Do I need a boost guage?

[Royk]

My truck is stock and I plan to leave it that way for a while except for a BHAF. I want to add a pillar mount fuel pressure and EGT guage. I'm wondering if I should also get a boost guage. The thing I'm wondering is, what does knowing your boost pressure help you to do?



-Roy

 

[illflem]

I feel fuel pressure is more important than boost. Main use of boost is as a diagnostic tool, it can also be used to keep your mpgs down, the lower the boost the better your mileage.

 

[Royk]

What I'm wondering is should I buy a 3 pod pillar mount and include a boost guage, or save some money and just go with two guages.



-Roy

 

[LSMITH]

How much do you want to spend? The boost gauge is cheaper than the other two most of the time, it will likely be under $70. If that is too much right now just get the other two. If you get the desire to put a boost gauge in you can put the FP gauge somewhere else and put the boost in the 2 gauge pillar mount. The boost gauge is the least important of them all, if your EGT is OK so is your boost. The FP is a much better choice if you only do two.

 

[M Barnett]

If you can afford it, go ahead and be done with it. Like ifflam said, it is a great tool for helping to find a problem if it comes up. I once bought a used semi without a boost gauge and finally decided it didn't run right even though Cummins had it on the dyno and said nothings wrong. Later had my mechanic check it over and he found a large crack in the intercooler. I will never drive a truck again without a boost gauge.

Michael