Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Unrealiable Autometer Fuel Press Gauge?

[EGaskamp]

I just installed the Autometer C2 Cobalt fuel press, boost and pyro. I was reading on TDR about someone saying that the Autometer fuel pressure gauges are unreliable on a diesel. Is this true? Right now I get 14 psi at idle and 8 wide open and I'm stock right now. This is the first i've heard of this. Thanks.



Eric

 

[RMcNee]

I just called one of the local speed shops in town here, and was told Autometer has an inline orfice to go between the source and gauge to keep the spikes from killing the gauge, i'm installing autolites, pyro, FP, boost this weekend, He carries this item in stock and will cure the problem of killing the fp gauge. Check with autometer maybe?

 

[Warpig]

Unless Autometer engineered the fp transducer differently within the last 6 months you will most likely get erratic fp readings. The pulsation from the injector pump will cause erratic readings. That's what happened to me after I installed my Cobalts. The solution is to install a dampener. Members here suggested using a dampener called a "snubber". A company named "Chemiquip" is one of many that sell them for about $12. 00. (Do a google search for distributor) There are threads here that you can research this topic. Not to worry though, the snubber install takes about 4 min. and it solves the problem. In my opinion your money was well spent, I love the Cobalts!!. It's a shame that Autometer doesn't supply the snubber with the gauge.



Tim W.

 

[EGaskamp]

I love the Cobalts also! They look awesome. I don't get erratic readings at all. All looks normal. One thing that is wrong though is that my boost guage thinks that 20 psi is 0 and the neadle seems to stick sometime. I'm about to call egauges and see whats up.



Eric

 

[Warpig]

Eric, the fp gauge is fine for now. Unless Autometer changed their design in the last 6 months you will most certainly have a problem with erratic readings.



Tim W.

 

[24V-DSL]

No problem for me...

I've had a Z series 0-15psi electric with a snubber for four years, and just swapped it out for the new 0-30 psi. (PN 2660). I did lose a sender about a year ago, but otherwise the guage has worked fine.



I added a RASP system and this caused my 0-15 psi to mostly be pegged, which stresses the internals, and I was told would eventually kill it. My idle pressure with the 0-15 was 14. 5, but at cruise the needle was beyond the 15 mark, which I judged to be 17 to 18. WOT pulled it down to 13.



When I switched the guage and new sender... same snubber... my idle and all other numbers were exactly the same, so that tells me the two guages were consistent and hopefully, accurate.



Talk to Corey at Autometer tech. He's been very helpful over the years, recommended the snubber a couple of years ago, and knows about our crappy fuel delivery system/lift pumps, etc.

 

[lsenus]

Check my sig for the guage part number. I've had ine on for 53k+ miles and almost 3 years. I used an 18" section of the grease gun hose between the filter top and the sender unit. No porlbems so far, except for the LP dying 2 weeks ago. Believe me, it's accuarte. Normally it didn't seem to fluctuate too much, but when the pump was on its way out, I thought the guage was having epileptic fits!. . It was bouncing from 1 to 7 psi.