BoostedA4tQ
08-27-2004, 06:41 AM
Installing a boost gauge in the B6 is a pretty simple procedure, actually takes longer to find a place to mount and then remove the pieces are neccessary for you to be able to mount the boost gauge. In this DIY i have mounted my boost gauge on my driver ac vent (pictures below).
This is my first write up so I hope it can help you out installing your boost gauge. If anyone sees something that can be done better or easier please feel free to let me know so that i can change the procedure.
Tools:
Plastic Tee
Teflon
Test light
Wire hanger
Flat Head
Tie Straps
Piece of vacuum line
Patience
Steps:
1. Get a small flat head and pry one of the corners so you can remove the driver side Ac Vent. Do this slowly and make sure you are not breaking anything or scratching anything. The best bet is to open your door and get it from the side.
2. Once you pop off the vent you will need to remove the roller on the side that opens and closes the vent. The clip can be a pain to remove in order to get the roller off.
3. which ever gauge you use you will have a (+ & -). Get the negative and ground it down to the screw by the fuse panel.
(See picture Below)
4. Now you need to connect the positive, here you have two options if you want to have the gauge so that it works with your light dimmer you can, but if you drive with the dimmer all the way down like i do you wont be able to see the gauge at night. So what i did instead was connect it to the constant power cable that i used for the turbo timer. For people who dont have turbo timers you will need to remove the lower panel under the steering collumn and locate the three solid red wires. Put the key in the ignition and turn it to the Accsessory position. Once you do this test the red cables and make sure there is only power with the key in the ignition (if key is removed no power should be running through). You can splice into that cable or you can get the connectors that automatically splice it which is much easier to do. I
4A. Second option-if you want to connect it so that the dimmer works on the gauge just tap into the postive cable of the roller on the side of the vent that you have removed. Turn your parking lights on and with a test light locate the positive. (remeber you can use your key in the ignition to connect to the negative of the test light)
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/2234PowerForBoost.jpg
5. Now that you have the positive and the negative connected we can go on to running the vacuum line supplied with the kit. You will need to get a wire hanger for this procedure. If you get underneath by the dead pedal in the driver side you will see a rubber circled molding that your factory harness goes through (make sure you have panel underneath the steering collumn removed). You need to get the hanger through there and find it in the engine bay once you have found it, get black tape and tape the vacuum line to the hanger and pull it through. Now you have the vacuum line going from inside the car to the engine bay. (be careful not to kink the vacuum line so do not bend it)
6. With the vacuum line in the engine bay area you need to route it in between the manifold (make sure engine is cold and that the Vacuum line has enough slack to handle the shifting of the motor) to a vacuum line that is located in front of the motor if you are looking at it from the front of the car you can see it right in front of the valve cover. There are two hoses one thinner than the other connect it to the thinner one of the two. (See Pic Below)
7. Once you have found this line cut it in the middle nice clean cut.
Make sure you leave enough line on each side so that it is easy for you to connect to the tee.
Sorry for crappy pic..but it gives you a idea!!!
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/2234VaccumBoost.jpg
You can use something similiar to this...i used a bit bigger one and stronger.
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/2234m1.jpg
8. Get one end of the vacuum line you cut and connect it to one end of the tee.
9. Now get the other half of the Vacuum line you cut and connect it to the other end of the tee.
10. Get the vacuum line you ran from inside the car to the last available opening on the tee. Tie strap all three ends make sure you get a tee that is not to small so that the vacuum lines can hold on tight. (In some cases like mine the vacuum line from the boost gauge is to small for the tee, so i went to the local auto parts and bought a small piece of the same size vacuum line as the one you cut on the car to put the tee and slid the vacuum line from the boost gauge into the vacuum line i purchased and then tie strapped it real tight and then inserted it to the tee).
Everyone has there own style this is how i did it and it worked fine for me.
11. Now that you finished everything in the engine bay just clean it up make sure your lines can get kinked or cut and you can close the hood.
12. Now back inside get the Vacuum line run it up to the ac vent where the gauge will go mounted.
13. If you have the custom made mount like i have and made you will just pop in the gauge on the ac mount that was made and connect the back of the vacuum line to the gauge.
14. Once everything is connected take it for a run, pull windows down, radio off and make sure you are not leaking boost and that the gauge is working properly.
15. If everything is fine pop in the boost gauge mount that was customly made and your good to go.
This is my first write up like stated earlier it might not be to clear but its better than nothing. The next time i install one i will do a full write up with better pictures and explanations. Just wanted to help you guys out with as much as i can.
If you ever have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Have Fun,
Fernando S.
