GUIDE - How to fit a boost gauge

campbell_p30

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Feb 20, 2003
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Thought I would write up my recent experience to help anyone else thinking about fitting a boost gauge.

Parts Used:
Boost Gauge - I used a Stepper Motor Electronic Meter with white backlight
00c21999f0f079d99b474a34c52941dc.image.120x120.jpg

http://www.rspec.co.uk/index.php?ma...id=325&zenid=d09be2b4327b62b47f46a73fafe67ab0

Boost gauge fitting kit - from Forge FMBGFK2
http://www.forgemotorsport.co.uk/Bo..._VW_and_Audi_20_Litre_FSiT--product--915.html
Boost-gauge-fitting-kit.jpg


First (and most challenging) part is to remove the engine cover. With help from Cupra R and Knight Rider I eventually got it removed.

enginecover005.jpg


Remove the cold air feed front right - squeeze the metal clip together and slide hose off (I used large pliers).

Remove maf sensor plug from top left of engine cover - carefully use flat head screwdriver to release the clip. Ease the plastic lever down gently and pull the plug off (being careful not to snap any plastic on the plug)

Remove the turbo hose top left - push the metal clip in the middle and pull the end of the clip free - there are two of these.

Now for the hard part!

Remove the Engine Cover

The cover is held on by 4 rubber 'washers' that slip over 4 cone like stumps with a ridge on top. These can get nearly welded on with the dirt and heat. The cover itself is quite thin in places (left hand side for example) and is easy to crack if you pull too hard.

You can only see one of these connectors when the cover is on - left hand side about a third way up from the front. If you look in the side you will be able to see it - Spray some WD40 around it to loosen it up a bit.

From then on its a lot of firm pulling and rocking to loosen the other three. Some suggest pulling up from the rear first but I eventually released the front left (after spraying) by pulling up and forwards towards the front of the car. Once it released the right hand one came loose and a little more rocking and pulling released the rear!

enginecover011.jpg


Fit Boost Gauge Tap
Now its time to fit the boost gauge kit to tap into the pipe from the pcv. The correct pipe is indicated by the point of the screw driver.

enginecover014.jpg


Squeeze the clip together an pull to the right to remove the hose.
Insert the boost gauge tap from the kit (just push in until it clicks and slide on the horse shoe clip)
Re-attach the hose to the other end of the tap - make sure it clicks into place.

FittingBostGauge016.jpg


You can connect up to 3 hoses but I only needed one so I fitted two blanking plugs and one vacuum nipple - smear the threads with Threadlock (from Halfords) to prevent them vibrating loose and just screw in.

Picture shows the hose attached but do this after the next stage.

FittingBostGauge018.jpg
 
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campbell_p30

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Feb 20, 2003
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Feeding tube/wiring through bulkhead

The boost gauge I used was an electrical gauge (rather than mechanical) - one of the benefits is that you do not need to connect the boost tube to the rear of the gauge - makes it neater. The tube connects (through a small filter) into a sender. This sender translates the pressure and sends this information to the gauge using a small wiring loom.

In preparation firstly remove the cover below the glove box (above footwell) - 3 screws at the front, 2 thumb turn screws in the middle and possibly another screw further back. Pull away from the centre console and out.

The access point into the car can be found behind the battery. Disconnect the battery terminals and remove the bolt holding the battery clamp on the bottom left hand side. Remove battery (the bolt is much easier to access with the engine cover off).

What you are looking for is a rubber seal with a number of raised nipples. This picture is taken from the left hand side looking behind the battery (forgot to take picture with the battery out!)

FittingBostGauge003.jpg


Cut the tip of one of the nipples or at least slice a small cut. Now using a straightened wire coat hanger push through the cut into the car.

With this gauge you have two options - mount the sender in the engine bay and feed the wire into the car to the rear of the gauge or mount it above the passenger footwell in which case you feed the boost hose into the car.
I think the sender is meant to be fitted in the engine bay but the cable length would have meant fitting it behind the battery which would have been awkward. I think on European cars there would be plenty of cable (going straight from the gauge on the left hand pillar and into the engine bay) but as we have to run it from the right hand side across the width of the car before getting through the bulkhead left it a bit tight. To be safe I fitted it in the footwell.

Attach the boost hose to the end of the coat hanger in the footwell and pull through into the engine bay - I left about 0.5m in the car at this stage.

FittingBostGauge009.jpg


Using the cable ties (supplied in kit) secure the hose around the engine bay to the boost gauge tap. I went between the battery and the fuse box and then around the wing and lip at the front above lights etc.
Trim hose to the right length to reach the vacuum nipple and push on.

Wiring to to the Gauge

Now you need to get the wiring from the sender in the passenger footwell to the right hand pillar. If you can be bothered you can remove the radio to make it easier to pass the wire behind but after my efforts fitting the new radio recently I didn't want the hassle removing it again and trying to get it back in (there is not much room behind an aftermarket radio and a lot of wires to find a home for!).
The way I did it was (with a bit of perseverance) fed the trusty coat hanger through from beside the clutch pedal into the passenger footwell - attach wire and pull through.

