Your vacuum gauge should come with an instruction booklet outlining the procedure.
Hook the gauge up to a vacuum source on the intake manifold. Start the engine and note the vacuum reading. Usually 17 to 21 inches of vacuum.
Throttle the engine up to 2,000 to 2,500 RPM for 20 seconds or so and the vacuum reading should stabilize to the same reading you got at idle.
Let the throttle snap shut. The vacuum reading should shoot up about 5 inches of vacuum higher for a second and then come quickly down to the original reading. If the vacuum reading stays high and comes down slowly with jerky needle movements, you have an exhaust restriction.
Revised 1-31-2016
What if vacuum is greater than 17-21 would that cause map sensor failure? I recently deleted all my vacuum expect fuel rail and map sensor so maybe this is causing some stuttering and misfiring at the top end of my rpm range
No. You can’t generate too much vacuum. what else have you done to repair this?