Sharing My Boost Guage Research w/ you all

[Shibby1485]

I'm very very particular, and takes me several months to buy something and commit to it, haha. Finally bought my catch can from JAZ today over the phone. So i moved onto looking for a boost guage now and spent this week making many phone calls and online research. Here's my findings:

1. Analog vs Digital ~~ GO ANALOG! digital is way to sensitive for our application and the decimal numbers will be flcikering like crazy and drive you nuts trying to see what it says. it's blingy. 2 auto companies told me, if you have a Honda and you are some teenager off the street, then you'll need a digi guage to blend in. the pros and high performance boats and race cars will only use analog

2. PSI intervals ~~ since we will typically be running in the 7-9 PSI range, go with a 0-15 PSI guage... NOTHING more. otherwise you wont be using like 90% of the guage and your eye will not be seeing a very accurate boost reading because of all the numbers and lines and dashes.

3. Mechanical vs Electrical ~~ for starts, electric is far more expensive? my question was why? is it more accurate, more desireable? NO. costs more because it's more parts involved, more product. one will not be more accurate over the other, as a matter of fact 2 different companies over the phone recommneded their cheaper mechanical analog guages over anything because of precision, direct reading off source of pressure, and price.

4. Waterproofness? ~~ are they submersible? NO... can they take some mild splashing throughout the day, yes... should not be a problem at all. if you wanted to go an extra mile and seal it up somehow, go right ahead, but then you risk that the guage will fog bc it has no air to vent it. besides, if you go with their recommendation of analog mechanical guages, you can afford to jsut get a new guage every year worst comes to worst for 35-55 bucks whereas electric and/or digital are 180 - 225

5. What brands? ~~ autometer is huge in the business, been around forever, make an awesome product. only other recommendation is Nordskog. They are huge in the MARINE guage business and very reputable. come with powdercoated housing and brass hardware for marine environment

**hope this helps some of you in the market for a boost guage and in the future for newbies on the site.

[Pale Rider]

good info shibbs, in my vehicles autometer is all I`ll use...PR...

[01xdime]

good info shibbs, in my vehicles autometer is all I`ll use...PR...

Ditto, I have to see if autometer makes a liquid filled version. That would stop the needle from bouncing so much and be less likely to fog up if sealed. I think a boost gauge is a must do mod early on. A cheap warning system for a failing clutch. $50 to save your ass the cost of tearing down the oil pumps.

[Green Hulk]

I orignally went with an Auto Meter mechanical gauge and the needle fluctuated so bad it was near impossible to get a reading.

I switched to the Auto Meter electric gauge and now my needle is rock solid plus i have highest boost recall which really comes in handy for testing.

I think crazedrxp had the same results with the AM mechanical gauge and the fluctuating needle.

[Shibby1485]

yep! that's why i'm ordering it now while i'm in the middle of putting new handlebars on my ski and waiting for the Jaz catch can... perfect opportunity to run my wires and tubes and hoses while it's all apart. baseline the ski and see my boost before i add a Vortech ECU and IC in another month

[01xdime]

Yeah i think the electrical or like a said a liquid(glucose) filled gauge may help with that problem.

[Shibby1485]

damn no kidden jerry.... i'm not ready to order after all! this psot may need some editing, lol

[Pale Rider]

Jerry, I`d have to say that the flutuating needle is prolly from the cam characteristics, valve timing, and intake tract pulses...PR...

[01xdime]

Good point i didn't think of that i just thought it was from the ski bouncing on the water.

[Green Hulk]

Jerry, I`d have to say that the flutuating needle is prolly from the cam characteristics, valve timing, and intake tract pulses...PR...

thats exactly what it is.