installing a boost gauge

I just received a turbo boost gauge and want to install it in my 98 Jetta TDi. Which vaccum hose do I splice the vaccum "T" hose into to attach the vaccum hose to the gauge? Hopefully there is a thread that outlines this procedure. thanks for your help.

tim

On an A3 (or B4), there is a black hose coming off the black intake duct at the top rear of the engine; the black hose disappears into the hoses and wiring. That's where you can hook up your gauge.

Make sure you are looking at the black intake duct which comes from the intercooler and goes to the intake manifold, not the black one that comes from the air filter and goes to the turbo.

Brian P.
'96 Passat TDI

amazing. I hit the spell checker and still the word "vaccum" is misspelled. sorry bout' that. thats for the tip.

where through the firewall is the best place to insert the vacuum hose to the gauge?

If I were you, I wouldn't splice into that hose, just add a tee and a short piece of a different hose to the end, that way you can put the car back to exactly the way it is now without having to buy another hose!

One way is to pull the black hose off the elbow at the intake manifold, and install the tee / short hose to manifold / long hose to gauge there. For a temporary installation, you can just go through the door if you can't find a way through the bulkhead.

For a more discreet job, take out the black plastic piece that covers the ECU and the windshield wiper linkage, find where the hose goes into the ECU, and install the tee / short hose to ECU / long hose to gauge right at the ECU.

The hose and fittings that you need are 1/8" diameter if I remember right.

Brian

A stealth approach might be better. At one point, while playing with the 'bleed' my ECU threw a code. When I brought the car in for the free brake fluid change, I mentioned the flashing glowplug light and check engine light. When the mechanic finished the work, he came over and told me that the code was because the ECU had failed the MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor and it was because of the boost gauge! Yeah, right.

I found an unused rubber plug near where the steering rod comes through the firewall and cut an X through the center of it. I then fished the plastic line through the hole and then went under my dash and removed the plastic cover that hides all the under dash wires and stuff and found the hose and fished it up to the A-pillar where I mounted the gauge.

All in all, it was easier to do than to describe. My car is an A3 model.