a gnx style dash.
after spending 2 hours at the display in summit, i went with the stewart warner silver. nice and subtle

but my choice with that is now 30-0-40 boost/vac, or 0-30 boost.
they make matching speedo and tach.

see, everything else is easy- will it go faster, yeah- i'll take it.
this requires thought, which i'm not used to.

413turbo · #9 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquickv6

The Z series looks nice in the picture. Around the dial lighting or LED?

the "Z" is now a past thought, for now ????????

BlackMetal · #10 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 06:06 PM

Seems like you're making this a little too difficult, hope you never have to make any real hard decisions in your life.

sweetv6 · #11 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 06:27 PM

+1 for
Autometer Z-Series 30 - 0 - 30
i like it

Claude

RegalX2 · #12 (**permalink**) July 6th, 2008, 07:48 PM

Whatever one you get, bench test it against a known good one or a good low PSI tire guage. My 30-0-30 Phantom Autometer wouldnt go over 26 PSI. Wow, thats right where I was running the car !! Another one I tested was good up to 18 then read 1 PSI high over that. I'm sure guys that run FAST's have seen it since they can see MAP readings

nullrout · #13 (**permalink**) July 7th, 2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUQWKNF

The 30-0-30 style gauges are best for the street use, where traction is limited. You will learn, through practice, at what point your tires will hold vs vac/boost levels when power braking. This is the method I used for years when playing around on regular radials. Then sticky DOT tires came out and I switched over to the 0-whatever boost level style gauges.

Vac/Boost/Vac gauges will help diagnose some issues with your motor, as well as be very helpful if you are running vacuum brakes.

This is the current boost gauge I run in my '87.
Autometer Z-Series #2614

0-30, 0-35 and 0-60 psi boost gauges are for the serious racers who need to glance at their boost on the top end. They are also easier to read, larger numbers.
Just my experience.

Patrick

This is the same one I run...I like it because I've blown off vacuum lines a couple of times...having vacuum brakes its nice to know when my car isn't going to want to stop. The vacuum reading is another diagnostic tool.

Phil99vette · #14 (**permalink**) July 9th, 2008, 02:25 PM

I've always like the clean looks of the stewart warner guages.

russgoodman · #15 (**permalink**) July 9th, 2008, 02:44 PM

I run the autometer 30-0-30 like patrick runs. I like it, I upgraded from a VDO 30-0-25. Mine didnt come with the vac measurements in yellow like the pic on summits web site though.

t-typex1 · #16 (**permalink**) July 9th, 2008, 04:08 PM

I run the Autometer 30-0-30 silver face

413turbo · #17 (**permalink**) July 9th, 2008, 08:57 PM

well, i went with autometer ultralite, nice subtle silver (but i still think stewart guage looks better.) so the thing is sealed, doesn't have a bulb, and is wayyyy off. it jumps to 15, then drops back down to 10- everytime. it doesn't show boost until you get to 5-10psi.
i've got turbo link and fuel pressure guage, both of those are closer to each other, had been running 10-15psi, turned it up today- just watching for retard. seems to run 20 good, but it jumped to 22.8 and gave me a 2.2 retard. i wasn't going for max boost, just trying to figure out which guages weren't correct. looks to be the autometer.

also, called autometer- they claimed not at liberty, but their guages used to say "made in usa, now they say company in usa- but not made"

if it ain't cats it's dogs, but as long as it's not blown buicks -i'm good.

nuclearxp · #18 (**permalink**) July 10th, 2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

well, i went with autometer ultralite, nice subtle silver (but i still think stewart guage looks better.) so the thing is sealed, doesn't have a bulb, and is wayyyy off. it jumps to 15, then drops back down to 10- everytime. it doesn't show boost until you get to 5-10psi.

Mine does the same, I'd avoid Autometer if I were you.

413turbo · #19 (**permalink**) July 10th, 2008, 05:06 PM

i swapped the autometer, checked the new one with air compressor guage, it seems ok. it still jumps and then settles down a few psi, but i gues that is boost spike.

i had a long talk with autometer today, they swear their guages are still made here in the usa. the one i got now is dead on with the air compressor and a 3 bar map.

t-typex1 · #20 (**permalink**) July 10th, 2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 413turbo

well, i went with autometer ultralite, nice subtle silver (but i still think stewart guage looks better.) so the thing is sealed, doesn't have a bulb, and is wayyyy off. it jumps to 15, then drops back down to 10- everytime. it doesn't show boost until you get to 5-10psi.
i've got turbo link and fuel pressure guage, both of those are closer to each other, had been running 10-15psi, turned it up today- just watching for retard. seems to run 20 good, but it jumped to 22.8 and gave me a 2.2 retard. i wasn't going for max boost, just trying to figure out which guages weren't correct. looks to be the autometer.

also, called autometer- they claimed not at liberty, but their guages used to say "made in usa, now they say company in usa- but not made"

if it ain't cats it's dogs, but as long as it's not blown buicks -i'm good.

The phantom I had (white face) was way off. Called Autometer, sent it in to be checked. They sent me a brand new one for free. They will work with you if the gauge is defective. +1 to Autometer IMO