Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Fuel Pressure Gauge Install

[TPilaske]

I ordered the Dakota Digital Fuel Pressure gauge. Also, I have ordered the banjo kit from Genos that has 5 Banjos (1 of them is tapped). I hope that's all I need to get this installed. My question: Where do you put the tapped banjo for the sender? Also, whoever has changed out all their Banjos with these, is it difficult? Thanks! Anyone have a pic of this??



Tony

 

[mikel]

I have done this exact mod to my truck. My banjo bolts were a little 'tight' and had to be turned in with a wrench after I got a thread or two started. I put a tapped banjo on the lift pump output and on the inlet to the vp44, both places had schrader valves before so I went back with the tapped bolts there, plus I figured that the inlet to the vp44 would be the best place to read pressure into the vp44. I had my sender screwed directly into the bolt at the vp44 for about a week until I had time to put a hose between the sender and the engine, but I wouldn't leave the sender there too long.



I like my dakota digital gauge and it was so bright that I just wired it to operate dimmed down all the time and have no trouble seeing it in the daytime. One thing that I learded the hard way is that if you are seting up the gauge for high and low warning etc. the dim wire has to be disconnected. Once you complete the setup you can just leave the gauge dimmed all the time if you want.



I can try to get some pictures later tonight or tomorrow, sorry I don't have any now.



If you have any other questions drop me an email or PM and I'll do what I can to help.



Good luck,

Mike

 

[TPilaske]

Thanks for the response! 1 more question if I may -- what's the purpose of the schraders? Should I get two more tapped Banjos for those as well?? Thanks again!



Tony

 

[mikel]

The schraders are there from the factory. My truck had two on it, one at the vp44 and the other on the output of the lift pump if I remember correctly. They are there so that a pressure gauge can be temporarily installed to check fuel pressure for diagnostic reasons.



I'm still working on getting the pictures, I'll post here once I have them.

Should I get two more tapped Banjos for those as well??

I wouldn't put more than two at the most. I have two and one has the FP sender hooked to it and the other is plugged off not being used at all, so I probably should have just bought one tapped banjo.



Mike

 

[TPilaske]

I appreciate the response! It sounds like the 4 regular & 1 tapped Banjo kit will do the trick! Thanks again!



Tony

 

[Johnny5]

I'm in the process of the same setup, but plan on (2) tapped banjos, pre an post filter, this way I can still use a mechanical gauge on the schraders to verify the readings from the senders. What is the deal with leaving the dim wire connected while setting up? I don't remember that as a problem but I followed the instructions exactly. Right now they blink since no senders are hooked up but I just do the setup routine and I get a steady "---", but I don't disconnect the dim to run thru setup. As for doing all 5, work from the pump forward, from what I have read it helps to move the filter assy a little and from what I looked at on the truck this seems to be true. Gonna do this as soon as I get my hoses in. I tell you these Dakotas are pretty neat altho I am OK with the daytime brightness. BTW, have you guys noticed the cases of the gauges running a little warm after an hour or two of straight use? The first time I used them was on a long trip and after an hour they were pretty warm to the touch.



Johnny5

 

[mikel]

What is the deal with leaving the dim wire connected while setting up?

The dim wire has to be left unhooked while setting the gauge up. You can't set the gauge up with the dim wire connected, it won't work.





I'm still trying to get pictures for you, it's just been one thing after another for the past few days... sorry.



mike