I want to add a Boost Guage (Autometer) to my MCS when I get it and was wondering if I should go mechanical or electric. I think that mechanical would work fine. I read through the directions on the Autometer site but was not sure where you put the T. Anyone out there ever install one?

Thanks

 

There is a current thread floting around on boost gages. If your worried about over boosting a supercharged Mini, don't bother. If you want one because your friends have them on their turbo rides, I suggest you get the biggest one you can find.

 

You can put the tee on the vacum line for the fuel pressure regulator. Thats were i put mine at. Its the little vacum line on the end of the intake manifold. Reads boost pressure just fine .

 

I put one in that is mechanical. The T goes in the vacuum line that goes to the fuel pressure regulator as previously mentioned. Route the nylon line clean up to the back of the dash and through a body grommet. Real easy, just take your time.

Good Luck,
Mike (#87)

 

I'm leaning toward the Auto Meter ultra light 20lb +/-, 2 1/16 in.
compliments to Andy;

Check out this post, go to post # 49 to see bracket made by NPARKER.
Great DIY stuff.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0&page=2&pp=25

 

Can't say I've even heard of an electrical boost gauge. Now that I have, I can't imagine why one would go through the trouble to turn the pressure into an electrical signal (sender=$) when you can run a small tube approximately the size of the alternative wire.

Electrical makes sense when talking fuel pressure or oil pressure/temp - you don't want those in the cockpit. But a little air wouldn't do any harm in case of a leak.

 

The chief advantage of an electronic boost gauge is peak/hold and replay functions. Also, some mechanical boost gauges experience bouncing/buzzing needles (easily fixed in my case by a small fuel filter in-line). The stepper motors in the electronic ones do not have that problem.

 

Exactly. Checkout DEFI brand gauges. The BF series is incredible. Very expensive but very accurate. Monitoring boost is very import if you are adding mods. The DEFI gauges record and play back as well. I plan to transfer my DEFI setup from my STi into the Mini. Boost, EGT, and Oil temp. All 60mm gauges.

 

If I recall correctly, that didn't stop BL from running a pressure line from the rear of the main oil gallery to a dash-mounted mechanical oil pressure gauge in the MGB.

That line used to make me nervous, because it ran behind the dash in such a way that if it failed, the driver's legs would get showered in hot oil. Mmmmm!

Safety? What's that?

 

I stand corrected (and informed!) Thanks for the info.My wife owns a 54 MG TD - the only safety features are a set of Rosary beads in the glovebox! Foretunately, I'm pretty sure it was designed so that all fluids would leak out of the engine compartment well before they could ever make it to the passenger compartment.

 

@ 90 MPH in a 55 chey w/327 close to 6,000 RPM. One of those old school chrome 2 gauge mounts on the bottom edge of the dash. The copper tube to the Stewart Warner gauge let go. You couldn't get away from it, what a mess. After that it got relocated to under the hood.
Back on topic,
First off what range, I don't think I will ever exceed a 20/20 but?
Of the mechanical ones which most closly matches the stock gauges like Tach. The one I was thinking about is dampened, I'll have to go back and look. Electronic sounds interesting too. I intend to make bracket like NPARKER did and was thinking of an oil temp. on the other side of the Tach.

 

"monitoring boost is important if you are adding mods" Why, has some one distroyed an engine or supercharger? What mods seem to be a problem.

 

Problem on the B was the oil from the engine compartment never made it all the way to the rockers or dogleg panels. I suspect this is the reason why the rear section rusted much faster than the front, where the engine and gearbox automatically renewed the Waxoyl as the car was driven...

 

[QUOTE=namwob]"monitoring boost is important if you are adding mods" YES that is true or just want to see whats happening.
"Why, has some one distroyed an engine or supercharger?" Not that I'm aware of.
"What mods seem to be a problem". [B]None that I know of or have made myself
[/B]
This is a deep subject, not answered in a few line's here. You will just have to read awhile to figure it out.

