# Finaly a boost gauge solution



## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Well, I've come to the point where I'm not happy with the boost gauge options on the market. I'll be damned if I lose another vent. Add to that, the need for me to put a boost gauge in a place where it's accessible but not distracting from my field of vision. So I've found a great solution. My buddy Gabe works for the company that makes the internals for the digital readout gauges that Podi sells. I've asked him if he can build me a digital unit that we can mount where that useless mobile phone speaker grill is. The plan is to build it the length of the grill (top middle of the pic) so that we can simply cut out the the cross section pieces, and slide in a strip style gauge. He says that the technology they use is 94% accurate (on par with the best on the market. Better than most mechanical units available). The strip would start off at the left side with a plus or minus (depending on vac or boost), 2 digit spaces for numbers, then the rest of the space (from left to right) would be bars (indicating full boost/duration of boost). So far, we just talked about it tonight, so its early. But he's telling me that if we get an order of a minimum of 10, he can get his boss to sign off on it and get some made. Personally, I think it's a great solution. Its the perfect/out of the way location, but still at eye level. I'll tell my Gabe about this thread and I'm sure he can answer a few questions. 

As always, discussopcorn:


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## ttwsm (Feb 27, 2011)

^^^

That sounds like the answer. Cool concept.


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## mbaron (Aug 21, 2008)

Once again I wish I had a coupe. Roadsters don't have the speaker grill thing.


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## zak2006 (May 5, 2011)

mbaron said:


> Once again I wish I had a coupe. Roadsters don't have the speaker grill thing.


x2


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

It's NOT a speaker.. that's your interior alarm motion sensor...


I would be really happy though if they made an actual pod for us like in all the other cars. Now I think that would be something worth talking about.


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## Mantvis (Jan 1, 2010)

Yes its for the motion sensors.and some cars do have it. I think it would be a little too big. Imma stick with the vents


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## PLAYED TT (Oct 17, 2010)

Sounds like a cool concept. I'd like to see how it turns out.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

chaldowhiteboy said:


> It's NOT a speaker.. that's your interior alarm motion sensor...
> 
> 
> I would be really happy though if they made an actual pod for us like in all the other cars. Now I think that would be something worth talking about.


Yeah, it's the motion sensor. I was having a loss of brain function last night. As for the pod, yeah that would be cool. But nobody makes one for us. Maybe I can get one of those made if I can find a spare column cover.


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

warranty225cpe said:


> As for the pod, yeah that would be cool. But nobody makes one for us.


Exactly what I'm saying. Podi makes these for everyone except for the TT. You should ask your buddy about those and ask about why they don't make them for the TT.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

chaldowhiteboy said:


> Exactly what I'm saying. Podi makes these for everyone except for the TT. You should ask your buddy about those and ask about why they don't make them for the TT.


Calling him now..


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

He says they don't do 3D plastic. But he told me of a place local to me that does. I'll talk to them. I'm sure I'm going to have to get a large run minimum order. So there will be a GB, if they will do it.


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Scratch that. I just looked at my car, and there's NO WAY you could squeeze a gauge in that small space. Look at the length of the column in the picture above. It's about twice the length of ours. And as you can see from the profile pic, even they have the bezel sticking out pretty far. For us, moving the steering wheel up would smash your gauge. Unless we can find a gauge that is SUPER shallow and build the pod shallow as well.


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## Atomic Ed (Mar 19, 2009)

This will fit

http://www.dynotunenitrous.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=131

At the moment, I'm using an Android app called Torque. Just pick up a bluetooth adapter for the OBD plug from Ebay and you are set! My phone press fits in between the A pillar and the dash and stays there without any mount. Keeps the dash area clean and stock looking.

I'm very pleased with the Torque setup, but at some time, I may go with the above unit and install in in the dash.


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## Mantvis (Jan 1, 2010)

question is how accurate the square little unit is


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## Atomic Ed (Mar 19, 2009)

As per ad, 0.1 psi resolution. Accuracy will be as good as any other eletronic unit in that the pressure sender defines the accuracy, and most pressure senders are manufactured the same.


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## Doooglasss (Aug 28, 2009)

Visibility is why I like gauges with customizable alarms- never take your eyes off the road. If you hear a beep let off the gas.

