Fitting a turbo boost gauge

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
Xantiargh
Posts: 35
Joined: 26 Feb 2003, 16:09
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Fitting a turbo boost gauge

Post by Xantiargh »

Has anyone fitted a boost gauge to their Xantia (mines a 1995 1.9TDLX?
I'm after advice on location, and passing of the tubing through the bulkhead.
I can't decide whether to make it a permanent fixture, or just rig it for testing...
cheers
Mike
KevMayer
Posts: 1051
Joined: 12 Sep 2003, 22:01
Location: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by KevMayer »

I rigged one up for testing by teeing into the small pipe that connects from the black plastic high pressure ducting to the top of the fuel pump (the one that supplies pressurized air to the boost diaphragm). I used a white plastic T piece from B&Q, a length of black fuel pipe to connect back to the fuel pump connection and some long clear rubber/silicone tubing to run to the boost gauge. Had the window open and the gauge sitting on the dash. It worked well.
Haynes said it should be 1 bar on Xantia 1.9 TurboD. I only measured a max of 0.8 bar. I rang Citroen to check. A very helpfull guy at the local garage checked with his technical people and he rang me back to say that 0.8 was right for a Xantia with ECU,EGR and Cat etc. If yours hasn't got the ECU etc It may be 1.0 bar. Early Xantia turboD's appear to have a reputation for being quicker than the later ECU models. This could be due to the higher boost pressure on the earlier model. I may be wrong... someone tell me if you know otherwise.
Xantiargh
Posts: 35
Joined: 26 Feb 2003, 16:09
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by Xantiargh »

Thanks.
Did your Tee-piece allow you to cut off the flow to the gauge, leaving it in place (assuming you don't drive round with the gauge coming in thru the window!); or did you replace the hose from the intercooler to the pump?
KevMayer
Posts: 1051
Joined: 12 Sep 2003, 22:01
Location: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by KevMayer »

I only had the T piece and gauge fitted for a short while. Just long enough to go for a good run giving it lots of welly. When I got home I took it off and restored it to normal.
I've thought about fitting the gauge into the instrument cluster. There is a circle on the right, it sits between the road light/fog lamp indicator lights. Maybe the circle is a push out and an instrument of the same size, such as my boost gauge, could be fitted.
I used to have an Audi 80 turboD. I fitted a boost gauge to that but it was a free standing one which sat on a bracket under the dash. It worked well and lit up too.
BonceChops
Posts: 449
Joined: 28 Sep 2003, 11:08
Location: North West UK
My Cars:

Post by BonceChops »

My Xantia is an early TD with Bosch pump and no ECU. I am getting about 13 psi ( 1 bar is 14.7 psi).
The pressure appears to vary between 12 and 14 psi. I get higher pressure when the engine has only been running a short time. As the engine gets hotter I appear to get lower pressure.
I have had it running at 1 bar but I was smoking badly so I turned down the max fueling screw so I was only getting 13 psi.
I have the gauge tee'd into the pipe feeding the fuel increase diaphram on the injection pump. A 4mm nylon pneumatic pipe runs out from the bonnet and into the door to the gauge, which is on the dash ( between the speedo and rev counter with tape :) ) This was a temp job to monitor turbo pressure whiloe I was playing with the injection pump. With the door shut you cant even see the pipe from outside. The nylon pipe is quite rigid and the door rubbers don't even squash it.It has been there about 6 months so far.
Neil
bernie
Posts: 882
Joined: 10 Apr 2001, 02:25
Location: Southampton United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by bernie »

How did you manage to lower the boost by turning down the max fuelling screw[?]
"I have had it running at 1 bar but I was smoking badly so I turned down the max fueling screw so I was only getting 13 psi."
jeremy
Posts: 3959
Joined: 20 Oct 2002, 16:00
Location: Hampshire, UK
My Cars:
x 2

Post by jeremy »

Less fuel presumably means less exhaust gas - so less power for the turbo - so less boost?
Jeremy
BonceChops
Posts: 449
Joined: 28 Sep 2003, 11:08
Location: North West UK
My Cars:

Post by BonceChops »

Thats about the size of it.
I actually increased the boost from about 11psi before I started adjusting the pump.
Went to far and wound it back down again.
Post Reply