Fuel Pressure Gauge

[Bob Cochran]

Okay ordered my 3 guages (Auto Meter boost, egt, fuel pressure) and Apilar today from Summit Racing and of course the full Apilar with tweeter and boost guage on back order!!! Thats okay still need to get agate paint for the pillar and intake manifold gasket from the dealer, make up some kind of mount and find location for the fuel pressure sensor (electric).



Now where do I get the fitting for the fuel pressure gauge that will fit on the scharder valve after the fuel filter. I have not had a chance to look but I believe the scrader is located at injection pump area. Can it be ordered on the internet someplace, part numbers, price, address or url? If not where do I go get one made up any suggestions? If I have to get it made description, drawings, etc. be nice. I thought about using a refrigeration test gauge house that would work perfectly but am told the hose on these things will get brittle with heat causing problems later. So much for the easy solution.



Anything else I need for the electricle maybe? I will get the tap and drill of course with my other stuff.



I should be able to get this all installed in a weekend right if I have all the parts?



Please note my signature for my vehicle year and type.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Go to www.smokindiesel.com and get there phone number and call them and ask for Andy. He just sent me a complete kit with a 0-35psi Sport Comp Guage and a 6 foot braided stainless line and all the fittings i need to hook it up. They have great service and Andy is a super guy, just tell him what you need and he will get it right out, they have that stuff in stock. I cant wait till i get mine. Hopefully by this weekend. Other then that it sounds like you have everything you need.

If you dont want to wit for the boost gauge and the A pillar. Jannetty has most of that stuff in tock all the time, they are a little more expensive then Summit, but if you want that stuff soon, they are a good source.

 

[Bigsaint]

Bob, talk to Brandon, he'll set you up with all that you need for the FP install. Here's a link.....



http://www.mypage.onemain.com/Brandon&Danelle/



If you go the route of using the Schrader test port, your going to want to use the pre-filter location, not the Schrader on the VP44. I used this location originally, before I upgraded my lines, worked great with the SPA gauge. Brandon indicated that he was seeing alot of sporadic readings when the VP44 Schrader was used with the electric senders.



Scott W.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I was going to use the port on the VP44 but i am using a mechanical gauge, do you think that will be a problem with erratic readings, i am guessing no, what do you think?

 

[Bob Cochran]

EMDDIESEL & Bigsaint ~~Another guestion and bring this to the top. I have all my guages now and still backorder on the Apillar though!!! Now am gathering the other parts needed and you both talked about places that had fuel line and connectors I will need for connection to fuel sender. I just went out with a flaslight and there is a schrader valve on the filter line but at the VP44 end and you say that is a problem connecting there for electrical sender and guage which I am using. Following it back it connects to a banjo in the bottom of the filter NO SCHRADE!! If I understand right this is the best place to connect. Other location is the schrader valve on fuel line from lift pump to the filter at the top which has the schrader. This is pre filter and don't really want the FP connected there right? Best is after filter I think all agree. How do I connect to the bottom banjo without a schrader. Your source for connectors can they provide what I needed to connect to the banjo out of the bottom of the filter without schrader? Those banjos have gaskets, or Orings that will need be replaced? Sorry for long post but inquiring minds you know. The gauge by the way is the Z series autometer ATM-2661

 

[Bob Cochran]

Oh by the way the Autometer comes with green and red caps for the lights. I also purchased blue so I have the rainbow coverd. red won't match O&M any on know if blue or green closest? Looks kinda green to me for some reason!!!!

 

[Bigsaint]

Bob, I agree, the best spot is post-filter. I have mine located at the bottom of the fuel filter canister. I used two Weber adapters, one at the inlet to the VP44, one at the bottom of the fuel filter canister. These adapt to the existing ports that the banjo bolts were in and allow you to use -6AN line from the filter canister to the VP44. All you need to do is add a presure port adapter at the bottom of the filter canister and then plug in your sender there. The pressure port will have a 1/8 NPT outlet in same. Some members have reported electric sender failures when mounted directly to the P. P. adapter, so you might want to go the route of mounting the FP sender remotely, with a rubber line and adapter going to the pressure port and then to the sender. My SPA sender is mounted directly to the pressure port adaper at the bottom of the filter housing, so far, all is good here. Give Brandon a call at his shop, he can set you up with everything that you need.



Forgot to add, I really don't see a problem with using the Schrader port pre-filter to monitor your FP psi's, just make sure you do regular fuel filter changes and all should be good. I ran this way for about 5 months, before I upgraded my fuel lines, worked fine. I noticed about a 1 psi drop going from pre-filter to post.



Scott W.

 

[Bigsaint]

EMD, good question and I don't know, sorry . You could always just get the Weber adpaters and run the braided line from the filter to the VP44 with the pressure port adpater at the bottom of the FF canister if it doesn't work out at the VP44 Schrader.



Scott W.

