Do I have a boost leak? Please help

So I noticed my boost gauge today only reaches 2 or 3 pounds of boost, and sometimes stayed in the negative & wouldn't even reach zero, but I'm sure it used to get to 7psi.

How would I be able to detect a boost leak?

Is there someone in Auckland here that can have a look at my car for me?

Or is there a way to check this myself?

My car is a stock JDM WRX.

The car however feels fantastic, no rough idling, no smoke, & because it has so much power I honestly can't tell if it's lost any.

I'm just concerned, because I don't want any damage to occur to the turbo at a later stage.

Check for split hoses/pipes and make sure nothing has popped off. Could be a faulty boost gauge though, especially if it still feels boosty but the gauge is showing vacuum.

You can spray ether/starting fluid around any possible leaks (gaskets/joins etc), if there's a leak the fluid is sucked in and idle will change.

If you have an air compressor, block the intake off and pump 12psi into the manifold. Any leaks will be obvious:

 Rosssub said:

Check for split hoses/pipes and make sure nothing has popped off. Could be a faulty boost gauge though, especially if it still feels boosty but the gauge is showing vacuum.

You can spray ether/starting fluid around any possible leaks (gaskets/joins etc), if there's a leak the fluid is sucked in and idle will change.

If you have an air compressor, block the intake off and pump 12psi into the manifold. Any leaks will be obvious:

Thanks for the reply

I'll try the starting fluid, don't have an air compressor or baked beans LoL

I'm getting a new Boost gauge to see if it has the same problem.

By the way, Would the T-piece on the boost gauge cause a leak? Cos when I hook up the new boost gauge I'm not gonna replace the vacuum pipe, just the sender unit & gauge.

Make a simple leak tester.

http://www.evoscan.com/technical-vehicle-manuals/149-testing-for-intake-boost-leaks

Just an update, turns out my boost gauge was the fault, the vacuum pipe connected to the boost sensor for the gauge got folded under the dash. Must've been when I was stripping the dash to fit my new radio =P Which explains the low boost readings LoL

Thanks for the help guys.