Hey everyone i have another question, so i never installed a boost gauge or seen one work in person so this was my first time doing it. My main question is how should my boost gauge behave? I have a 01 1.8t engine code AWM (k03s turbo im assuming) and when i floor it my psi hits a little over 10, like around 11-13 psi then drops when going up to redline (i know this is normal boost pressure). But if im driving normally and im in first gear the car goes all the way up to red line and it dosent even hit 1 psi it just stays in the vacuum side of the boost gauge, but if i floor it in first gear itll spike to 10 psi and then drop, and when im driving normally the car loses boost (it should hold it right?). Im assuming i have some sort of leak somewhere (car idles normally no check engines lights ect.) could it be some sort of bad valve or something or just a bad leak? The first gear issue is really weird i can go to redline driving normally and the car won't even hit 1 psi boost.
Also when the car sits in neutral the pressure is 20 (on the vacuum side) is this normal?

Thanks for your help in advance

 

Light throttle won't build boost. Based on what you're describing, your car is running properly. That vacuum reading is excellent - normal idle vacuum is -18 to -22.

 

Thank you for your help, it was a bit nerve racking never knowing how it should be. Thanks again for clearing it up.

 

Yah I noticed my car doesnt build much boost in first gear either. I think thats also normal.

 

It couldn't hurt to check for boost/vac leaks anyway, but it sounds normal to me. By the time you hit redline, your K03 is long-since-out-of-breath.

 

Even if you were ripping on it hard from a dig you wouldnt build as much boost in first as the upper gears. Sounds pretty normal to me.

 

The lower gears are too short for it - you're not in them long enough to really build boost.

 

Ok thanks for your help, i made a video yesterday of it. If you bored feel free to check it out. 20120521 191654 - YouTube

 

my vacuum goes from 20 to 15 when i turn on my a/c. Im assuming this is normal?

 

Yes, no worries.