How to Measure Turbo Boost
- 1). Locate one of the vacuum lines connected to your intake manifold. You can use one of the vacuum lines connected to the throttle body (main air valve, where the throttle cables connect), but make sure to use one of the lines that tap into the throttle body base on the engine-side of the throttle plate. Otherwise, you'll be getting a reading from the turbocharger tubing instead of the manifold pressure that matters to your engine.
- 2). Cut a 1-inch section out of the vacuum line you've selected. Slide a hose clamp over the ends of your tubing sections and slip the T-fitting into the hose ends and tighten the clamps with a flathead screwdriver.
- 3). Cut a 1-foot section of vacuum tube and slip a hose clamp over either end. Push one end of the vacuum tube over the third nipple on the T-fitting and tighten the hose clamp. To test turbo boost, insert a pressure gauge with a 1/8-inch NPT nipple into the other end of the hose and have an assistant rev the engine while you read the gauge. When not in use for testing, you can plug the hose with a bolt or pipe plug and tighten the hose clamp to seal it.
