EGT wire routing

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Well I had a fun day. Ran a 10K(6. 2 miles) this morning at the St. Marys Rock Shrimp Festival. Finished 2nd overall and had my best time in this distance - 37:17. Went home and went to work on my newest project. Got the A-pillar drilled and mounted. I didn't like the way I had to run the wires, but nobody will see them so who cares. It's not sloppy, but circuitous. I had to take the instrument cluster out to route them behind the thing and then down. I drilled a hole for the boost gauge cable, but because I hooked the wires up first at the gauges I ended up loosening the black 3 bolt panel that the steering column runs through and put the EGT plug and wire through there and tightened it back down. I put a little RTV on just for good measure and routed it under the hood behind the shield that is on the firewall for noise reduction. In a way it's half-assed, but it doesn't look bad nor does it stick out. I got the boost gauge hooked up and working. That intake plenum is easy to drill and tap. I used a 3/8" drill bit and a 1/8 NPT tap. I put a rag in the intake plenum and one over the intercooler tube to keep the shavings out. I vacuumed the inter cooler just to be safe. Hooked it back up and test drove it. Worked like a charm. I'm tapping the exhaust manifold next weekend. My drill is to small for the 7/16 bit I need. I'll post some boost pressures through all gears later in the week, so I can get some feedback. I tapped into the tan wire on the white box closest to the firewall, but that will not allow me to dim my gauge lights. I'm not sure what that wire is for. The lights come on once I turn the key all the way over (but not started yet). If anybody knows which wire on a 99 that would allow dimming those gauges let me know. I would have went with a fuse tap, but nobody around here has them. Two quick questions. 1) Where did most of you drill in your firewall for the EGT wire? 2) I noticed that the boost gauge fogged up just a bit, but not near enough to make it unreadable. Any idea what gives on that? Thanks alot for the feedback.

John

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1999 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5 spd, 4:10 LSD rear, Mag-Hytec diff. cover, Speedliner spray in bed-liner, Amsoil foam air filter; Smittybuilt step rails, US Gear boost gauge. Coming soon: US Gear EGT gauge. Towing a 31 ft. NOMAD single slideout TT.
Rammin' and Runnin' the roads




[This message has been edited by John Berger (edited 10-03-1999). ]

 

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John,
I punctured the rubber boot, just to the outside of the steering column, and pushed the EGT wire and Boost gauge tubing thru the boot. Easy and worked great. I also tapped the manifold, adjacent to the oil dipstick, and wire-tied the tubing to the dipstick tube. Used a 7/16 drill and 1/4 NPT tap to do the exhaust elbow (post turbo). Tucked EGT wiring under the rubber flap at the base of the hood. Attached an ATM fuse tap to F5 in the fuse panel and the gauges dim with the rest of the instrument cluster. It's easy and you don't have to cut into any wires. Hope this helps.
Good Luck,
Frank

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Frank Dziurda
Carson City, Nevada
'99. 5 2500 4X4 6-Speed Quad Cab LWB 3. 54 LSD




[This message has been edited by Frank Dziurda (edited 10-03-1999). ]

 

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Howdy John,
I bought a reduced shank 7/16 drill bit from Home Depot to use with my 3/8" drill motor. On my '95 I removed the air cleaner to drill into the exhaust elbow. On my '98, I removed the elbow to drill and tap. I found that to be easier. That is unless you decide to drill into the exhaust manifold.
I also ran my wires and boost tube through the rubber boot next to the steering shaft.

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Steve McDaniel
98 ClubCab 12v 5spd 4. 10
97 Stratus
92 Harley Fatboy

 

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Thanks for the feedback. I got impatient and couldn't wait until next weekend. I went and bought a reduced shank 7/16 bit and commenced drilling away. My significant other vacuumed as I drilled the exhaust manifold. She even vacuumed out the manifold while I got the tap greased and ready to go. She was nervous about the whole concept of drilling holes into the motor area of a $33K truck, but that's understandable. In true Tim Allen fashion I told her real men don't need directions #ad
. She also knows I've spent the better part of the last 2 months asking questions from folks on this board. All in all, things went smoothly. I'm successfully tapped into the manifold and gauges and truck are running very nicely. I'll tell you what: Greasing up the bit and the tap really does the job. I didn't pull a whole lot of metal shavings out of the manifold. This is the first time I've ever drilled and tapped anything on a vehicle and I appreciate all of the help received here. By the way, the fogging condition on the boost gauge occurs when either of the two de-frost settings are set with cool air blowing through them. Thanks again. I'm not to sure I'm going to worry about wiring the gauges so they can be dimmed. They're not that bright. They actually look like they're dimmed. I kinda like them and replacing the bulbs isn't that hard to do. Later.

John

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1999 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5 spd, 4:10 LSD rear, Mag-Hytec diff. cover, Speedliner spray in bed-liner, Amsoil foam air filter; Smittybuilt step rails, US Gear EGT and Boost gauge. Towing a 31 ft. NOMAD single slideout TT.
Rammin' and Runnin' the roads

 

[Archive]

All i did to allow my gauges to dim is splice into the feed for the light that lights up around the headlamp switch, and this allows you to have your gauges dim with the rest of your trucks lights.