I'm planning on getting a vacuum gauge later on this week to help me in the tuning of my FB.

Question 1: Can I just buy a cheap $40 Autometer Auto Gage vacuum gauge? Will that last me a while? I've always heard negative things, but its not an electric gauge, its mechanical.

Question 2: Can I just hook it up directly to one of the plugged vacuum ports on my intake manifold? I plugged a lot of them when I removed the Rats Nest.

 

Autometer are not cheap gauges, there are others that are less expensive. All of mine are Autometer. If the port is big enough, you should get a good read, but if it leads to a tiny orifice, the reading may be off. You need a 1/8" port with no restrictions.

 

Well I have several 1/8th ports on the stock Nikki intake manifold. Four of them are currently capped off. Each one measures 1/8th of an inch, so I guess I have a very simple place to plug into now.

I was thinking of either AutoGage or Z-series (by Autometer), VDO, or Stewart Warner. I've never used any but they're all within the same price range. $40-50. Which I think is acceptable for a mechanical Vacuum gauge. Although I could get a cheap Summit Racing brand one for $15.

 

Just make sure it's not one of those ports the narrow down. If you get a reading that doesn't look right, try another one.