How accurate is your boost guage??

Yeah but then you get in to the debate about quality vs price.

Do cheap gauges really give you the assurance of a quality build versus those of a higher price?

Granted a lot of companies outsource and some gauges could be made at the same factory. However, Greddy, for instance, makes it's living off of modifiers. Their sole income is based on their equipment, as is Autometers. Then again, Autometer also caters and markets to 4x4, offroad, marine, domestics, helicopters(seriously), and possibly other modes of transportation. Greddy doesn't. Their main demographic from the looks of their line up and website design/layout looks to be more of the advanced car tuner crowd. I add advanced there because while a lot of people *know* the name Greddy or Blitz, in all honesty, many of them will go on eBay or similar sites and buy turbo kits from there because "hey, i get the same power for less". Greddy has their name to defend from becoming one of those cheap ass problematic brands because that's the only way they can get away with spending so much on R&D, marketing, staffing, etc. If they make bad stuff, they lose business and start creating losses.

Autometer's there in the other corner getting markets as mentioned above that range from jetskits to yugos, and ask anyone, even some soccer moms and they will recognize the name. It's common. Common doesnt mean quality, and that's what I'm trying to convey with all of this though. It just means it's widely spread (better marketed), more accessibly (in today's age that just means cheaper), and works for most*******

****** = Most. I don't know about where you are or whoever is reading this is located at but in Texas, when Autometer is mentioned, the following vehicles come to mind, in order of appearance:
a) 4x4s
b) Offroading rednecks that want to look cool but have no ******* idea what the gauge means
c) Modified cars with the stupid ass "disco light" A/F gauge that sprints around in a circle at random intervals.
d) Jeeps

Now, seriously, I don't think ANY of those people TRULY car about their car. If they did, I'm sure other monitoring options would appeal to them. By that I don't mean a more expensive gauge but maybe standalones or dedicated monitoring for the vital parts they need (I know several Jeep lines have their own gauges for OP, Alt, etc).

Anytime I see a seriously modified car, they either have more reliable gauges or a standalone or other system so they dont truly rely on the gauges at all in the first place. Then again, those people tend to not spare any expense on their cars and getmore expensive gauges.
 
If you guys want exact, buy a Vw special tool. I believe (off the top of my head) it is a Vag 1397. Costs around 600bux and reads to .001mbar.
 
Let me also add that the only reason I get in to debates about gauges is because I've installed AM gauges MANY times, with most coming back when I worked retail/installations. When I've met other MSP'ers with AM gauges, I've either installed them on my MSP first or we've installed both, my Blitz and their AM, to verify proper install. AM gauges tend to be off, whether it be slightly (which is noticable if you're passenger staring solely on the gauges) or by far.

They may be great but not in any of my experiences and while .1 or 1psi may not be deadly with a boost gauge, I'm not sure what everyone out there is running. When you start getting higher in boost on the stock setup, you're crossing several lines that need to be very carefully crossed. That's when accuracy becomes not a "good thing to have" but a vital piece of your car.

I was one of those high boosters, so all I preach is accuracy.

(And the "was" outcome is not due to inaccurate monitoring, but my greed with boost levels.)
 
ok i see ur angle now. I understand now what ur getting at. We dont have so much of the redneck here but i know what ur saying with the Air fuel ratio Gauges. I think you just see the autometer as a lowerclass gauge cause it is in fact less expensive and the idiots with the windshield washer nozzle led's use them. I mean obviously there not going to pay 200+ a gauge cause they barely paid to put the primer on their 'body kit'. That however doesnt mean that the gauge isnt accurate (notice i didnt say AS accurate). I have a Standalone comeing, and allthe best parts i could get, and I trust my gauges personally. I mean I did get the Full sweep ones that i Feel are quality. Even look at the senders alot of gauges use, im sure they are the same if not similar.

I like the look of the autometers, and i didnt want to pay 900.00 for gauges that i dont even need to reference all the time. I do however understand what ur getting at, and i dont compare autometer to defi cause i also dont believe they are the same quality (although i cant speak of the Autometer Nexus Line). But i wouldnt go as far to say that my (personally) electrical autometers are off either. Unless they prove otherwise.
 
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Ok, I'm going to retract that last question for the sake of ending this.

If anyone else wants to jump in, go for it. I've made my view more than obvious and I hate to drag it on.

terbow: I wasnt saying AM electronical gauges are off but [from knowing the way people post on here], I'd be willing to bet that most of those that replied in here saying their gauges were accurate have mechanical gauges and not electronic with senders. I'm talking mechanical (my Blitz vs the AM)

On that note, I'm out for tonight.

