DIY boost gauge

evolDiesel · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:18 pm

Does anyone on here have tips on how they installed their boost gauge? I'm considering doing it myself and would love to get some pointers (pictures are great).

This is my top choice after literally weeks of scouring the web.

http://www.glowshiftdirect.com/black-7- ... gauge.aspx
I like the 270 degree sweep, 0-35, and that I can somewhat match the CRD light color.

And I'm thinking of this POD mounted to the flat part of the dashboard, up by the windshield between the left tweeter and the center defrost vent (is that crazy? is there anything under there?)

http://www.glowshiftdirect.com/Universa ... l-Pod.aspx

Thanks,
Jack

flman · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:55 pm

evolDiesel wrote:

Does anyone on here have tips on how they installed their boost gauge? I'm considering doing it myself and would love to get some pointers (pictures are great).

You would have to drill and tap the turbo outlet with 1/8" NPT tap. You would not need the tee. Follow the gauge instruction for the rest of the install. I installed Glow Shift gauges on my truck, when/if they fail, I will go with mechanical.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:43 pm

Why would you need to tap the Turbo outlet?

We've had folks put pressure gauges in the intake manifold, and even the turbo hoses, pressure's the same.

Glend · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:59 pm

You can follow along with my process for Boost Gauge and EGT install - located here:

http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/sho ... ge+install

There are some others:

This is Patracy's post on his install:

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/acces ... berty.html

Good luck. PS make sure you generate positive pressure when drilling into the intake body to insure that no shards get into the intake.

flman · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:19 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

Why would you need to tap the Turbo outlet?

We've had folks put pressure gauges in the intake manifold, and even the turbo hoses, pressure's the same.

Well, that is how it is done on a truck turbo that is boost gauge ready. They don't just tap it any where on a truck :roll:

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

Either location will work, but there is a pressure drop across the intercooler so the intake manifold is slightly less pressure than the turbo outlet. At peak power the pressure drop across the intercooler is roughly 1.5 psi, in normal cruise the pressure drop is significantly less.

Some people use vaseline or grease on the drill bit to catch the aluminum shards when tapping. A shop vac next to the bit also helps.

linewarbr · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:10 pm

You could also get a 2-guage pod for the driver's side A-Pillar. I believe Jeepin By Al has them available. http://jeepinbyal.com/cat-Interior-11.aspx

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:21 pm

Isn't there an article about this in the CRD Tech section?

flman · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:42 pm

linewarbr wrote:

You could also get a 2-guage pod for the driver's side A-Pillar. I believe Jeepin By Al has them available. http://jeepinbyal.com/cat-Interior-11.aspx

Actually Glow Shift also makes a 3 in 1 gauge, Boost, EGT, and Temp.

evolDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:18 pm

flman wrote:

linewarbr wrote:

You could also get a 2-guage pod for the driver's side A-Pillar. I believe Jeepin By Al has them available. http://jeepinbyal.com/cat-Interior-11.aspx

Actually Glow Shift also makes a 3 in 1 gauge, Boost, EGT, and Temp.

Yeah but it's 0-60psi and not 270 degree sweep. The needle wouldn't be traveling too far

However, if they had that thing in a 0-35'ish, 270 degree sweep, and swap out the transmission temp with air/fuel... I'd be ALL over it :idea:

Glend · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:53 pm

As much as I like my Prosport gauges:

http://01f6bbb.netsolstores.com/premium ... auges.aspx

If I was doing it now I would probably go for one of the processor based displays like:

http://www.bullydogparts.com/Bully_Dog_ ... /40402.htm

evolDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:31 pm

Glend wrote:

As much as I like my Prosport gauges:

http://01f6bbb.netsolstores.com/premium ... auges.aspx

If I was doing it now I would probably go for one of the processor based displays like:

http://www.bullydogparts.com/Bully_Dog_ ... /40402.htm

I like the geek factor but don't like how big they are and the graphics look like Atari 2600. I'd give those a few years to ... uhhh... mature :wink:

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:20 pm

The geek factor is far outweighed by three VERY important realizations about that Bullydog and similar systems:

#1: They have to work through the OBD port... Which for our vehicles only, most likely means that they will NOT work properly, or for very long before locking up. Remember the Scangauge?