*PLEASE NOTE: Postings made within this Forum are not open for public debate as the rest of those on Audizine. Only additional information regarding the subject matter at hand may be submitted for addition. Please direct all other comments or questions to either the Post's author or an AZ Admin. Please see the sticky in this Forum for the full listing of Forum Rules & Guidelines (http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14050). - AZ Admin
This is my first write up so I hope it can help you out installing your boost gauge. If anyone sees something that can be done better or easier please feel free to let me know so that i can change the procedure.
Tools:
Plastic Tee
Teflon
Test light
Wire hanger
Flat Head
Tie Straps
Piece of vacuum line
Patience
Steps:
1. Get a small flat head and pry one of the corners so you can remove the driver side Ac Vent. Do this slowly and make sure you are not breaking anything or scratching anything. The best bet is to open your door and get it from the side.
2. Once you pop off the vent you will need to remove the roller on the side that opens and closes the vent. The clip can be a pain to remove in order to get the roller off.
3. which ever gauge you use you will have a (+ & -). Get the negative and ground it down to the screw by the fuse panel.
(See picture Below)
4. Now you need to connect the positive, here you have two options if you want to have the gauge so that it works with your light dimmer you can, but if you drive with the dimmer all the way down like i do you wont be able to see the gauge at night. So what i did instead was connect it to the constant power cable that i used for the turbo timer. For people who dont have turbo timers you will need to remove the lower panel under the steering collumn and locate the three solid red wires. Put the key in the ignition and turn it to the Accsessory position. Once you do this test the red cables and make sure there is only power with the key in the ignition (if key is removed no power should be running through). You can splice into that cable or you can get the connectors that automatically splice it which is much easier to do. I
4A. Second option-if you want to connect it so that the dimmer works on the gauge just tap into the postive cable of the roller on the side of the vent that you have removed. Turn your parking lights on and with a test light locate the positive. (remeber you can use your key in the ignition to connect to the negative of the test light)
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/2234PowerForBoost.jpg
5. Now that you have the positive and the negative connected we can go on to running the vacuum line supplied with the kit. You will need to get a wire hanger for this procedure. If you get underneath by the dead pedal in the driver side you will see a rubber circled molding that your factory harness goes through (make sure you have panel underneath the steering collumn removed). You need to get the hanger through there and find it in the engine bay once you have found it, get black tape and tape the vacuum line to the hanger and pull it through. Now you have the vacuum line going from inside the car to the engine bay. (be careful not to kink the vacuum line so do not bend it)
6. With the vacuum line in the engine bay area you need to route it in between the manifold (make sure engine is cold and that the Vacuum line has enough slack to handle the shifting of the motor) to a vacuum line that is located in front of the motor if you are looking at it from the front of the car you can see it right in front of the valve cover. There are two hoses one thinner than the other connect it to the thinner one of the two. (See Pic Below)
7. Once you have found this line cut it in the middle nice clean cut.
Make sure you leave enough line on each side so that it is easy for you to connect to the tee.
Sorry for crappy pic..but it gives you a idea!!!
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/2234VaccumBoost.jpg
You can use something similiar to this...i used a bit bigger one and stronger.
http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/2234m1.jpg
8. Get one end of the vacuum line you cut and connect it to one end of the tee.
9. Now get the other half of the Vacuum line you cut and connect it to the other end of the tee.
10. Get the vacuum line you ran from inside the car to the last available opening on the tee. Tie strap all three ends make sure you get a tee that is not to small so that the vacuum lines can hold on tight. (In some cases like mine the vacuum line from the boost gauge is to small for the tee, so i went to the local auto parts and bought a small piece of the same size vacuum line as the one you cut on the car to put the tee and slid the vacuum line from the boost gauge into the vacuum line i purchased and then tie strapped it real tight and then inserted it to the tee).
Everyone has there own style this is how i did it and it worked fine for me.
11. Now that you finished everything in the engine bay just clean it up make sure your lines can get kinked or cut and you can close the hood.
12. Now back inside get the Vacuum line run it up to the ac vent where the gauge will go mounted.
13. If you have the custom made mount like i have and made you will just pop in the gauge on the ac mount that was made and connect the back of the vacuum line to the gauge.
14. Once everything is connected take it for a run, pull windows down, radio off and make sure you are not leaking boost and that the gauge is working properly.
15. If everything is fine pop in the boost gauge mount that was customly made and your good to go.
This is my first write up like stated earlier it might not be to clear but its better than nothing. The next time i install one i will do a full write up with better pictures and explanations. Just wanted to help you guys out with as much as i can.
If you ever have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Have Fun,
Fernando S.
*PLEASE NOTE: Postings made within this Forum are not open for public debate as the rest of those on Audizine. Only additional information regarding the subject matter at hand may be submitted for addition. Please direct all other comments or questions to either the Post's author or an AZ Admin. Please see the sticky in this Forum for the full listing of Forum Rules & Guidelines (http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14050). - AZ Admin