is my new used stock boost guage broken??

[grannycar]

ok I lpicked up a used stock boost guage. It sits VERY VERY close to vacuum when the car is off. If not sometimes it's in vacuum.
It also says I spike 11-13. And in 2nd at redline it's only around 7psi at top rpm. Is that normal for my stock 03??

[depwater12]

Those stock boost gauges are crap. Buy a aftermarket one. Mines said the turbo was boosting 15psi and it would sit at 10vac with the engine off, when i installed a better one ( Blox racing) gauge it then read 18psi and read properly at 0 with the engine off

[grannycar]

were is a good place to get a quality gauge??
And what do stock srt4 Usally hold to redline boost in 2nd gear?

[my_little_srt]

If you guage sits anywhere other than zero when the car is off. Then it's broken.................

[Pete]

you can get an autometer 30/30 gauge brand new for about 50 dollars at an autozone type place.

[grannycar]

It sorta sits at 0 in a way. Some days it sits in the gray 0 area but all the way towards the vacuum side. Should it sit right in the middle of the gray?

[A-Town SRT]

Been through 3 of them: With the car off ...
1st. Needle sat directly in the middle of zero. A few months later it broke and read 10 vac.
2nd. Needle sat at 1 vac ... had it replaced
3rd. Needle sat at 1 vac again ... didn't bother having it replaced.

[grannycar]

just put another gauge in. lol. gauge now my gauge bounces in 2nd gear boost like my other 3 did? could this possibly be like a wga duty cycle?? "boost hunt"
like all the dsm'ers experince??
my gauge seems like its on crack! lol
'only does it sometimes though

[RSchyns]

Boost leak or wastegate.

[grannycar]

you say waste as in the wastegate itself going bad?? I would probally lean more towards wga do to the fact it doestnt do it all the time.

[RSchyns]

My motto - check the easy stuff first.
put a vacuum pump on the wastegate, see if it pulls.
then leak test.


Here is a combo brake bleed kit, and vacuum pump.

[grannycar]

i already boost leak tested my car numerous times. the only place air is passing by around 20psi is my throttle body. but as soon as you open it, leak goes away. and your t/b is obiviously open when your WOT.

Waste gate opens under boost. like a weak wga should "around 4psi"
my brother keeps telling me its the waste gate duty cycle. common dsm problem...

[RSchyns]

Sorry about the post above. I think it is completely wrong. (bad day)
Do not put vacuum on the wastgate actuator. Boost is what will move the linkage.
I cant believe I did not get flamed for that one.
If you have an air compressor with a good regulator, you could put a couple of psi (slowly raise it) on the wga and see if it moves smoothly.

Anyone else out there????

[Neonderthal850]

My stocker works like a champ!