Hey guys, installed a boost gauge over the past day and things dont seem to be working correctly. Got all the electrical hooked up, run the gauge line, fitted the fuel pressure regulator with a ti fitting but I dont get a reading from the gauge.

I have disconnected the gauge and blown air into the back of the gauge. Certainly see a reading then. Hooked it back up, and blew air into the line from the pressure regulator, that worked and gave a reading.

But when I hook it up to the t fitting, nothing. Made sure the secondary hose was connected to the regulator....that all seems good.

Kinda at a loss here for what might be going on. Further, once I put the intercooler back and drive the car its drives like it always has....this all is pretty strange to me.

Any help would be awesome. Thanks!

 

Maybe I'm missing something...

Why would you connect a boost gauge to the fuel line?

 

Jim, I think he means the FPR vac line.

 

 

You can not use the fpr for a boost gauge.

You absolutely have to use a manifold vaccum line to get a boost reading.

The best one is on the suprcharger side of the motor, underneath the intercooler on the passenger side intercooler horn.

 

I read an install walk-through on here from DarkSilverCooperS (see link below) and used the vacumn line under the intercooler. I am pretty sure this is the same line you are referring to. I had to remove the intercooler and tap into the line by removing it from the fuel pressure regulator (at least that is what I think it is, and that is what the walk-through refers to it as)

So get this, the T connector that allows you to tap into the vacumn line was sealed on one end! I guess it must have been a flaw at the factory. Cleared the sealed section out, hooked it back up to the vacumn line and BINGO...it works. I am getting anywhere from about 5psi to 15psi depending on throttle and a rapid drop in PSI once off the trottle....seems to be working correctly.

This is the thread I took my walk-through from.....is this even correct? :impatient


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...76&postcount=7


Now I just need to get the oil temp gauge hooked up. The power and lights are all ready to go, just waiting for the replacement oil pan plug with the temp sensor on it to come in from the dealer. Anyone ever used one of these?

 

If you are using the Factory oil temp gauge it will work.

If your using any other gauge, the temp sender in the drain plug will not work, it will read incorrectly.

 

I am not using the factory gauge...its an aftermarket gauge. Any suggestions then?

 

Drill a hole in the oil pan, tap the hole and thread in the sender that came with your gauge.

 

Before you drill and tap the oil pan, why don't you just replace the drain plug with one that has a 1/8" npt already threaded into it? Most gauge manufacturers sell one. I'm pretty sure the MINI uses a M14x1.5 oil drain plug. These replacement drain plugs cost <$10.

Here is an example

 

Ive had the drain plug senders before, and they just break. Autometer brand one and a tuning companies one.

I drilled and tapped the pan and have had no problems with it since then.

 

I'd be really hesitant to drill into the oil pan. Another route would be something I would be much more comfortable with.

So why wont the drain plug I can get through the dealer not work?

 

The drain plug that you get through the dealer includes the sender unit. This unit has a certain voltage curve as it heats up and the stock gauge is calibrated to that curve. Similarly, an aftermarket gauge is calibrated to that manufactures sender. If you hook the stock sender up to an aftermarket gauge, the voltage values will be off and cause the gauge to read incorrectly.

 

That makes sense to me. I think before I attempt to tap the oil pan I am going to order a drain plug with a spot for the temp gauge to fit into. The one from the dealer was 60 bucks anyways......

So what about where I hooked up the line to read the boost. The vacumn line under the intercooler....is that where I want to be?

 

I installed 4 boost gauges and wrote a thread about how to do so...

Check the link in my signature.

All 4, plus mine, are working great.

 

DarkMINICooper S,
I followed your write up and things are working great. I do have one question though....is it right that the gauge would show a negative reading after hard throttle.

So you throttle up, the gauge goes to about 15 psi, but then dips down below zero on a shift....then throttle up and back up to about 15 psi. Does that sound correct?

 

Sounds about right. You should be making vacuum at little or no throttle position.

 

Ok, I am making vacumn at little or no throttle.

 

Just so you know, this is how a boost gauge may help you get better mileage. When your seeing vacuum, the bypass valve is open and the SC isn't compressing against anything. Once you start seeing boost, the bypass closes and mpg drops.

 

Hmmm...ok, now I understand a bit more.

On another note, any suggestions on a temp gauge sensor point. I bought the pan plug replacement from the dealer but I have been informed that will not work for me. I did buy another plug online that I should be able to thread the sensor that came with the gauge into and use that......

 

Thanks for the info