Boost guage randomly died

[doubleurx]

My defi boost guage does not register boost at start up this morning. The red light is blinking so I know it has power. I checked all connections at the turbo and the controller. I haven't pulled the guage, but since it has power, I imagine that will not be the issue.

Any thoughts?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Crappy aftermarket quality control?

[MikeK]

Try turning the boost up until it registers on the gauge.

[Dean]

Cheap digital crap... Analog RULZ!

But seriously..

Pull the sender and check it and the line for blockage.

Use a pump or something to generate pressure on it and see it it works.

Senders fail much more often than guages.

[MattR]

Originally Posted by MikeK

Try turning the boost up until it registers on the gauge.

This is the best suggestion so far.

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by MattR

This is the best suggestion so far.

Hey that reminds me, I did turn up the boost right before this happened. Maybe it's just pinned all the way around at like 82 PSI.

[tysonK]

Originally Posted by doubleurx

Hey that reminds me, I did turn up the boost right before this happened. Maybe it's just pinned all the way around at like 82 PSI.

Watch out for those speed traps in Truckee!

[Dean]

Good thing it only has to run 10 seconds at a time...

[sperry]

Originally Posted by doubleurx

My defi boost guage does not register boost at start up this morning. The red light is blinking so I know it has power. I checked all connections at the turbo and the controller. I haven't pulled the guage, but since it has power, I imagine that will not be the issue.

Any thoughts?

If the gauge is just blinking it means the display is connected to the control box, but the sender is not giving it data. My guess is either the sender has failed, or become disconnected from the control box. Check the connection between the sender and the control unit... if it's fine, chances are you need a new sender.

[Joeyy]

How are Defi guages? I was looking into this set up (see link).
http://www.defi-shop.com/product/con...ncept_top.html

[Nick Koan]

Defi gauges are great IMO.

Tyson has that setup in his Evo.

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by sperry

If the gauge is just blinking it means the display is connected to the control box, but the sender is not giving it data. My guess is either the sender has failed, or become disconnected from the control box. Check the connection between the sender and the control unit... if it's fine, chances are you need a new sender.

The connection looks OK, but nothing happens between the control unit and the guage. For instance the peak does not read nor can I toggle through peak settings on that guage. The guage has power and goes through the start and end sequence in the normal fashion.

If it is the sender (I am assuming this is the wire from the control unit to the guage), where can you get replacements?

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by Joeyy

How are Defi guages? I was looking into this set up (see link).
http://www.defi-shop.com/product/con...ncept_top.html

I like them overall. This is the first problem I have encountered in the two years they have been installed.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by doubleurx

If it is the sender (I am assuming this is the wire from the control unit to the guage), where can you get replacements?

Try giving these guys a call: http://www.edoperformance.com/

I believe they import all the Defi stuff into the US. I had to call them once for an EGT sensor, they shipped it out to me the same day.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by doubleurx

The connection looks OK, but nothing happens between the control unit and the guage. For instance the peak does not read nor can I toggle through peak settings on that guage. The guage has power and goes through the start and end sequence in the normal fashion.

If it is the sender (I am assuming this is the wire from the control unit to the guage), where can you get replacements?

No! The sender is the pressure sensor under the hood hood that's connected to the control box.

If the gauge display performs the sweep correctly during power on, then the display is working fine (that's the point of the sweep test). If the control unit is not receiving data from the sensor for a particular gauge, the gauge blinks the warning light to tell you there's an issue with the sender. This means the problem is with the pressure sender under the hood, or with the wire connecting that sender to the control unit.

If the sensor is busted, here's the part you need:

http://shop.edoperformance.com/produ...bce5531fa3e128

But check to make sure the wire isn't just unplugged or cut or something, since that's an easy and cheap fix.

[Dean]

And as I said, the senders can get clogged, or gunked up... they should be oriented on the sides or above the hose is best so they don't, but can anyway.

Below the hose is worst.

Check the wiring as Scottr usggested between teh sender and controller, and then check the sender itself.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

And as I said, the senders can get clogged, or gunked up... they should be oriented on the sides or above the hose is best so they don't, but can anyway.

Below the hose is worst.

Check the wiring as Scottr usggested between teh sender and controller, and then check the sender itself.

Dean, the unit is digital. If the sender's boost line were clogged it'd be reporting crap data. But the gauge is reporting *no* data. The blinking light is the same thing that happens if you forget to plug in the sender. So either the sender's busted, or the cable is broken or unplugged. The issue is unlikely to be mechanical.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Dean, the unit is digital. If the sender's boost line were clogged it'd be reporting crap data. But the gauge is reporting *no* data. The blinking light is the same thing that happens if you forget to plug in the sender. So either the sender's busted, or the cable is broken or unplugged. The issue is unlikely to be mechanical.

DOH, good point... I'll go back and listen to my Victrola and drink sasparilla in my rocker...

Damn new fangled gidgets anyway.

[doubleurx]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'll dig into it on Saturday.

[Joeyy]

Thanks for the beer. Any luck getting the sender unit open? The wife took Subaru company much better then I thought. We'll have to do it again soon. I'm going to look into a pair of boots on my days off and then I'll be off to the bunny slope.

[doubleurx]

Originally Posted by Joeyy

Thanks for the beer. Any luck getting the sender unit open? The wife took Subaru company much better then I thought. We'll have to do it again soon. I'm going to look into a pair of boots on my days off and then I'll be off to the bunny slope.

No, but I did manage to get enough wire exposed to splice it. So it is all working fine now.

Yesterday at Dereks house, we found the problem easily. I don't know how I didn't see it the first time I checked, because it took all of 10 seconds to see the problem last night. A squirrel had climbed into the engine compartment and selectively cut both the red tube from the manifold to the sensor and the black wire from the sensor to the control unit. The little bugger cut the black wire only 1/4" from the sensor. With a little patience today I was able to get enough wire exposed to splice it back together. He also cut the red tube right at the sensor so they reconnected easily.

Squirrels!

[tysonK]

That squirrel should work for a Bomb Squad!

[Double Phister]

My oil pressure sensor started doing the same thing except it works fine when everything is cold. A few minutes afterwards it dies.

[doubleurx]

So this morning I decide to check under the hood and make sure the sensor to the guage is in a nice dry location. I open the hood and all looks nice and cozy including the rabbit that is staring up at me with a look of "shut the f'n door!"

The funny part was I scared it, so it ran down the downpipe under the car. I think it went on top of my aluminum skid plate because there were no tracks leaving the car.

So this thing has been living in my car now for two weeks. Any thoughts other than ritually peeing in a circle around my car every night?

[MikeK]

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