FittingBostGauge010.jpg


Pull off the panel below the lighting knob (pull from below right) and also remove the panel at the end of the dash covering the fuses (covered by door when closed). Use a flat head screwdriver to wedge open and the pull off by hand.

Feed the wire across above the pedals and out the space around the fuse panel - remember to tie up the cable so it does not interfere with pedals or steering.

At this point you will have the wire coming up from the sender to the fuse box area and to this you will add the power wire from the gauge.

To allow the fuse box cover to close after wiring I cut a notch at the top corner and also drilled a hole above the fuses (below where the cover would be) to feed the cable through.

FittingBostGauge035-1.jpg


FittingBostGauge012.jpg


[I may look at this again and see if I can feed the cable through the plastic pillar between the triangular pane of glass and door straight into the fuse area but at the moment I cannot see a way without damaging the dash/trim - if the plastic surround is easily replaceable I will drill a hole and hide the cable completely and just replace the surround when selling the car.]

Feed both cables through the drilled hole and up to the gauge.

Wiring the the gauge into the fuse box

Red wire - Permanent live (to store settings)
Black wire - Earth
White wire - Switched live (for white backlight) - used this
Orange wire - Switch live (for amber backlight) - unused and taped up

I extended the Black wire and connected it to the screw above the fuse box - see below (I have another accessory earthed at the same spot - yellow wire)

FittingBostGauge025.jpg


I attached a spade connector to both the Red and White wires and plugged them in as per photos below. White wire beside the green fuse and the Red wire below beside the pink fuse.
(Ignore the black wire with blue spade as this is used as switched live for another accessory)

FittingBostGauge024.jpg


FittingBostGauge023.jpg


NOTE: At this point you can connect the gauge and reconnect the battery to test that all is working. Once tested, disconnect the battery -ve until you have finished working on the gauge.

Mounting the Gauge

The Gauge come complete with a shallow dash mount pod. This is very compact - just about 1" deep. I didn't however like the metal plate that you would screw into your dashboard - so I modified it.

This is looking at the rear where the cables come out.

FittingBostGauge014.jpg


I decided to remove the mounting base using a dremel.

FittingBostGauge021.jpg


I stuck a bit of velcro to the now flat bottom and attached the other bit of velcro to the dash (so it can easily be removed for resale).

I placed the velcro just behind the dash vent (alongside the pillar)
 
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campbell_p30

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I wrapped the two wires in electrical tape to keep it tidy but I may change this to a matt tape as the gloss finish draws attention to it!

FittingBostGauge027.jpg


Popped all panels back in and replace the engine cover etc in reverse order.

NOTE: As suggested by others I smeared the engine cover connectors with vaseline to help with any future removals.

FittingBostGauge037.jpg


As it is not very deep you can see very little through the quarter window (couldn't get a photo due to reflections!) and this is all you can see from the front.

FittingBostGauge033.jpg


FittingBostGauge040.jpg


Hope this has been useful and will update if anything else springs to mind or I manage to modify the plastic pillar..
 
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campbell_p30

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Feb 20, 2003
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Just spoke to Dave in Sere and have ordered a replacement pillar (only £20 to keep as spare when selling car)

Once received I will feed the wire straight through a hole at the base of the pillar and into the fuse panel - should be a neat job and shouldn't be able to see the wires anymore!:D

I'll post pictures when I get it done - maybe next weekend if I'm lucky.
 

Cupra R

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Dec 5, 2001
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Paul.

Got myself a gauge from Rspec that you linked to. Thanks very much mate, Dave is a good and very helpful bloke to deal with.

With help from Hubbly_Bubbly (thanks mate great drawings) I made myself a Bezel from plastic, covered it in a little carbon fibre and fitted into my drivers side vent (bought a spare from Dave at Sere to butcher, cheers mate)

Anyhow, here's a pic of it.

20100507_001.jpg
 

campbell_p30

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Feb 20, 2003
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Looks great!
I'm thinking of moving mine further back against the windscreen pillar as I find its not in my eye line in the current position.
Not fully worked out exact setup but will post when I get it done.
 

Cupra R

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Dec 5, 2001
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Looks great!
I'm thinking of moving mine further back against the windscreen pillar as I find its not in my eye line in the current position.
Not fully worked out exact setup but will post when I get it done.
Cheers mate.

Really impressed with the gauges, thinking now of installing an oil temp and pressure from the same range but a little unsure as to where to get a supply from on the engine
 

campbell_p30

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Feb 20, 2003
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It's been a while(!) but I promised pictures once I had the gauge moved back to the windscreen pillar - I find it easier to see in this position when driving rather than the earlier position.

Wire just feeds into the joint between pillar and dash and into the void - wires come out in the fuse box.

NOTE- you don't need to cut a notch at the top of the fuse box cover (as in my original post) as the wires just feed in behind the cover - no obstruction caused this way.

Hope this is useful.

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pic052.jpg


[
pic051.jpg
 
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