Dos Equis + Tylenol PM + Rouffie.

BTW, terbow, I now know you lurk in stealth mode. MUWHAHAHAHAH!@^#%
 
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BlkZoomZoom said:
If you guys want exact, buy a Vw special tool. I believe (off the top of my head) it is a Vag 1397. Costs around 600bux and reads to .001mbar.
I'll stick with the AVC-R all of you bought me for now. :)

That has been noted for my further Googling later on, though. Thanks.

Actually, coming from a tech, what do you think about the accuracy of gauges? Be kinda interesting coming from someone working on the mechanical side vs electronical side as I was.
 
I wonder why the more expensive mechanical gauges are better (if they are) than the cheaper Autometers. Are they more technologically advanced? Or is it just better quality control?

I recall a few days ago reading a post from another forum by this guy who custom fabricates everything from junk material (and he's not a novice in any way, just resourceful) and he was saying how he made a boost gauge out of "a tire pressure device and some fish tank tubing."
 
sabishii said:
I recall a few days ago reading a post from another forum by this guy who custom fabricates everything from junk material (and he's not a novice in any way, just resourceful) and he was saying how he made a boost gauge out of "a tire pressure device and some fish tank tubing."
And they called him:
macgyver_dvd.jpg
 
t3ase said:
Not the point that I was making at all but I'll stick to my previous post.

huh? i know i was just being cute. I REALLY wasnt dragging it on at all. I thought it was a good discussion and ended before the protege vs ferrari post. I definately caught ur point and its well noted. So what i lurk in stealth! :)
 
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Right i totally agree with you there. thats kinda what i was tryin to say.

t3ase said:
Ok, I'm going to retract that last question for the sake of ending this.

If anyone else wants to jump in, go for it. I've made my view more than obvious and I hate to drag it on.

terbow: I wasnt saying AM electronical gauges are off but [from knowing the way people post on here], I'd be willing to bet that most of those that replied in here saying their gauges were accurate have mechanical gauges and not electronic with senders. I'm talking mechanical (my Blitz vs the AM)

On that note, I'm out for tonight.

Dos Equis + Tylenol PM + Rouffie.

BTW, terbow, I now know you lurk in stealth mode. MUWHAHAHAHAH!@^#%
 
Don't forget that many users of AM mechanical guages (boost or boost/vacuum in particular) will use the POS plastic capillary tubing when installing them.

Installing them with teflon-taped barbed fittings and using proper vacuum hose with no kinks and as short of a run as possible to the vacuum source is vital to ensure them to be as accurate as possible.

In reality, any guage is going to have some error in its reading. For most, AM guages provide accurate enough measurements (especially as you move higher up their line to full-sweep electric guages). Will a Greddy, Defi, or [insert your favorite high-end guage here] provide a more accurate reading? Probably. By how much? You'd need some damn expensive equipment to figure that out.
 
I was under the impression you use the hardline (even tho its a b**** to work with) cause other lines can expand and contract giving you false readings.
 
What about braided SS lines? I have seen a couple people using that on their wastegate line. I'm not sure who makes conectors and such for it, though.
 
I am using an Autometer also. But according to my Splt second AFC, the boost readings are about 1 ~ 1.5 psi lower than what the boost guage reads...

So which on do I trust? SInce I already dyno'd it the way it is now, if I increase my boost will the AFC start to go lean? :(
 
Probably, you'll have to tune for the extra air you're pushing through the engine at the higher PSI.
I'd trust the AFC, what does your autometer read at idle, and when the car is off?
 
Jeph said:
Probably, you'll have to tune for the extra air you're pushing through the engine at the higher PSI.
I'd trust the AFC, what does your autometer read at idle, and when the car is off?

That varies slightly, when it is cold out it tends to read around -20 but in warmer air it reads -22. When turned off, it reads 0. I should expect -22 at idle because I sealed the s*** out of my hoses.

I spent 4 hours on the dyno and it never entered my mind to cross-check the R4 datalogs with the boost guage... I just glanced at the logs and said wow, these logs are pretty useless! LMAO!!!

I really need to ditch the 'genius' user name:(
 
hmmmm..... i read like 16 at vacuum???? My boost seems like it would be right, being at 7, but i have nothing to reference to check it.... any reason my vacuum reading would be so low??
 
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