Installing guages (knock, boost)

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87gninpa

Active Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2003
Messages
2,414
I already have an older autometer boost guage in my car, but im switching to the vdo pillar mouted guage. do i just connect the new vdo to where the old autometer was? there seems to be two connections, one white ground wire and one harder tube donnected to soemthing under the dash. guage works fine, so is this all i have to do? im also getting a caspers knock guage. i didnt see anything on this described in detail, so how do you install one of thesE?
TIA
 
Shawn,

I will send detailed instruction for hooking things up, but rest assured, it's quite straightforward...

Strike
 
Strike,

Can you send me directions as well, please? I am waiting the arrival of my VDO's and want to get ready to rip.

Steve
 
Well, the boost gauge I'm selling is mechanical, so all it needs is a sensing line (i.e. 1/8" rigid plastic tubing), from an appropriate vacuum/pressure source under the hood, routed through the firewall grommet, to the gauge.

I like to remove the OEM fittings and tubing between the black, metal harness coming off the doghouse and the MAP sensor on the RH fender, put them away for posterity and run a new HELP vacuum fitting (1/8" X 7/32") and new 1/8" tubing to the gauge. This renders the OEM LED boost gauge useless, one LED will light at all times, but who needs it anyway when you have an aftermarket gauge - it's inaccurate and of insufficient range, which is why you bought the aftermarket gauge in the first place.

Be very careful not to kink the tubing. Make sure the ends of the tubing are open - I use an awl to open them if necessary, but I suppose a small nail would do just as well.

Check to make sure the fittings on the back of the gauge are tight, but not overly so or you'll ruin the gauge or ferrule. Use teflon tape or some other thread sealer where appropriate, but don't overdo it.

Zip tie your connections at the harness to be sure they won't come off.

The gauge has a light, which of course takes 12V and ground. If you don't care to light the gauge, you don't even need to do that. Not being a night racer... Some guys like to power the light off the fuse box dash lights, so that the gauge can be dimmed. There's a good chassis ground under the dash to the left of the steering column - I think it uses a 10mm screw - you'll see other wires grounded on it.

That's really about it for the boost gauge.
 
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