Got my gauges installed... finally

[LRutigliano]

Got my DiPricol gauges installed this weekend... finally. I have been wanting to get them installed since early Dec, but couldn't find the time to do the project. Got the green light this weekend and spent about 5 hours on Sat and 5 hours on Sun to 100% complete the project.



Many thanks to all members that answered my numerous questions that had already been asked many, many times before.



Out of all of my modifications, this might be my favorite because the gauges look so cool.



We are towing our 5th wheel to the Oregon coast middle of March and now I am ready to tow !!



I was very surprised at how quickly the EGT gauge reacts to the "go" pedal. Got it up to 950F with it floored on the freeway onramp (empty) but it backed right down at freeway speeds.



Got my boost gauge to go to approx 25psi with no trailer.



Couldn't get the trans above 140F and that was after approx 7 miles of driving.



Posted some pics of the install if anyone is interested.



Regards,

Louis

 

[LRutigliano]

Wanted to add a few more pics and explain the last two:



- I installed some "astronaut suit" heat shield material to the trans temp sensor to protect it and the wiring from the exhaust downpipe.



- I wanted to show the gap between the vertical windshield black out zone and the Autometer 17213 a-pillar cover. I used 7/16" thick x 3/4" wide black foam tape to hide the gap.

 

[ENafziger]

Looks great! I'm a big fan of the DiPricols myself. Great match!

--Eric

 

[JBonpua]

LRutigliano,



That EGT probe looks bigger than the standard 1/8. Is that a 1/4 probe? What size drill did you use?

 

[100 Proof]

Looks great Louis!!



You an MG fan?



100 Proof

 

[LRutigliano]

JPonpua, the probe adapter is a 1/8" NPT. I used a size "R" drill bit that I got at Diesel Manor. I think size "R" is slightly smaller than 21/64".



100 Proof, thanks! Yes, I'm an MG fan and an old british car fan. I used to own a Midget long, long ago and have dreams of owning and restoring a TR-6 some day... However, my wife will kill me or divorce me if I get any more toys...

 

[CAbelmann]

What size boost gauge did you get

 

[WUnderwood]

looks like a 30, but I could be wrong

great install!

 

[LRutigliano]

The boost gauge is 60psi.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

950* with a Smarty and 80hp injectors?!

 

[LRutigliano]

The Smarty is not downloaded yet because I want to tow the trailer with and without the Smarty hooked up.



However, from what I've read about the Smarty, the EGTs will/should be reduced further.



My EGTs were with an empty truck getting from 0 to 80mph onto the freeway onramp. Most of time, I'm towing an 11k trailer up very long mountain passes. I'll see where the EGT ends up then.



I'm thinking the new exhaust and CFM+ are really helping with the EGTs because I didn't expect the gauge to fall so fast. As soon as I take my foot out of it, the EGTs just drop immediately. It reacts like the boost gauge...

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I've never seen EGT's on any truck drop like a boost gauge... I would also imagine you should be seeing over 950 on a bone stock truck... add 80 horse injectors and you should be higher still.



something doesn't seem right

 

[MScheiper]

Got the same gauges on my 04. 5. Nice install job. Look great!

 

[DZLFREK]

gauges

For those of us still "shopping", why did you chose Dipricol versus Isspro? I don't have any favorites, but I was told that Isspro had a better "match" to our instrument cluster at night. Your gauges look dead-on though. What is your opinion?



David

 

[JCasper]

The Smarty is not downloaded yet because I want to tow the trailer with and without the Smarty hooked up.



However, from what I've read about the Smarty, the EGTs will/should be reduced further.



My EGTs were with an empty truck getting from 0 to 80mph onto the freeway onramp. Most of time, I'm towing an 11k trailer up very long mountain passes. I'll see where the EGT ends up then.



I'm thinking the new exhaust and CFM+ are really helping with the EGTs because I didn't expect the gauge to fall so fast. As soon as I take my foot out of it, the EGTs just drop immediately. It reacts like the boost gauge...

You will be cooler with the Smarty when towing. Especially with the new SW.



I was always amazed at how hot my truck would run on stock SW. I had to pull hills by egt's.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

what did they change on the smarty that brought the EGT's down? more timing? whatever it is, it's nice.



I just bought an '03, and yesterday I loaded up the latest Smarty release... level 9. It'll smoke a little if you rug it at low RPM, but it cleans up quickly and looks like a stock truck burnin down the road

 

[LRutigliano]

DZLFREK



I was originally going to get the Isspro gauges because they cost approx $100 less than the DiPricols and also because Isspro is in Portland, OR (my hometown) and we use them at work.



However, when I called Diesel Manor to ask some questions and order them, they told me that the Isspro trans temp gauge was on back order and they didn't know when they would get them.



So I did some more research on the DiPricols and decided to get them.



I think both are great and I would have been happy with either.



A couple of nice features on the DiPricols are that they have LED backlighting and they don't require an amplifier box for the EGT gauge.



They also match the stock Dodge gauges pretty nicely in the day and also at night.



Good luck.



Louis