 

FYI, I find the boost gauge is an invaluable tool which I use all the time in daily driving. I'd say it's even more useful than it was on my old VW turbo since the supercharger output is so much more linear. I can diagnose problems with the car better (like pinning down the Yo-Yo and testing solutions) since I have a boost gauge. Boost gauges are for everyone! Well, everyone with a forced induction engine.

 

You are right, YOU do not need one. For me I like to know what my boost is doing. Is it over boosting causing a possible lean condition? Am I low on boost due to a problem? Am I building boost then gradually losing it? What RPM are you reaching full boost? What is full boost?

So far all the "tuning" for the Mini is what I refer to as tune by mail. Either a chip or download is burned with your basic mods. Car is then dynoed and A/F monitored. That information is then sent back to your tuner for program adjustments. A very valuable piece of info the tuner can use is you boost pressure and various rpm levels. With that added bit of info it is much easier for your tuner to optimize a program for your car.

Those with turbo experience know about "boost creep". Not real common with a roots blower but it is still possible.

Here is an example. You add a 15%-19% pulley to your car and have everything tuned to what you think is just right. It just happens to be about 80 degrees and high humidity. You have no gauge to see what your new boost level is at. Next day a cold front come in temp drops to 40 humidity does the same. You just gained 2-3 pounds of boost. Without a gauge you just think the car feels real strong today. Can tour ECU program handle the new found boost?

 

http://www.defi-usa.com/bf.php

Best gauges I have found. Warning, not cheap.

 

www.speedhut.com


I don't know about their quality, but they have several, all electronic, and very custom-able to suit your interior/style. They appear well built. $98 Just ordered a boost and oil pressure.

 

i have a defi d-gauge boost gauge. it's about $110, mechanical, dampened, with a white (or black) face and the numbers and needle are backlit orange, just like stock. i get no needle flutter at all, very smooth. check it out:

http://www.defi-shop.com/product/dg/dg_top.html

 

your absolutly right Yo-yo being an excelent example. Torn intercooler boot,slipping belt, new expensive intercooler with marginal gain or looses power......In the hands of a tuner or serious couch tuner, yes its invaluable.

Its the whole bling thing that irritates me. woundn't money be beter spent on some neon? See deep subject thread. For those that have a boost gage but don't know what its for.. stick around NAM some are'nt like me.

 

I've modified an 03 MCS with free airflow, 15 pulley and One-ball Exhaust - Can I go with a BOOST gauge that just goes up to 15 psi? or do I need to buy up to 20 PSI?

would appreciate what you guys with boost gauges are getting as a max.

Bart

ALSO - do I need just boost or boost/vac?

 

For anyone that has installed thier boost gauge with power to the lamp inside the gauge. ( Autometer ultra lite series 2 5/8" - 2 1/16" )
I would like it to light only when lights or running lights are on.
Where did you pick-up power from???
What color lead, located ??
Ground source?
Thanks, norm03s

 

You can make the gauge light with the dash lights, and control the illumination with the dimmer. The wire for this can be found in the huge harness below the dash to the left of the steering wheel, next to the clutch pedal arm. Pick around in it (the wire is generally not buried, but near the 'surface' of the bundle) till you find a gray wire with a red tracer, about 22 gage. Tap into this for the variable positive source for the lamp. The ground can be anything metal in the area; use one of the bolts holding the dash componentry in place. All grounding wires in the MINI are solid brown, you can tap into one of these as well.

A piccie of the wire pulled from the rest!

 

YOU the Man......umm BEAR I mean!
Thanks, norm

 

I also have the defi d-gauge and it matches the instrument panel pretty closely. It has a range of 30 hg of vacuum up to 30 lbs of boost. While you won't need the 30 lbs of boost my MINI does show 24-25 hg of vacuum at times. I picked up the lighting feed from the light that iluminates the cigarette lighter.