1st gen gauges????

[BPruett]

Howdy, I have a, 92 250 4x4 5spd. I've read you should get four gauges. Pyrometer, Tachometer, Boost and a Transmission Temp. My question is, which gauges are the best, theres a lot to chose from. Should I get, Electrical or Mechanical gauges? It seems like all the dash pods are for 94 and newer trucks. Has anyone found a workable pod, gauge combination? Thanks, Billy

 

[CDegner]

YOu have a couple options as fas as gauge mounting assemblies. You can go the pillar mounts in either single or double or you can get the dash units. I have seen the dash units for a first gen in 2,3,and 4 gasuge units. The plasce I got mine from (USdiesel.com) had all of them. I ordered a three piece unit online. They called me up the next day and told me they had one from Banks that they could sell me for $25 cheaper than the one I had ordered. Been happy with it.



I went to the local auto paint and body store and found a paint that was a close match and painted my unit to match the interior. I also painted the split loom that the wiriing runs in so thatt unless you are looking, you do not even notice it. I think first gens only cam in gray or red so it should be pretty easy to make a match.



Carl

 

[sparks57]

Get the autometer z-series. They match the stock gauges really well.



Also, get the dual autometer gauge pod for the a-pillar.



Electric gauges are what you want.

 

[CDegner]

ISSPRO, autometer, Dipricol, and a few others all make good gauges. Which are better? Well that pretty much gets to be peoples opinions and opinions are like a@%*oles, everybody has one and they are all different.



I personally got the ISSPRO EV guages cause I like the way they look and a dealer I talked to told me he had never had a return. Are tehy any better than autometer, I doubt it. ARe they any worse, I doubt it.



BTW, the boost gauge will be mechanical.



Carl

 

[sparks57]

Autometer makes the fastest reacting pyrometer of the three or four major manufacturers.



That's part of the reason why I chose automter. And like I said, they match the dash gauges quite nicely, and they come with a light bulb cover that matches the dash gauge backlights quite well.

 

[jbolt]

Originally posted by CB_Parker

and they come with a light bulb cover that matches the dash gauge backlights quite well.

..... and thats why I went with the ISSPRO EV series. I can actually see them at night.



sorry... couldn't resist

 

[JLEONARD]

I got the Isspro because I like their clean look. They work well.

Since I do not have A/C I mounted the pyro and boost in the A/C filler panels to the right of "wait to start" panel. They are in a great place to view right there IMO.

I got the standard series and I can easily see them at night... and they are not so bright as to distract me at night or reflect in the back window.

Jay

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

I've got Auto Meter Phantom and Ultra-Lite series. I switched to the Phantom series and have 3 mounted on the A pillar which are rear diff, transmission and coolant. In my dash pod I've got an Ispro tach and two Ultra-Lites - boost and EGTs. I went to Ultra-Lite because they have a 0-60 Boost gauge. I will eventually switch all gauges over to Auto-Meter Ultra-Lite series.



Bob

 

[Greenleaf]

Ahhhhh, Bob. Did I read that right???

You have a gauge for the rear diff??? It seems guys are installing gauges left and right these days. You also have an engine temp gauge? Doesn't the one in the dash work?

I've seen some with two(2) trans temp gauges Are these guys paranoid about tran temps?



IMHO,I think I'd rather spend time/$$$$ on other stuff.



Greenleaf

 

[JJump]

I recently installed a boost & pyrometer I bought used off Ebay for $65. I made dash pods out of 2" pvc pipe & painted wrinkle black. Glued the 2 pods together with my wife's hot glue gun & put a long slash cut on end of the pods opposite the gauge head so they mate flush with the dash. Stuck it on the dash with hot glue-looks/works good & no hacking up of the dash required.



J. Jump

St Louis

 

[sparks57]

Originally posted by jbolt

..... and thats why I went with the ISSPRO EV series. I can actually see them at night.



sorry... couldn't resist

I can see my autometers JUST FINE thanks you very much.







j/k... Everybody likes something different. I will have to go to an isspro tachometer because it's the only one I can find.

 

[jbolt]

CB- if your not in a hurry I'll be upgrading my Isspro standard 4K tach after the first of the year to an EV series tach. I'll make you a great deal on it if you're intersted. . . or can wait that long (1year old, never been over 3000 rpm)



Jay

 

[sparks57]

You've got a PM.

 

["Mad Max"]

Gauges are good

Hiya Billy -

Yes, gauges do not suck. The factory ones work and work fine, but have a drawback in that there are no numbers to know exactly what your oil pressure and H2O temps are, so I augmented the factory gauges with some new ones. Pyro, boost, and trans temp( for an auto, mainly), are essential if you are planning to BOMB your rig and have to come from the aftermarket. All your pressure gauges, in my opinion, should be mechanical, and I feel engine temp should be as well. Trans temp is electrical, and I a pyro is a thermocouple I think so it's mechanical. Get some good gauges installed and get some good baseline numbers. Then BOMB away and compare numbers. I also have the lights for every extra gauge on a toggle switch so that at night I don't have 18 lights on in front of me, and when I want to check I just flip the switch and flip it back. Kinda nice. Plus, when yer, um, just driving along, it's kewl to see the boost needle zing past 25 and watch the car yer racing go bu-byy's.

Check out my readers rigs of the diesel and have a look at some stuff I did for pods and gauges. I went with all Autometer Z-series - they look great and almost look factory, and that's what I, me personally, wanted to achieve. My 440-powered 71 Demon has 10 Autometer ProComp's in it - but it was built for a slightly different purpose! Anyway, just some options - there are tons of options, but surfing around on this site will satisfy your curiousity!

- Sam

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

J Jump

A little confusion there The bottom gauge on my A pillar is Engine Coolant - I like to know ,in degrees - not hash marks what my engine is running at. The next gauge reads transmission and diff temps - with the flip of a switch. The top gauge reads oil PSI and the sender is mounted on top of the oil filter mount right next to the turbo oil hose - this lets me see oil PSI come up immediately.



As for spending my money on other things - I am divorced so I spend my money on what I want not what she thinks I should .



That being said look at my sig - my truck gets what I think it needs. Oo. Oo. And I think it needs a bit more "stuff" stay tuned for coming attractions.



Bob

 

[BPruett]

Howdy, Just wanted to say Thanks for all the respondes. I guess, I'll get this figured out. SEASON'S GREETINGS to all. Billy