Boost Gauge not working

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

I have an Isspro boost 0-60 boost gauge in my truck. Shortly after I blew up my last turbo it stopped working. I left it be for a while, considering replacing my 3rd aftermarket turbo put the funds for upgrades on hold. Well I finally got to thinking about what caused it. See, its not that it doesn't register at all, it just doesn't show nearly what boost I'm pushing. At WOT it shows MAYBE 3psi. I know this is absolutely not true, because I had a clamp come loose on my intercooler tubing once that brought me down to 10psi and that made my truck smoke like like a runaway forest fire.



See, when my last turbo went, I actually blew the turbo shaft in half and all the oil leaked into my intake and intercooler plumbing. So I had this theory that when I put a new turbo on, it blew some of that oil down the tube for my boost gauge. I pulled the tubing off the back of the gauge and stuck it out the window on the ride home, and the first time I got on it, that tube sprayed oil all over me, the truck, and probably the unlucky sap behind me.



Well now with the line cleaned out, the gauge reads a little bit higher (think 6psi instead of 3). Could there be oil stuck inside of the gauge? How would I get it out? Could oil have degraded the diaphram in the gauge and made a hole in it? I put my finger over the end of the line when I had it off and felt pressure when I goosed it... my precisely calibrated finger tells me it had to have been more than 6psi... but how much I'm not sure. Point is, the line I'm pretty sure is clean. Im not sure what to do next... . new gauge?

 

[Mishkaya]

I have an Isspro boost 0-60 boost gauge in my truck. Shortly after I blew up my last turbo it stopped working. I left it be for a while, considering replacing my 3rd aftermarket turbo put the funds for upgrades on hold. Well I finally got to thinking about what caused it. See, its not that it doesn't register at all, it just doesn't show nearly what boost I'm pushing. At WOT it shows MAYBE 3psi. I know this is absolutely not true, because I had a clamp come loose on my intercooler tubing once that brought me down to 10psi and that made my truck smoke like like a runaway forest fire.



See, when my last turbo went, I actually blew the turbo shaft in half and all the oil leaked into my intake and intercooler plumbing. So I had this theory that when I put a new turbo on, it blew some of that oil down the tube for my boost gauge. I pulled the tubing off the back of the gauge and stuck it out the window on the ride home, and the first time I got on it, that tube sprayed oil all over me, the truck, and probably the unlucky sap behind me.



Well now with the line cleaned out, the gauge reads a little bit higher (think 6psi instead of 3). Could there be oil stuck inside of the gauge? How would I get it out? Could oil have degraded the diaphram in the gauge and made a hole in it? I put my finger over the end of the line when I had it off and felt pressure when I goosed it... my precisely calibrated finger tells me it had to have been more than 6psi... but how much I'm not sure. Point is, the line I'm pretty sure is clean. Im not sure what to do next... . new gauge?

Sounds to me like it's time for a new gauge. They're not all that expensive at about $40 or so. I doubt you'll get it to work properly again once it's had oil in it.

mishkaya

 

[cerberusiam]

Yup, time for a new gauge if you cannot clean it out. Hard telling what stuff is stuck in there.

 

[boatpuller]

Sound like you are going to have to replace it, but since that's the case, I'd try spraying some brakekleen in the old gauge and letting it drain out a few times, if it starts working you saved the price of the gauge, if not you were going to have to replace it anyhow.

 

[Pliska]

Yup, I would try the brakekleen solution, but first remove the adapter fitting from the back of the gauge, then remove the threaded orfice beneath it. I'll be there is some crap stuck behind (and in) the restriction orfice. Don't worry about the brakekleen affecting the inside parts, there's only a brass Bourdon tube in it (no rubber seals or diaphragm). Just keep it from getting into the inside of the dial portion of the gauge.



Regards,

Michael Pliska