I just purchased a used boost gauge that was described as working flawlessly prior to being taken out of the car. When i received it in the mail, there was only one thing that made me worry. Is it normal for a boost gauge that is in no way hooked up to anything (just the gauge sitting there) to be pegged down at 30 mmHg? Every picture of a boost gauge i see that is not hooked up yet is sitting at 0. This makes me wonder if the gauge even works. Aside from this, the gauge looks pretty good to me. Its just that it worries me that it is sitting at 30 mmHg and not 0.

I dont know of any way to test it to see if it does work other than hooking it up (which would be a pain in the ass if it didnt work). Do you guys have any suggestions as to what to do? Try to get a refund? Hook it to a bike pump (tried, but the threading is different, needle didnt move off of the 30 mmHg)? What would you do?

Thanks

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon

umm is it electronic or mechanical? it sounds like it's mechanical if you're just hooking it up to a bike pump... or did you power it up and everything? if it's mechanical i would assume it'd sit at 0 (gauge pressure). if it's electronic it should go to 0 when you power it up and the sender is expose to atmospheric pressure. i think.

-marc

Should be at 0. Hook it up to your car quick. Don't run anything through the firewall just do a quick T and see if it works. Should take 5 minutes tops.

If it doesn't work and you paid with your CC through PayPal then you shouldn't be worried at all. Getting money back is my specialty. Obviously first talk to the seller and see if you can settle.

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98 ESi
95 GS

Its mechanical, item number 4303. I payed with paypal. The only thing is that i need the sealing nut, ferrule and nylon 1/8" tubing to hook it up (i think, maybe more maybe less hardware...). I'd have to order that. But if it was not working that would be a waste of my money and time. Thanks guys, ill keep you updated...

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon

if its a mechanical gauge it should stay at 0 when not in use.

-97 GS (First project, 299 whp)(sold)
- 97 RS 2.6 last numbers: 306hp, 352tq @16psi (Dead, parted out)
- 99 GS OZ, Hahn Kit, 56k miles (Sold)
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- 00 Nissan Maxima GLE (Daily Driver)
- 02 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro

So from all the input, the gauge is broken? I dont want to have to order all the parts to hook up a broken gauge. I hope getting my money back isnt going to be an arduous process.

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon

blow into the feed and see if the needle moves

2005 Legacy GT Ltd, Garnet Red Pearl
speak softly and spool a big turbo

If it's mechanical it should be at 0 when no vacuum or boost is put into it, period. If it's not it's broken, think about it. Get your money back.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

Ok here's some of what i asked him and his responses:

Technically when not hooked up it should be sitting at 0 because it is neither in a boost or vaccum state (correct?). - me

As I stated before NO!!!!!NO! The gauge will not sit at zero when there is nothing going through it. The gauge reads pressure, and therefore only works when there is pressure. For it to be at ZERO it must have zero pressure to it…for example the VERY small interval of time from when a car is leaving vacuum and entering boost - him

idk, i blew a little into the opening in the back and looked in a mirror. Besides looking rediculous, the needle didnt move at all. I think i may just try to get a refund. It just doesnt seem right.

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon

This isn't complicated, and the guy who sold it to you is either a) trying to rip you off or b) a dumbass.

A boost gauge reads 0 psi at atmospheric pressure (actually 14.7 psi at sea level). The gauge is at atmospheric pressure when the vacuum line isn't hooked to anything, it should read 0!

Does anyone know what I can replace the hard vacuum line on a boost gauge with. Someone mentioned some tubing that matches it exactly that you can commonly find (but I searched, couldn't find it, and forgot what it was). I also got a used boost gauge and it just had the line cut on it.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

2005 Legacy GT Ltd, Garnet Red Pearl
speak softly and spool a big turbo

It's a $35 gauge. Tell him it's broke and you want a refund. If he doesn't refund you then go file a complaint with paypal and have your card issue a chargeback. Then go buy a new one. Not hard.

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98 ESi
95 GS

True true, i am just waiting to hear back from him. I asked for a refund. Now i am still looking for gauges and i want a somewhat stock interior look. I have a 99 gs-t with silver stock gauges. Any suggestions on brands of gauges with a silver face that lights up close to the stock color? I know greddy makes some (warning series) but they are around 200 / gauge, which i think is a little too much.

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon

i had a boost gague that broke, sent it into automeeter and they send me a brand new one back. it was awesome!

Ryan Siefring
Located near Dayton OH, zip 45356
Student at the University of Dayton.

link him to this post if he still thinks it should be at 0 he is retarded. the gauge you are saying is mechanical, meaning there is nothing electronic inside the gauge that would cause it to read 30 vacuum unless it had a damn tube hooked into it that was pulling air from inside the gauge. therefore if it's at 30 and the gauge is not connected...the gauge is broken. i have an old boost gauge that does the same thing...when i hooked it up to the car i had a functional boost gauge hooked up as well....when i hit 5psi boost on the good gauge, the bad gauge read vacuum 12. (it sat at vacuum 17 when the car was off, so it read boost correctly, it just didnt display boost correctly). so theoretically you could still use your gauge, just remember when the gauge says 25 vacuum, youre boosting 5 psi. and when the gauge reads 0 your engine just blew up.

1995 Eclipse GS - HRC Stage 2 - Retired.
2004 350z Enthusiast / 2008 Nissan Versa SL

Ok, i've been looking in to gauges that aren't 200 dollars that would match my stock interior (black and tan w/ silver faced gauges). I figured i'd either have a choice between autometer ultra-lites and greddy's warning series (have silver face and light up amber. But the more I look into the Defi D series the more I am tempted to go that way (about $100 for a gauge). Anyone heard anything good or bad about these? From the looks they appear that they would match my stock interior, minus the silver face, but im willing to let that go


day

night


What do you guys think cause imo they are sick

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon

defi's are nice...but if youre going to get good gauges and yuo like def, you might as well spend the extra bucks and get the d-links. if you plan on having your car for a long time you will be glad you did. i wish i had done that years ago now that im stuck with mismatching autometers.

1995 Eclipse GS - HRC Stage 2 - Retired.
2004 350z Enthusiast / 2008 Nissan Versa SL

Yeah i know, but i dont think i can justify spending 700-900 dollars for 3 gauges and a control unit when its the first aftermarket part i put into my car

Greg
'99 Black GS-T MT

Defi D-Series Boost Gauge, ExtremePsi Intake, Greddy Type-S BOV, Hallman Evolution MBC ... 3" Thermal R&D Exhaust soon