Vacuum Gauge - Benefits?, Practicality?, Advice?
 

Newbie here,

I've read a lot of threads on this forum about using vacuum gauges to help monitor your driving habits, and work towards improving mpg's in the long run. While reading these articles I've heard mixed reviews about it, also people seem to be interchanging the terms "vacuum" gauge and "boost" gauge. So I have but a few questions to help me paint a better picture of what my next step is.

1. I own a '14 ford fiesta S Sedan, and want to install a vacuum gauge to help monitor the way i drive. do you see any practicality in that?

2. Because my car does not have a turbo, I would install a plain-jane vacuum gauge and not a boost gauge, correct? or are they essentially the same thing.

3. Do any of you have any recomendations as far as manufactorers and installation?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks again guys!

Vacuum is negative pressure, boost is positive pressure. I own a 2011 Fiesta and saw your introduction posting. My 2011 is a 1.6 with the powershift auto 6 speed. I was wondering what engine you got in your 2014?

I have used a vacuum gauge in a previous vehicle. Have you considered a scan gauge? It would give you much more information.

Just a thought.

regards
Mech

thanks for the reply!

my '14 has the 1.6L 1 Ti-VCT I-4 with a 5 speed manual.
Also I have looked into the scan gauges, they provide a lot of information, more than the vacuum gauge would. Do take into consideration i'm a 21 year old, and looks are everything lol. How do you like your '11?

-GF14

LOl, I'm 63. Thanks for your service. My still living Pop was a B17 pilot in Europe with the 8th Army Air Forces (1943-44). He will be 93 May 8th and he drives a pearl white Cadillac Eldorado I flew to Florida and bought for him. He gets close to 30 MPG highway in his Caddy.

I think my Fiesta is one of the best cars I have ever owned. It's a hatch, think it has the same engine, at least same displacement. I use the factory instrumentation and have averaged 45 MPG for 21k miles. I purchased mine for $10k with 3770 miles from a good friends body shop who purchased it at a salvage auction and repaired it.

My overall average speed is right under 40 MPH so you know I am not driving real slow, just not the normal 10-20 over like most of the drivers in the Tidewater Va area.

regards
Mech

You're a regular haell-raisin' virginia speed-demon...
 

Gotta watch out for them 'ginia boys--might be using that thang...just kiddin ya

But seriously, your Dad is a real hero, and you are lucky to be alive--B17 crews didn't have good odds on returning from missions back then.

OT: Them newer cars got all that OBD and electrical ports and stuff to monitor, and that's all good, but i still use and like my intake manifold pressure gauge (aka vacuum gauge). You can get a big 3 or 4 inch gauge at autoparts shop and amaze all your friends with an analog needle gauge mounted in a prominent position. Or you can go digitical and even use wifi to send data to your phone app and display an analog gage there. Life is all about making choices...

The Ultragauge is a much better looking object and display, IMHO. I also love the vacuum gauge idea, get a good looking large one and display it prominently. That seems cool. But I'm 45!

Same here. I'd like to add a vacuum gauge and would like brand recommendations.


Thanks,



ZO.

Vacuum gauge and pillar pod mount
 

So I went with Auto Meter Z-Series Mechanical Vacuum gauge (2610) and the Auto Meter Gauge Works Single gauge pod (20413). They should arrive some time next late next week.

Looking forward to the install.



ZO.

A vacuum gauge is an easy install with perhaps the need to drill a hole in the firewall at a suitable point to thread the vacuum hose through. I had installed one years ago to keep track of fuel economy. It will give you instant feedback on how much throttle you are using. It will bounce around quite a bit in stop and go driving.


It is less expensive than a scan gauge but will let you know when the economy throttle zone is reached with high vacuum numbers. The scan gauge will cost more and not require holes to be drilled. The scan gauge will also tell you much more. It is amazing how much the scan gauge will tell you that your current instrument panel will not tell you if you have a vehicle in the early years of the OBDII connection.

His is OBD-1....