low dollar boost guage - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Johnhef · #31 03-11-2008, 07:08 AM

thats the same place I had mine on my CD, I wanted it closer to my line of sight and the ashtray was too low for me.

LUVMBDiesels · #32 03-11-2008, 08:17 AM

I got my gauges at summit racing. I bought the VDO cockpit series as they closely matched the original VDOs in the instrument panel. For the boost gauge, I did not want to mess with the ALDA lines so I removed the bung from the top of the intake (OM617) and screwed in a 1/4 inch brass fitting. I then ran copper tubing around the back of the engine and over to a holeinthe firewall. I attached it to plastic tubing (easier to run through the dash) and ended up in the sunglass tray below the ash tray (W126) I then ran the Pyro from the exhuast manifold (again there was a handy bung) tothe same place. I took the power for the backlights from the ashtray light.

Oh I also rotated the boost gauge so that it would point up at 15 psi...

JimmyL · #33 03-11-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

I got my gauges at summit racing. I bought the VDO cockpit series as they closely matched the original VDOs in the instrument panel. For the boost gauge, I did not want to mess with the ALDA lines so I removed the bung from the top of the intake (OM617) and screwed in a 1/4 inch brass fitting. I then ran copper tubing around the back of the engine and over to a holeinthe firewall. I attached it to plastic tubing (easier to run through the dash) and ended up in the sunglass tray below the ash tray (W126) I then ran the Pyro from the exhuast manifold (again there was a handy bung) tothe same place. I took the power for the backlights from the ashtray light.

Oh I also rotated the boost gauge so that it would point up at 15 psi...

Pictures?

LUVMBDiesels · #34 03-11-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Pictures?

Right now the car is over at John Hef's I will take some when I get it back...
What I did was cut through the back of the tray then used the hole as a template to cut the vinyl. The boost hose and the pyro wire run through an existing hole near the master cylinder, across the bottom of the instrument panel and down the side of the center pod by the CCU and radio. The lighting came off the ash tray light. The only down side is that I did not move the cigar lighter and now I need to plug my RADAR detector into the left rear door via a long extension cord. If you open the ashtray enough to free the pop up lighter it opstructs your view of the pyrometer. I was planning on moving the lighter once I found an unobtrusive place to put it.

lutzTD · #35 03-22-2008, 02:26 PM

here is a picture of the ashtray from behind. Also the pocket so you can see where the metal brace is cut and the hole in the plastic behind the ashtray for the guage line.

omegabenz · #36 03-22-2008, 02:30 PM

Cool thanks man!

bgkast · #37 03-22-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

I then ran the Pyro from the exhuast manifold (again there was a handy bung) tothe same place....

Where is this handy bung in the exhaust manifold?

Edit: Nevermind, I see you welded one on. Any cracking from the cast iron welding?

JimmyL · #38 03-23-2008, 11:24 PM

OK, first let me say, this is temporary. Of course I have some temporary things going almost 10 years now, so who knows.

I wanted to get this boost gauge installed and see what it was like. Sitting in the wagon the other day after putting the interior/dash back in I got an idea for a place to put it. The routing would be easy enough to do and I didn't have to do any cutting yet.
So, with no further ado, I attached the boost gauge to an old mobile phone bracket that came with the wagon.

It is easy to see and doesn't get in the way physically, just maybe visually.
Routing of the boost line and backlight wiring get tucked outta sight fairly quickly.

I bought the JC Whitney gauge that was about $20 bucks including shipping. It came with rubber hose for the boost and a "T" fitting to tie into the existing alda line. I have no idea where my overboost solenoid went to as it was spliced around before I acquired the car. Apparently where the two lines connected to the solenoid was just connected together with a rubber fitting, so that is where I tied in for the gauge.

I then tucked that outta sight behind the brake booster. The line ran through one of the rubber pass-throughs at the firewall.

Actually those pass-throughs have unused passages that have small rubber plugs in them. I just used needle nose to pull a plug out and ran the hose right through, routed behind evap drain area and up behind where hose exits at gauges location.
The wagon operates at pretty much 10lbs {correct unit of measure?} of boost for the most part, but will occasionally butt up to 11 for just a second.
I can tell you that at first a boost gauge will mesmerize you.....

omegabenz · #39 03-24-2008, 12:29 AM

I was taking intake pressure from the manafold there is that little plug at the rear. You can buy an adapter from napa from morroso for an oil pressure gauge that goes from M10 to 1/8 npt at 90 degrees.