I noticed a while ago (but always forgot to post about it) that when I turn on my car and it's idle, if I turn the steering wheel to any direction my boost gauge will spike a little. I am not sure if this is normal or if there is something going on with my car, so I wanted to ask for some feedback. Could it be because I have a mechanical boost gauge? I've double checked all of the lines to the controller and they appear to be ok to me Again this may be normal, so maybe its just me being ignorant.

Thanks.

 

I am not sure but something about that doesn't sound right.

 

*Maybe* The power steering pump is driven by the engine. It would make sense that the engine would see more load with steering inputs and thereby giving you the fluctuations you've noticed. What's you're boost at idle? OT: I'm using PCMScan to monitor my boost and I'm reading 5 psi at idle which I'm not sure I believe (this is my first turbo car.) And it said I was reaching 36psi in 3rd gear the other day. Ha, not without a burning smell.

 

your boost gauge should be in vacuum at idle. it will move a little when you move the steering wheel, due to the power steering pump changing the rpm's a little.

 

You're likely reading ABSOLUTE pressure (36psi = 21psi). Anything under 14.7 will be vacuum.

Nobody is seeing boost at idle, the guage is wrong, or you're not explaining it right.

 

Sorry for being such a noob....but images work better for me
From the pic of the gauge:
the red needle is where it normally sits at idle, the yellow is what it normally spikes to when I move the steering wheel.
Now, i know that there isn't any boost when idle so sorry if the title is confusing (just didn't know how to explain it). I was just curious as to why it would be detecting a change/pressure when I turn the steering wheel.

Thanks again.

 

The PS Pump is putting a load on the engine, decreasing vacuum. Perfectly normal.

 

I'm no expert, And I believe I know more than the average person. And what your seeing is the result of the RPM's changing do to the load of the steering pump like someone already said.

Your car is fine. and if you look at ur gauge its only moving about 3 in.Hg which equals 3x0.4912 so your only looking at about a 1.5 psi change.

In English units: 1 inHg = .491098 psi, or 2.036254 inHg = 1 psi.

 

 

cool, thanks for all the feedback to everyone

 

ya the ecu with "idle up" just like the it does for the a/c system to compensate for the increase in load on the engine. very normal.