boost gauge...is the 6" tubing kit required?

[A Foore]

I'm in the market for a boost gauge and wanna try installing it myself since I've read that it's pretty easy. In the description of this VDO ad, it mentions that it requires a 6' plastic tubing kit. What is that for?
http://www.qmrmotorsports.com/shop/p...roducts_id=550

[Ben@SpeedBarn]

Well you will need a line from the boost gauge to under the hood. 6' should be enough. Also you can't just buy rubber line and run it the whole way cause you need a compression fitting to attatch to the gauge. I'd get it.

[Zodiak]

that's the same kit we just installed on Joe's car. Yes you need the tubing, because that seems to be the only type that attaches to the gauge. But I'd suggest getting 3 or 4 feet of better vac line (1/8 should be fine) also. personally I think the plastic stuff is crap: 1) it kinks really easily because it comes coiled up. And screwing it on to the boost gauge after it was already run from the engine bay to the cabin, just twisted the line and put 2 or 3 kinks in it, blocking the line. Once I went back through and unkinked them, the gauge worked perfectly, but it's just an uneccesary PITA 2) If you tap in at the vac line that runs to the BPV, 6' won't be enough to easily reach the the A-pillar. Also the plastic line doesn't fit into most t-fittings ( on Joe's car I had to cut 2" off the line that runs from the BPV and slid the plastic line into the 2" piece and ziptied it, then attached the other end of the 2" piece to the t-fitting).

It's possible to do the install with just the 6' of plastic line, but personally I think that stuff is crap and if you want to do the install cleanly, buy some good extra rubber line.

[Ben@SpeedBarn]

Go to egauges.com...that is where i got mine. They have cheap pillar pods too.

VDO vision series
0-30 In.Hg. to 0-25 PSI 2 1/16 Turbo $30.00


6 foot Nylon tubing kit - white $8.75

Part No: 150-851 Comments: Includes one each: 1/8 - 27 NPT and 1/4 - 18 NPT adapters. From VDO.

[Ben@SpeedBarn]

Yeah when i re-installed my gauge in my s4 i actually ran rubber line into the fuse area and then the nylon from there...yes it does kink very easily.

[joeya103]

I agree with Zac (Zodiak)...the white tubing kit on egauges was cheap and (seemed like) a PITA.

Get some better stuff and save your money. So far, mine is holding up and not melting with the engine heat, but I still wish I got better quality tubing.

[sumpsfast]

where did you guys get the better tubing from? size?

TIA

[RippleChip]

I got extra tubing from a buddy who picked it up from an auto supplier. Didn't use a tubing kit, rather he built up a collection of the necessary parts. You want to make sure the stuff you are using can handle the temperatures and everything it is exposed to. Also found the little stuff can pinch easily.

[Daft]

I've used both the nylon tubing and regular vacuum line for two different VDO gauges.

The bottom line is this:

The nylon kit is a smaller line but, it is far more rigid and is less likely to get pinched between tight clearences. The diameter of the nylon tubing is also designed to prevent the buzzing problem associated with VDO gauges. The key is that the tubing slows the flow to the gauge to prevent the mechanical parts from bouncing and thus the buzzing noise occurs.

With rubber or silicone vacuum line, the hose will pinch alot easier. Especially around corners. You would need a brass adapter to convert from NPT to a barbed 3/16" vacuum nipple. The biggest problem with the vacuum hose setup is that the buzzing noise is unbearable. There's too much airflow to the gauge and the mechanical parts vibrate like crazy.

In terms of changing from nylon to rubber/silicone before the connection to the intake manifold, you have two ways. The first way is to buy a set of brass couplers to change from the nylon hose to a barbed fitting and the connect everything together. The second is to slip the nylon hose inside the 3mm or 5/32" hose and crip the hose around the nylon tube. This can work but, it might pop off under boost spikes. The only positive aspect is that the inner diameter of the hose only changes once and air velocity inside the hose is pretty balanced. The brass couplers vary in inner diameter to air velocity inside the hose goes up and down along the way which contributes to buzzing.

