Vacuum gauges

**swanman** · 31st August 2006, 13:49

Hi yall,

I am looking for some vacuum guages to buy for my 4 cyl exup. No one seems to be selling em on Tm, so has anyone got a set they want shot of or anyone know a good place to buy?

Cheers

**HDTboy** · 31st August 2006, 13:51

You can make a manometer easily enough, I assume it's for balancing carbs.
Google making a manometer

**WRT** · 31st August 2006, 16:10

Manometer? Is that anything like the blokeometer? http://uk.tickle.com/test/bloke.html

**BornToLean** · 31st August 2006, 16:43

Bought mine from Haldanes Jun06 - 4 gauges, fittings and hoses $129.

**R6_kid:Me** · 31st August 2006, 18:42

Originally Posted by HDTboy

You can make a manometer easily enough, I assume it's for balancing carbs.
Google making a manometer

a manometer is a bit long dont ya think, im quite happy with my manonineinches

**swanman** · 31st August 2006, 19:17

Originally Posted by BornToLean

Bought mine from Haldanes Jun06 - 4 gauges, fittings and hoses $129.

Cheers. I'll call em.

What is the set like? Quality? And any pics or specs of the fittings that go on the carbs, as I have had bad experience in that area before.

**Sensei** · 31st August 2006, 21:33

Brought a set of Vacuum gauges awhile back for doing the carbs on one of my bikes , Must say they where crap ! . Couldn't get a stable reading with them as they are forever moving from the vacuum through the carbs , so to get a correct setting is near impossible . Get the Mercury gauges if you can as they don't float all over the show & make a excellent job .

**erik** · 31st August 2006, 21:59

Originally Posted by Sensei

Couldn't get a stable reading with them as they are forever moving from the vacuum through the carbs , so to get a correct setting is near impossible .

If you mean the needles kept vibrating up and down, it could be that you didn't close the valves enough.
Mt Eden Motorcycles can get them in for a similar price I think. That's where I got mine from.

**scumdog** · 31st August 2006, 23:27

Used vacuum gage in my hot-rod for years, without it got about 14mpg, with it 18mpg, (you metric types will just have to figure it out.)

Sometimes it is really suprisingly hard to tell when you're going uphill (like heading inland from Christchurch) or when heading into a head wind.

Once you get the hang of diagnosing via one of these guages you will go ahead in leaps and bounds in tuning etc.

**Sensei** · 31st August 2006, 23:53

[QUOTE=erik;738946]If you mean the needles kept vibrating up and down, it could be that you didn't close the valves enough.

If you close the valves then you are not getting a true Vaccum , Eg they have to be open to callibrate Correctly , But I only used them on my Drag bike so you may know more ?

**TLDV8** · 1st September 2006, 00:47

I think the best vacuum gauges for multis are those Suzuki column ones but they are expensive at around US$170....... You still have to balance each column first by adjusting the valves so they read the same.

I have used a Motion Pro mercury set for years and like that method personally.

**scumdog** · 1st September 2006, 00:50

Originally Posted by TLDV8

I think the best vacuum gauges for multis are those Suzuki column ones but they are expensive at around US$170....... You still have to balance each column first by adjusting the valves so they read the same.

I have used a Motion Pro mercury set for years and like that method personally.

Meh? 4 cylinders = 2 too many.

**erik** · 1st September 2006, 00:58

[QUOTE=Sensei;739082]

Originally Posted by erik

If you mean the needles kept vibrating up and down, it could be that you didn't close the valves enough.

If you close the valves then you are not getting a true Vaccum , Eg they have to be open to callibrate Correctly , But I only used them on my Drag bike so you may know more ?

I just used them to balance the carbs on my bike.

You still have the valves open a bit, you just have to close them enough so that the needles don't vibrate too much. It just slows the needles' response so they don't jump around with pressure pulses from the engine.

**swanman** · 1st September 2006, 09:04

[quote=erik;739125]

Originally Posted by Sensei

I just used them to balance the carbs on my bike.

You still have the valves open a bit, you just have to close them enough so that the needles don't vibrate too much. It just slows the needles' response so they don't jump around with pressure pulses from the engine.

This is true, as I have used Erik's gauges before. There is a little side valve which effects the damping for the needles, has no effect on the overal measrement unless you are really heavy handed.

**BornToLean** · 1st September 2006, 21:51

Originally Posted by swanman

Cheers. I'll call em.

What is the set like? Quality? And any pics or specs of the fittings that go on the carbs, as I have had bad experience in that area before.

Haven't used them yet but they seem robust enough. Threads measure at 4.8 mm dia on fittings, other than that it's as you see it.