PSUSkier

As soon as I hopped in my car to go home from work today, I noticed my boost gauge was only reading about 4 in/HG when idling. I checked under the hood and noticed that the boot that connects the nylon line to the Autometer gauge was completely dry rotted and cracked. I've read about this quite a few times so I'd like to avoid the Autometer replacement part if at all possible. Does anyone have any ideas where I could get something a bit more durable?

NJ3

I bought these from Autozone, only one in the assortment is the correct size. It's only been a few months since I replaced the Autometer one so I can't say how long it'll last.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=426019_0_0_

PSUSkier

Excellent. I was assuming I'd have to order these and my car would be down for a bit. At least if it does happen again, it's immediately evident and I know I can just run down to the local auto store and grab a set.

russellthelovemuscle

Summit racing they have EVERYTHING!

siggyfreud

That stuff they usually have in stock PSU. If youre near a store you may be in luck.

freyes

Using a vacuum tee fitting for a boost line will always leak under boost pressure. When I installed my Procharger vacuum/boost gauge, I purchased a male 1/8" NPT fitting to 1/8" compression fitting from McMaster Carr and installed that on the vacuum log that Procharger provides with their supercharger kits. You can get the boost log at most specialty websites that deal with turbochargers. The other end of the nylon tube, already connects to the boost gauge with a compression fitting.

moosestang

Are you talking about something like this?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NO...2NOS/?rtype=10

Or maybe a quick connect like this?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AR...2201/?rtype=10

And then you screwed that into a T fitting with barbs on the other two ends?

I've had the autometer gauge installed for years and my rubber boot hasn't cracked.

freyes

I'm not talking about cracks making leaks, I'm talking about using a vacuum tee to hold pressure. That is not a reliable solution for boosted cars. Here is a link to the McMaster Carr part.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/118/168/=huf1ss



The fitting you got with the 1/8" nylon tube (white, opaque, 1/8" Diameter) screws into the back of your vacuum/boost gauge. The McMaster Carr fitting, attaches to the vacuum manifold log. Compression fittings work for both pressure and vacuum. Even if you use vacuum hose and barbs, as soon as you pass about 5 psi, this hose will leak, especially if you don't have oetiker or worm clamps on the ends. Even if you do have the ends clamped, the hose will stretch, and give low pressure readings. That's why you got that skinny, milky white hose with your gauge. Most Vacuum gauge makers don't want to include 2 two dollar compression fittings, so they only supply one. I originally had the vacuum hose. Once I used the compression fittings at both ends, pressure rise was rock solid. Before the change, the gauge needle would fluctuate over 5 psi.

moosestang

Well I just got my autometer cobalt gauge and it came with a piece of 4:1 heat shrink tubing which is supposed to go over the rubber boot and nylon tubing connection. Now I do not remember getting that with my other autometer gauge. I'm still going to look for a compression fitting to fit in the whipple intake manifold. It has a threaded hole with a plug installed in one of the runners.

Have you done anything with your vacuum hose going to the fuel pressure regulator? Surely it will leak boost as well.

freyes

I installed Oetiker clamps for all other vacuum lines, including the bypass valve. FYI, I have a Procharger, so it's a slightly different setup than a whipple, as most vacuum lines go to a vacuum log, VS being directly connected to the engine. I also had to install an oil catch can before the one-way valve, so I don't ingest motor oil into my intake.

Before I changed everything out, I heard a whistling sound, that turned out to be air escaping past the pushed on vacuum hoses. You can get oetiker clamps and an oetiker pliers at Amazon.com. The other vacuum lines can afford to bulge, as their only purpose is to move vacuum from one point to another. Another place to consider is the one-way valve between the vacuum line and the brake accumulator. The one-way valve is not too strong to avoid pressure in the accumulator, and this is one reason why it is so hard to stop the first time you hit the brakes, after boost pressure is on. I added another one-way valve, also from McMaster Carr, to eliminate this problem.