My autometer boost gauge is stuck on 17psi. i can suck it down but it goes right back up. i can blow it up to 35 but sticks on 17. whats up with this thing.

 

Got moisture in the gauge and when the temperture got below freezing , the moisture become frozen, pushing the the needle on around and it will not return back to zero. The gauge is sealed, time to buy a new one. I have one to do this.

 

oh thats great news thanks.

 

The inside of his cab got below freezing?

If you over pressurize a gauge it can cause the spur gear that drives the needle to jump a tooth or two on the sector gear that is connected to the Bourdon Tube and cause the needle to rest anywhere on the dial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourdon_tube#Bourdon

Sometimes if the gauge is rapidly cycled it can also cause this.

This is why Fuel Pressure gauges will become inaccurate after a while when the internal mechanism is hammered from the pulsations from the lift pump.

Even with a snubber the pulsations are not removed just minimized.

It will help to install a Pulsation Damper, a section of rubber hose with one end capped off somewhere in the line.

Wow, don’t know if any of this information will help you, it just came off the top of my head.

How old is the gauge?
Have you tried to contact Auto Meter before you try and take it apart?
Maybe they will replace it under warranty.
Jim

 

Maybe he was sucking on the bourbon tube and it just seemed stuck??? Oh wait, thats bourdon...

I guess the damper concept is the same as in home plumbing for water hammering huh? I can see the need for it in a fluid system but didn't realize the same need in air. I thought the pocket of air in a liquid system is what dampened the problem? But you're saying that an extra air "pocket" in an air system will work just as well?

BTW, pretty cool wiki on how a guage works!

 

I am not saying you would need it for the pneumatic system but for the fuel pressure system it might work.

It is not just the extra volume of air that is compressing but the rubber hose is also absorbing the pulses.

In a potable water system you can solder a vertical section of pipe capped on the top to create a cushion of air space.

Water Hammer is when the flowing water suddenly stops when the valve is closed; the water is still flowing and hits the dead end creating a shockwave.

This should make your head hurt.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkm_XRF...i/Water_hammer

They also sell a snubber that has a sliding piston of a Bootstrap design that separates the water from an opposing charge of air or nitrogen.

Any opposing charge has to correspond to the working charge of the system usually just a dead air space is sufficient.

Also it is not simply air in the line the fluid line needs to be completely full of fluid with no air then tee off the line into the air charged snubber, air in the line will actually cause inaccurate readings.

Jim

Maybe it is just me but I found this very interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_tower

 

I tried contacting Autometer yesterday but they were still out for the holidays I'm going to try them again today.

 

It's an Autometer thing. All the ones I've had, they happened to be Z-series, have either stuck or were sticky. My Isspro ev series never done it.

 

Thats good news, just ordered a set of ev isspro gauges.

 

did they warranty any of your gauges. i called them again and i guess they are closed through new years.

 

My Dipricols have been perfect for the 3 years I've used them as well.
I'm planning on ordering a full custom gauge setup from ISSPRO including Speedo for the w200. Non EV ISSPRO big rig style though.

 

I think you will like the Isspro gauges. I know I love mine. They are very accurate, and I personally love the look of them.

 

the 98.5 has isspros with no probs for 3 years.

 

I got top notch customer service from Autometer. Sent me a new boost pressure sensor, no charge.
I would email them.

 

if they would ever go back to work