quick question

[toolhead]

i just got a 1992 3000gt vr4 for $800 and put $50 worth of parts into it and got it running (runs great) but the stock boost gadge keeps going to 14lbs. i know the stock ones are unreliable but i was woundering if this is a common thing or if i should put the money into a aftermarket boost gadge for a car i wanna keep stock

[JeenyusVR4]

If the gauge imediately goes up to 14psi and doesn'y gradually go up that could very possibly mean that you have a leak in your intake so the air is not reading into the manifold, but its reading the pressure of the leak. i had the same problem only me stock Y-pipe blew off the throttle body making my stock boost gauge read 14psi threw each gear no matter how fast i was going. A way to check is if you are driving try giving it a pretty good amount of gas in order to make to turbos spool up and if you just hear alot of air swooshing and not feeling any boost pulling the car then i would check out the fitting of you Y-pip to the throttle body.

[Stealthee]

Stock boost gauge on a 3s = crap. Its not even hooked to a vac source. Its the ECU's guess at the boost you are running. Get an aftermarket gauge.

[vectorspecialist]

damn 850+tax, not bad for that type of a car, if i do say so myself.
i kinda have that problem, tho it went away wen i changed the air filter, could there b a conection between the two?(the air filter box and the gauge)

[toolhead]

Originally Posted by JeenyusVR4

If the gauge imediately goes up to 14psi and doesn'y gradually go up that could very possibly mean that you have a leak in your intake so the air is not reading into the manifold, but its reading the pressure of the leak. i had the same problem only me stock Y-pipe blew off the throttle body making my stock boost gauge read 14psi threw each gear no matter how fast i was going. A way to check is if you are driving try giving it a pretty good amount of gas in order to make to turbos spool up and if you just hear alot of air swooshing and not feeling any boost pulling the car then i would check out the fitting of you Y-pip to the throttle body.

i noticed that swooshing sound with little go yesterday. ill go check that out and see what happens thanks.

[toolhead]

Originally Posted by JeenyusVR4

If the gauge imediately goes up to 14psi and doesn'y gradually go up that could very possibly mean that you have a leak in your intake so the air is not reading into the manifold, but its reading the pressure of the leak. i had the same problem only me stock Y-pipe blew off the throttle body making my stock boost gauge read 14psi threw each gear no matter how fast i was going. A way to check is if you are driving try giving it a pretty good amount of gas in order to make to turbos spool up and if you just hear alot of air swooshing and not feeling any boost pulling the car then i would check out the fitting of you Y-pip to the throttle body.

i noticed that swooshing sound with little go yesterday. ill go check that out and see what happens thanks.

[JeenyusVR4]

ya anytime i hope i was able to help and i hope that you find the problem

[AutostradaVR4]

Originally Posted by toolhead

i just got a 1992 3000gt vr4 for $800 and put $50 worth of parts into it and got it running (runs great)

hell of a deal man! congrats!
make sure the latest 60K service was done, cause if you snap the timing belt and bend your valves, it will end up costing you 5x that much

welcome to AF

[Linebckr49]

you got it running with $50 worth of parts? what parts/brand were those? parts for our car are NOT cheap, so i'm very curious what you put in there.

[Igovert500]

Originally Posted by JeenyusVR4

If the gauge imediately goes up to 14psi and doesn'y gradually go up that could very possibly mean that you have a leak in your intake so the air is not reading into the manifold, but its reading the pressure of the leak. i had the same problem only me stock Y-pipe blew off the throttle body making my stock boost gauge read 14psi threw each gear no matter how fast i was going. A way to check is if you are driving try giving it a pretty good amount of gas in order to make to turbos spool up and if you just hear alot of air swooshing and not feeling any boost pulling the car then i would check out the fitting of you Y-pip to the throttle body.

Some correct theory, and some misinformation, but in the end, not correct.

Originally Posted by vectorspecialist

i kinda have that problem, tho it went away wen i changed the air filter, could there b a conection between the two?(the air filter box and the gauge)

again...NO.



In all likelihood you do have boost leaks, which Jeenyus was getting at, the best way to find out is pressure test. Practically any turbo car that hasn't been pressure tested in the last couple weeks does. They kill power...yes. But they have ZERO effect on the stock boost gauge. Same with the air filter. The whooshing you are hearing is either your turbos, a boost leak, or your stock or aftermarket bypass/blow off valve.

Regardless, as Stealthee said, the stock gauge isn't even connected to a pressure source. It's a completely worthless little thing there to give your passenger something to look at.

That gauge is about as accurate at determining your actual boost, as Miss Clio was at predicting your future. Only difference was, she charged you $3.95 a minute for her BS.

Your gauge is acting normal, there is no problem, other than the stock gauge is as useful as a space heater in the Sahara.

[toolhead]

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

you got it running with $50 worth of parts? what parts/brand were those? parts for our car are NOT cheap, so i'm very curious what you put in there.

the battery grounded out on the hood and kind of exploded. burnt up the mass real bad and the plug and he was told the wiring harness. i found out the harness was bad and got a MAS with the plug in it in the 6th junkyard i went to. ha. but after putting that in it it started, now im doing some basic stuff and making it a decent car before i start modding it.

[Linebckr49]

sweet! nice find on the junkyard parts! i was just hoping you didn't do something like put AC Delco spark plugs in the front 3 cylinders and not bother changing the rear 3 b/c it looks too hard. no offense, i've just seen stuff like that happen too many times on these cars.

nice find on the car, great deal. there's probably more wrong/or more maintenance needed with the car. best of luck restoring it, if you need any help, that's what we're here for.

welcome to AF!