None the less definitely a really cool concept, can't wait to see how it turns out.



chaldowhiteboy said:


> Exactly what I'm saying. Podi makes these for everyone except for the TT. You should ask your buddy about those and ask about why they don't make them for the TT.


Same reason why they don't make anything else for the TT- too small of an enthusiast market.


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## 1.8 skeet skeet (Aug 11, 2004)

I remember seeing somewhere that a guy installed something where his boost showed up in top of the info display in our clusters....I would love something like that!


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

warranty225cpe said:


> Scratch that. I just looked at my car, and there's NO WAY you could squeeze a gauge in that small space. Look at the length of the column in the picture above. It's about twice the length of ours. And as you can see from the profile pic, even they have the bezel sticking out pretty far. For us, moving the steering wheel up would smash your gauge. Unless we can find a gauge that is SUPER shallow and build the pod shallow as well.


How do they not do 3d plastic?  That makes no sense.. Check out this page for example on their website. These are their products. 

And I also just took a look behind the steering wheel.. it really doesn't look that bad.


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## Doooglasss (Aug 28, 2009)

1.8 skeet skeet said:


> I remember seeing somewhere that a guy installed something where his boost showed up in top of the info display in our clusters....I would love something like that!


It's called "EFU 4U" and it's discontinued.


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## 1.8 skeet skeet (Aug 11, 2004)

DougLoBue said:


> It's called "EFU 4U" and it's discontinued.


Thats no good.....I loved how it was integrated in the car


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Trying to nail down a time to go talk to Gabe and his boss. They have some ideas for us..

They will probably chime in on this thread as soon as we can figure some things out:thumbup:


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

warranty225cpe said:


> Trying to nail down a time to go talk to Gabe and his boss. They have some ideas for us..
> 
> They will probably chime in on this thread as soon as we can figure some things out:thumbup:


:laugh: really excited lol


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## PLAYED TT (Oct 17, 2010)

opcorn:


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## RabbitGTDguy (Jul 9, 2002)

DougLoBue said:


> It's called "EFU 4U" and it's discontinued.


It's nice! I have it in my roadster, have it set to display boost/vac as default with oil temp on the second line. There was talk of a US supplier (I believe it was Mike MCPI) but not sure if it ever went anywhere. It is a slick setup but honestly isn't the end all as in the roadster with the top down, the display is easily blurred on sunny days.

That said though, in a coupe it would be slick (and no...not selling mine). I am adding the V1 function to mine next (concealed display) if I can find a decently priced V1 Valentine.

I still run a boost gauge in the vent though, as well as an oil pressure one (center vents) then EGT and fuel pressure in the Mantis.

Joe


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## Oh1AudiTT (Sep 27, 2009)

To the OP, I've always thought this spot was a good area for a digital boost gauge (circled in the picture). Just throwin' out ideas. I dunno what that grill is for on the instrument cluster though lol


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

RabbitGTDguy said:


> It's nice! I have it in my roadster, have it set to display boost/vac as default with oil temp on the second line. There was talk of a US supplier (I believe it was Mike MCPI) but not sure if it ever went anywhere. It is a slick setup but honestly isn't the end all as in the roadster with the top down, the display is easily blurred on sunny days.
> 
> That said though, in a coupe it would be slick (and no...not selling mine). I am adding the V1 function to mine next (concealed display) if I can find a decently priced V1 Valentine.
> 
> ...


Pretty cool. Although I'd be pissed if my cluster started to go out and I ended up losing my boost gauge too. I'll see if I can talk to mike at mcpi. Do you know what all is involved in the set up joe?


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Oh1AudiTT said:


> To the OP, I've always thought this spot was a good area for a digital boost gauge (circled in the picture). Just throwin' out ideas. I dunno what that grill is for on the instrument cluster though lol


Yeah I agree. I've been eyeballing that spot for a while. Unfortunately I ride with my wheel in the fully down position, and the top of the wheel cuts off the line of sight to that location. The digital that Atomic Ed posted would fit there perfectly.


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## RabbitGTDguy (Jul 9, 2002)

That "grill" in the cluster is for the stock phone mic setup. All the clusters have it but few have it "wired up" . I took my spare cluster apart, removed the stock mic and intergrated my bluetooth (for the pioneer unit) in this location. I could work well for a simple digital readout boost gauge, etc. I however tend to like the quick response and sweep of the traditional ones. The unit in my EFU4u is slick though.