[alen]

hey daft, i have a couple questions about the nylon tubing kit that i ordered from summit along with the vdo gauge (the same kit you have).

does the tubing kit come with all the necessary hardware to make this connection? i assume i have to buy wires for this connection. do you remember the wire gauge and also the length of wires i have to get?

i assume that you led your nylon tubing directly from the vacuum hose to the gauge? do you tap in to the BPV-to-intake manifold vacuum hose and if so, how and what did do you use to make this connection?

can you please answer by today as i'm going to start doing this today after school? i assume i will need to purchase some more materials so i'd need to do that before the install.

alen

[JMG]

Originally posted by alen
hey daft, i have a couple questions about the nylon tubing kit that i ordered from summit along with the vdo gauge (the same kit you have).

does the tubing kit come with all the necessary hardware to make this connection? i assume i have to buy wires for this connection. do you remember the wire gauge and also the length of wires i have to get?

i assume that you led your nylon tubing directly from the vacuum hose to the gauge? do you tap in to the BPV-to-intake manifold vacuum hose and if so, how and what did do you use to make this connection?

can you please answer by today as i'm going to start doing this today after school? i assume i will need to purchase some more materials so i'd need to do that before the install.

alen

-The VDO nylon tubing kit comes with the necessary adapters for the gauge.

-you have to buy electrical wires to light up the gauge. ALmost an small gauge wire will do. It's just a small bulb after all. Depending on where you tap, I think it's only 3 feet from teh center vent to the fusebox area.

-The nylon hose is simply run INTO the vac hose as far as a foot and then secured with zip ties.

-the connection is made with a t-fitting. You can get one for around $6 on ecstuning.com. It is also listed a s buzz eliminating t fitting.

Here's my setup using a blue vac line... notice the cheap and cheesy white nylon zip ties!

[alen]

-The nylon hose is simply run INTO the vac hose as far as a foot and then secured with zip ties.

ok, where do you connect the vac hose to the nylon hose (except at the t-fitting at intake manifold)? i thought that the nylon hose runs from the t-fitting, through firewall, and directly into the gauge?

EDIT: oh, and will any t-fitting work (something like home depot) as far as eliminating the buzz since daft said that the nylon hose itself eliminates the noise? or do i have to purchase the ecs one?

[Zodiak]

1) run the nylon line from the boost gauge to the the vac line
running from the BPV to the intake mani
2) cut that vac line, place both cut ends on the t-fitting,
3) attach the nylon line to the 3rd hose on the t fitting.

Originally posted by alen
EDIT: oh, and will any t-fitting work (something like home depot) as far as eliminating the buzz since daft said that the nylon hose itself eliminates the noise? or do i have to purchase the ecs one?

yes, any properly sized t-fitting will work. And as far as wires, just got to RS and get one of their bundles of 18 or 20ga wires (it's nice to always have some extra wire around the house).

[JMG]

Originally posted by alen
ok, where do you connect the vac hose to the nylon hose (except at the t-fitting at intake manifold)? i thought that the nylon hose runs from the t-fitting, through firewall, and directly into the gauge?

EDIT: oh, and will any t-fitting work (something like home depot) as far as eliminating the buzz since daft said that the nylon hose itself eliminates the noise? or do i have to purchase the ecs one?

the gauge is connected to the nylon hose. The nylon ose is connected to some silicone vac line (the blue on in my pic). Then that vac line is connected to the t fitting, which is connected to the bpv-to-manifold vac line.

[JMG]

go here for some pics:

http://www.goapr.com/Audi/support/boost_gauge_pod.pdf

[Daft]

Alen,

Just to make sure you understand this whole process clearly, this is what you should have when finished:

1. small piece of vacuum line coming from intake manifold nipple.

2. vacuum "T" should be connected to the small piece of vacuum line, the vacuum line going to the DV and then a piece of vacuum line to go to the gauge.

3. from the vacuum line that goes to the gauge, you should have a end that is open. This end is where you will push the nylon line into. Push about 12" of nylon into the rubber vacuum line and then clamp the area where the rubber ends and the nylon begins with a zip tie or two.

4. from that point on, you will travel to the gauge itself and the nylon tubing kit will supply all the needed couplers to connect the nylon tubing to the gauge.

[alen]

another q: why can't you power the light through the electrical connection that powers the illuminated scroll on the vent? tap into those wires and connect to gauge lamp?

[Zodiak]

Originally posted by alen
another q: why can't you power the light through the electrical connection that powers the illuminated scroll on the vent? tap into those wires and connect to gauge lamp?

you can, that's exactly how I have mine wired. Connect one wire to the power side (white wire i think) of the vent light harness and then ground the other one on one of the fuse panel bolts.

[alen]

on the gauge light, does it matter which connection i choose for positive and negative?

also, why not connect both positive and negative to the vent light harness cause the harness has red and black wire?


i finished cutting the vent and fitting the gauge in. will finish tomorrow with pics. so far, it looks really clean and i like it.

[Zodiak]

for the light, no it does not matter which one you use for (+) and (-) and yes, you can ground it to the other wire running from the vent light.

[Daft]

alen, did you do the driver's side vent like me?