Which boost guage

I'm about to be full decat thanks to Chris Wilson

However before I fit the pipe I want to get a boost guage. The thing is I can't make up my mind as to which one to get. I spend several hours yesterday reading through old threads and I'm still none the wiser

I'm either thinking of getting one and mounting it where the clock is, or getting a boost controller that displays the boost aswell. I like the size of the blitz dual SBC as it should hopefully fit in the gap above my stereo, though I'm not sure if this particular model displays boost. Can anyone shed any light on this. Any help will be appreciated and so will any recommendations

Thanks in advance

For individual gauges I'd always choose Defi's. Not cheap and you do need a separate control unit to run them. However, they do look the part (especially the BF's), seem to be one of the more accurate gauges, have the ability to record data and once you've got one installed any others are then 'daisy-chained' into the existing setup reasonably easily.

This is my BF boost gauge fitted in the air vent. Didn't want to lose the clock as it's the first car I've ever had that has had one fitted!

How easy is it to remove the vent, guess you need to block the pipe up. What size is the hole left

Don't know I'm afraid as it was Matt H who worked his magic and installed the gauge for me. It's 60mm in diameter so fits in there nicely.

Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for it and how much it was to get fitted? I have to admit it looks the dogs

Be bold and go for a nice set of Apexi EL - they glow blue in dark etc etc. I've got water temp and boost in pillar and oil pressure, oil temp and egt fitted into glovebox.

Red-where did you get your A pillar from. I like the way the dash flows round the dials. I have a passengers airbag which I want to keep!

The gauge and control unit came to a nadgers under £200. Don't recall how much fitting was as I had my fingers in my ears trying to block out Matt's attempts to convince me to go single!

Faye's brother, where get you get it from, I'm really liking it, though I would also really appreciate some feed back on the controller inc guage.

Hi bristol boy

the sbc id iii does show boost I have mine set to psi

I have the power meter as well

they are easy to fit and there is alot of info on this sit about settings ect, in the faq section

Thanks Rob. Just seen a picture of it in Pete Sharps car. Looks real tidy. What sort of cost are we looking at for those two items?

I think a boost gauge is a boost gauge, so anything over 50 quid is wasteful! Peak hold and all that *rap, to me, is just candy, probably played with a few times and relegated to history. An accurate mechanical gauge is all you need. Yards of wiring, electronic sensors, connectors, Jap langauage instructions, pah, just 2 lighting wires and a hose to the plenum is King!

I may have my Greddy boost guage going for 50 quid if youre interested. Just a simple guage that displays boost in BAR. Can post a piccie up if you want. It fits in the vent space, easy to block the vent pipe up.

PM me your email if you want a pic

The thing is, if I get a mechanical guage then what controller do you recommend. I'll bare it in mind Gaz, haven't made up my mind yet. Thanks for the offer though.

I havent got a controller. dont need one if you have restrictor ring cos once decat, if youre on stock turbos, you cant go over 1.2 bar anyway, which the restrictor ring will be set as.

I'm UK mate, so looks like I'll be needed one after all.

ahh yes forgot bout that

Well let me know if you want the guage as i say its nowt special but does the job and im only after 50 quid for it + 5er p&p probably.

No problem mate will do. Really like those b/f defi guages though, just a bit too pricey!

I know, they look awsome but the price put me off as well for now, especially if you ahve to buy a boost controller as well.

So does anyone have the Blitz dual SBC spec R, if so what do you think about it and does it have some kind of digital boost guage built in? I've been looking at some prices, and they seem to be around the £370 mark. Does anyone know if I can get a better price and if so where.

Thanks in advance

Faye's brother, where get you get it from, I'm really liking it, though I would also really appreciate some feed back on the controller inc guage.

Got them through a group buy on P1woc.co.uk.

In day to day use (in the Subaru) I don't often use the record and playback facilities that the Defi setup provides. However, the ability to be able to record and playback 3 minutes of driving and setting the peak boost warning level make them a worthwhile purchase for me.

For example, with the record and playback feature I can watch at my leisure the boost levels the car has been reaching rather than having to keep an eye on the gauge during a 'test run'. The peak boost warning also provides a handy alert if the pressure suddenly goes over my set level.

The other point to make is that once you have a Control Unit then other Defi gauges such as oil pressure, oil temp, etc can be plugged into the back of that and 'daisy chained' so that data and peak levels can also be taken from those gauges.

It's horses for courses, really. As Chris points out a much cheaper mechanical gauge will do the job probably just as well at a fraction of the price, but I personally wouldn't be without the functionality the Defi setup provides.

Hope that helps.

So does anyone have the Blitz dual SBC spec R, if so what do you think about it and does it have some kind of digital boost guage built in? I've been looking at some prices, and they seem to be around the £370 mark. Does anyone know if I can get a better price and if so where.

Thanks in advance

Before the SBC-ID came out the spec R was the daddy which, I'm sure has a boost gauge in there as well.

A quick second search shows, it does have a boost gauge HERE

More info http://www.blitz-uk.co.uk/2003/electronics.html

As for gauges, I went for the non-linked Apex-i EL gauges (RedSZ has EL II gauges) and I use the peak hold a lot but, not the playback.

I too put mine in the air vent, PW installed it a few years back for me.

BTW, thanks for your kind words earlier