How should a boost gauge read?

[paultownsend]

I hope this isn't a silly question.

The car is an AGU K03, fully serviced, all belts fluids etc.
Car was mapped at Midland VW 6 months ago. Was a generic map with a few tweaks. Few problems at first. Had a tiny n/a TB, actuator needed a tweak, usual heat soak with the OE SMIC. Finally made 185hp and 220lbft on their RR. On crap petrol, now use Vpower. No reason to doubt it. Had a few cars there and always ran the same figures to another dyno dynamics roller. Maf pulls a maximum of 148g/s @ 6.7k on the road.

So I have only just purchased a boost gauge. Being an early AGU you can't monitor boost is VCDS. Get a nice solid -22hg at idle.
Should different gears pull different boost?

1st is useless. No traction in anything but perfect weather! Maybe 12 psi.
2nd 3rd pulls to 15psi then drops to 14. Boost is generated quite high in the rev range.
4th and 5th boosts to 16 then drops to 14.
all a rough average. Car pulls fantastically in 5th, probably the biggest difference the map made. This is where boost peaks the highest.

Only mods are forge 008, pipercross panel filter, PCV, and charcoal canister delete. Catch can. Airbox opened up a little, all new vacume lines.

Does this sound ok for a stock+map AGU K03?

 

[T3nnant]

Generally when you are on boost it will climb and hit a peak and it "should" stay, if it drops before you hit redline you could have a boost leak.

 

[hades-]

they normaly peak then settle 1/2 psi below

 

[badger5]

it holds 12psi at higher revs on K03 agu?

 

[paultownsend]

I will check again tomorrow. It certainly boost higher in 4th and 5th under load.

As I have removed the charcoal canister I'm using the vacume source on top of the TB. Is this as good as using the FPR or DV line?

 

[badger5]

feed point should be fine

 

[paultownsend]

Can't really get the power down on the way to work. Peaks at 14psi in second, drops to 10psi at 5k then drops to 8psi at redline.
Third will peak to 15. Forth to 16. Couldn't stretch the gears out though. Too much traffic on the private test track.
How should a healthy k03 AGU boost?