#2: They are retardedly expensive, especially for the BD "pyrometer kit" that is another $140 on the price. No thanks, a GDE tune is a better value!

#3: By reading the same sensors as the ECU, you are putting your trust in the fact that your on-board sensors will never ever ever fail, and always be perfectly honest with you in their readings.
If you honestly believe that... Contact me. I have a bridge to sell you.

I personally discovered when my MAP sensor was LYING TO ME because of my non-computer-connected boost gauge, and my EGT probe has been telling me for months about the fact that my engine is injecting more fuel than it should, causing the EGTs to run higher than they have in the past. This is borne up by the discovery recently that my engine was actually asking for more boost than it has been receiving... For reasons that I have not discovered yet.

The answer is: Glowshift Gauges. Because a little computer oversight keeps that computer honest and operating properly.

evolDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:38 am

I couldn't agree more geordi. And the leveraging of the ODB2 port is a real turn off. I had my eye on a sweet christmas tree of a digital boost gauge. I spotted it on youtube but it was either 0-60, or had vacuum negative which is retarded for a TD. I'm going with the glowshift 0-35, 270 sweep, but after reading the DIY's I think I'll bring it to a local diesel performance shop b/c the metal chips really freak me out. The wiring/dash looks easy enough. When I get done I'll post a picture.

evolDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:21 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

Why would you need to tap the Turbo outlet?

We've had folks put pressure gauges in the intake manifold, and even the turbo hoses, pressure's the same.

Can you be more specific about where you or others you know have tapped into for pressure? I just want the easiest, least risky option. I'd like to get boost and pyro done this winter.

Thanks

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Nov 21, 2010 8:03 pm

Yes - there's a pressure drop across the intercooler - although the computer is reading off of the Intake manifold and unless you're trying to push absolute limits - I don't think the difference matters. Personally I read the Scangauge for the 15 minutes it works and that's plenty of information.

n3qik and rs4mtnitro did this - seems the easiest

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=58755#p58755
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=120356#p120356

warp2diesel had something close
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=532722#p532722

Ripster, Pablo had mentioned the boost hose - although no photos - although I think Samco makes an adapter - but you have to read German (or translate the website) - I didn't figure it was worth it.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:55 pm

How I did it. Fuel injection Banjo fitting, home made banjo bolt. I greased up the drill bit, drilled the hole into the manifold and attached the boost line. Simple.

EGT probe location, I packed the drill and tap with grease to keep the chips out of the manifold:

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:16 am

You have another probe location on the downpipe? How come?

I was thinking about that, but I went a different route: I welded a metric nut (M10 IIRC) to the outside of the turbo's manifold inlet, then drilled through the center so the probe could sit in the dead-center of the entire exhaust flow.

Rough guesstimation is that I read about 300 degrees higher at the inlet than someone reading post-turbo... But I don't know. At cruise today, 80mph (GPS) on flat ground it was reading about 775*F all day long. Slightly slower speeds (also at steady cruise) seems to consistently read about 700.

How about yours?

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:37 am

geordi wrote:

You have another probe location on the downpipe? How come? First location of probe, later it was used for the pressure tap to measure back pressure before and after replacing stock muffler and getting rid of the choke point on the cat rear flange

I was thinking about that, but I went a different route: I welded a metric nut (M10 IIRC) to the outside of the turbo's manifold inlet, then drilled through the center so the probe could sit in the dead-center of the entire exhaust flow.

Rough guesstimation is that I read about 300 degrees higher at the inlet than someone reading post-turbo... But I don't know. At cruise today, 80mph (GPS) on flat ground it was reading about 775*F all day long. Slightly slower speeds (also at steady cruise) seems to consistently read about 700.
At 80 MPH I am watching for cops and tend to drive closer to 65-70MPH. Since my prob is in the manifold runner instead of the turbo flange, I tend to read 850f to 900f at flat ground 70MPH. I would read lower if I took the tools out of the back.

How about yours?

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:43 pm

If you run 3 GlowShift guages, can you jump power/ground from one guage to the other? I saw them do that with some AutoMeter guages on TV. That way, they only had one constant power wire and one constant ground wire to run to the battery/fuse box. Saved a lot of wiring hassle. Can you do that with the GlowShifts?

DIY boost gauge

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