Beginner's question but what is it for? What are the benefits? Is it worth getting one?

Ta

 

Yep, good question, I'd be interested in finding out the answer!!

Has it any relevance? Or is it just another dial to worry about?!

Jim

 

A boost gauge gives a measured indication of the pressure that the turbo is compressing the intake charge to as it passes into engine.

Benefits? Might tell you if you have a leak in the intercooler or somewhere else in the intake side of the enginme, or if your car's engine is ill, mainly it is a rather nice dial to watch spin up and drop back when ever you squeeze the accelerator May be of use to improve fuel economy if you use it to control your driving so that your not running at full boost every time you accelerate...

Worth getting? Only to liven up the interior a bit more, and to brag about down the pub when you saw 15 psi peak boost

 

Are you kidding?
I suppose if you are not going to modify your car at all, maybe you wouldn't need one, but it would still be a good idea to have one to make sure it is running right. For example somebody on this boards car was making only 7psi because the boost solenoid was installed wrong. Without hte gauge he probably would never have known.

Now if you plan to do any significant work on your car (i.e. increase the boost), a boost gauge is an absolute necessity. In fact the more gauges you have the better (but of course there is a practical limit). Basicaly, the more information you have about what your engine is doing the better. You certainly wouldn't want to increase the boost to a dangerous level and without the gauge you will have no idea where you are, maybe unitl the engine goes pop.

 

It is very usefull to set up the waist gate correctly. On the westfield my engine map is setup to give 18PSI (1.2bar) peak boost dropping and holding at 15PSI (1bar).

It allows me to check to see if the boost starts to drop off if running the car hard or in hot climates.

If the intercooler is not capable of cooling the charge fully then the ECU will back off the boost to a safe level, the best way of seeing this is with a boost guage. It is unlikely you are sensitive enough to feel 2 psi drop which is quite significant.

 

DOH!

I must remeber not to post late at night, when I'm half cut

John the point I was trying to get across was that the boost gauge is largely a gimic for those not intent on some serious mods or won't know the meaning (no disrespect intended) of the information that it gives.

I think...

 

Markus, the 1.0 is 1 bar, the - figures are vacuum readings, and it should be vacuum when idling or when you lift the throttle on the road. 1 bar is approx (very ) 14-15 PSI i think

 

1 bar = 14.50377 psi to be (very) precise.

For all the european drivers trying to convert psi pressures to bar: have a look at the following site:

 

Ian and Dan:

Cheers! It is at vaccum when Idle and when I lift off I get a lovely whooosh! and it drops to vaccum level! then I just change up and plant the pedal!!!! and repeat for another four changes!

 

When I first fitted mine, it was just to have another gauge (sad, I know!!) But I was told you could monitor problems with the engine. Overboost, etc, but I don't understand the technical side of things!

I use to think that if I kept the car below 3000 rpm it would allow the engine to warm up without using the turbo! You'll be very surprised when the turbo actually starts to spin up!!

So I now use it to warm up the car, without spinning up the turbo and it can help you save fuel!! (I find I only get very low mpg, when I keep the gauge ticking over at 15psi!!!)

Just a laymans view on the whole thing!!

Andy

 

the WRX Wagon came with a boost guage, which looks funky to say the least. Only problem is that I'm not sure on how to read it. The measurements are in KGms? it goes something like 300, 500, 0!, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 (and I think), 2.5!

is the 1.0 = 1 bar????

what's the PSI equiv of the other measurements?

 

Vent to atmosphere dump valve as well then maybe, the whoosh what with Cone filter and that it probably sings to you when you are driving it LOL

 

you want to try mine. If its not wooshes from the dump valve or chirps from the waste gate then its screeches from the rear tyres with the odd what the f*** from the public