Setup isn't hard, it has some wiring into the MFA control stalk on the steering column (through which you switch through the different measureables...I have boost/vac, boost max, volts, max mph, current mph, oil temp, v1 option and a few other things). 

Vac line feeds directly to efu4u box, wiring is quite simple...nice setup. 

I don't worry about my cluster, it's brand new.

You would lose you stock concert radio/station feed if you like that sort of thing.

Joe


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## Senater_Cache (Dec 28, 2007)

all this talk in here sounds very very intriguing.
I am def interested.
I have my boost gauge in the ashtray location, and its a deathwish to look down there during full boost...:banghead:

Hey warranty, not to threadjack, can you pm me some details of your headliner?
Mine is out and I need to do it right.
any info is appreciated


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## l88m22vette (Mar 2, 2006)

Does anyone think it'd be possible to cut out the center display to install 1-2 analog gauges? I suppose you may have to bridge connections but I'd have no idea how to do that...here is the cluster wiring (ignore the red circle). J285 is the display circuit


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## PLAYED TT (Oct 17, 2010)

Is it possible, yeah. Will it look good, my guess is no. If you get the same style led screen that would work very well


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## Atomic Ed (Mar 19, 2009)

Oh1AudiTT said:


> To the OP, I've always thought this spot was a good area for a digital boost gauge (circled in the picture). Just throwin' out ideas. I dunno what that grill is for on the instrument cluster though lol


This,


http://www.dynotunenitrous.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=131


Fits there with a little modification.


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## rodhotter (Dec 24, 2003)

*boost guage mount*

had a column mount on my 01 jet, similar to one posted above but guage centered, thats what i want for my 01 TT


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

Met my buddy at a car meet on Thursday to take some measurements. We're going to be putting it where the motion sensor grill is.:thumbup:


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## elgringogillao (Jun 1, 2005)

warranty225cpe said:


> Met my buddy at a car meet on Thursday to take some measurements. We're going to be putting it where the motion sensor grill is.:thumbup:


 Any updates on this???


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## warranty225cpe (Dec 3, 2008)

elgringogillao said:


> Any updates on this???


 Still working on the measurements.. Might be able to get it done tomorrow


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## SigfridR (May 2, 2012)

*boost gaauge options*

Hello, 

Any updates? I like the option you are working on and would like to know if you completed it. If not, I might go with the suggested small display. Thanks. 

Sigfrid


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## Marcus_Aurelius (Mar 1, 2012)

elgringogillao said:


> Any updates on this???


 I think he went with a AEM tru-boost unit that incorporates EBC and gauge in one bundle.


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## Atomic Ed (Mar 19, 2009)

Again, this: 


http://www.dynotunenitrous.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=131


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## SigfridR (May 2, 2012)

*boost gauge*

^ this is what I'm thinking off. It's a bit expensive at $ 179 with the red LED lighting and I am not quite sure of the best location but I think it's small enough to go just about anywhere. I would have liked the wiring to come from the back of the unit rather than the sides. I plan on purchasing it anyways and will post pictures of the process and install. Thanks again for whomever found this. Thumbs up. 

Sigfrid


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## Converted2VW (Apr 8, 2009)

Oh1AudiTT said:


> To the OP, I've always thought this spot was a good area for a digital boost gauge (circled in the picture). Just throwin' out ideas. I dunno what that grill is for on the instrument cluster though lol


Wak's done this, see here:

http://www.wak-tt.com/mods/boostgauge/boostgauge.htm


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

Converted2VW said:


> Wak's done this, see here:
> 
> http://www.wak-tt.com/mods/boostgauge/boostgauge.htm


That's awesome


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## Mykal (Sep 7, 2012)

Neb said:


> That's awesome


Ive been searching for a similar sized one as the one he used and can not find one.

The only other style I like is the one I seen where they placed the boost readings in the DIC.


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## toy4two2 (Feb 6, 2012)

Oh1AudiTT said:


> To the OP, I've always thought this spot was a good area for a digital boost gauge (circled in the picture). Just throwin' out ideas. I dunno what that grill is for on the instrument cluster though lol


That is where people mount their hands free microphones from their Bluetooth Headunits. Its where I hid mine, works great there, Audi offered a phone kit and also used that space for the mic.


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