 

[CCahill]

Scott

Just got my banjos today from Ray Torresdal, Looks like a slick setup for the FP sending unit, and increased flow... . and somewhat inexpensive... . Very nice work on the bolts, BTW



Not sure what guage I'm goin' with, but way anxious to see what my pump pressures are going to be... ... ... ... ... EEEEEEEEEEEKKK!!!!!!!!! wefwrw



Colin

 

[tmacc]

FP install

Bob, I used the schaeder valve for a few months till I got Ray's banjo bolts and it worked w/o any problems. I understand Geno's will be carrying them in the near future. I mounted my sender remotely over near the brake line manifold. I used Push-lok fittings that I got at a HD truck supply shop. For the schaeder valve I used a -4AN flange fitting w/ a barbed end to push the fuel line on. On the end that went to the sender I used a 1/8" npt female Push-lok fitting. These fitting cost about $3-4 each. The system is rated 250psi. More than enough for our purposes.



I got steady reading the entire time it was hooked up this way. No leaks. You do have to to remove the valve core, which is like the same type as a tire stem.



I now have my sender hooked up to the outlet side of the filter houseing. You can get a tapped bolt from Ray's, but in the mean time I won't hesitate to use the schaeder valve. Check out the boys at Advanced Diesel. They have been very helpful to me in the past. I did send Iceman a kit w/ the fittings and fuel line for is FPG. It was about $10 + $3 for shipping. I'm near the truck supply place once a week or so. If nothing else work out for you, I could pick the stuff up for you.

Good luck.



Tom

 

[Bigsaint]

BOMB on, Colin, BOMB on



Scott W.

 

[Bob Cochran]

Bigsaint ~ I think since I need to buy the fittings may as well put it where it would do best connected to bottom of canister. I plan on mounting the sender remote to help avoid the rock and roll of the Cummings and premature failure of the sensor. I change my fuel filter every second oil change thereabouts and for me that is 7500 miles. I know overkill but better save than sorry.



tmacc ~ will probably do like you did and mount sensor around brake area some place. IU am thinking of find some kid of bost to mount some place and put the sensor in and sock mount the sensor somehow have not exactly figured out how yet!!! How do I contact Ray Torresdal to get the bolt for the banjo? Will he have the other necessary fitting also? Thanks for the offer to buy the parts if needed may take you up on it. You know as big as Phoenix is these days I should be able to by locally someplace!!!!



Thanks everyone. Friday baby goes in for clock spring. Apillar back order but getting close to getting the guages installed!

 

[tmacc]

Sender location.

Bob,

I located my sender on a simple sheet metal bracket, about 1. 25" x 4". I bent it about 40-45 degrees, drilled a hole that I tapped to 1/8npt to thread the sender on to and mounted it on a bracket that holds the RWAL control module. It's that black box right in front of the fire wall on the driver's side. The sender is mounted between the master cyl. and the RWAL module. Make sure you route the fuel line away from the upper shock mount.



Ray's # is 319-532-9884. I did see a post where he's going to make them and Geno's will do the marketing, but check him out. Might as well buy the whole set from him. He will probably not have the other fittings that you need, but like you said, Phoenix is a big place.



BTW Just any ol' fuel line won't work w/ the Push-lok fittings, you need the Push-lok fuel line to work w/ them. Actually, I guess you could use reg. line w/ some hose clamps, but if you get the fittings you might as well get the line to go w/ them. As mentioned in previous post, the two fittings and 3' of fuel line ran just under $10.

One other suggestion. If your going to come out of the bottom of the filter housing, you will need a 1/8 npt 90 degree fitting and just to make it easy on yourself for furture maintinance, a -4AN male flange w/ 1/8 npt male threads ( for the -4AN female flange fitting to hook up to) to go into the 90*. These would run a couple bucks more.

Later,

Tom

 

[Bob Cochran]

tmacc ~ Thanks for all your help. I am getting what I need from Andy Sebek Advanced Diesel Technology which will include a -4AN Aeroquip braided stainless steel fuel line that will just install in place and he will make the setup for me. I will let you know how it all works out. They have been more than helpful so far. I like your bracket idea but I was wonder about putting sender in a box and mount the box. I am wondering if keeping it out of the dust, dirt, water would make it last longer. Probably use your bracket with out box. We will see one never knows what I will do until I get into it.

 

[Bob Cochran]

Well almost got everything together to do my guages install. The Autometer 3 gauge including tweeter arrived today. Instructions say to attach to your existing Dodge Apillar but as I remember everybody took the old one off. Seems to me they said attach new guage Apillar to pillar post using maybe 1-1/2 self taping screws. Is that what everybody did? How did you do it?

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Its easy to use the pillar without the stock backing, just push the bottom end in first and then you will have to drill 1 hole in the top of the pillar and a pilot hole in the steel A pillar. Then get a sheetmetal screw and tighten it up and your done. Just hold the gauge pod up the pillar and you will see exactly what i mean.

 

[Bob Cochran]

EMDDIESEL~ thought that was the case thanks for confirming for me.



Smokin Diesel is making up my fuel lines by the way. Thanks for the tip.

 

[tmacc]

Bob, you heard correct. Remove existing A pillar.

You will only need one screw at the top of the new one. The bottom tucks in behind the dash. Pull the fuse cover on the side of the dash to help route wires and boost tube down below the dash. "illflem" recommended using some flexible tubing to run your wires through to protect them from chaffing on some of the sharp metal brackets under the dash. I found this method to work quite well.

Have fun,

Tom

 

[SnoKing]

I took off my original A pillar and did the one screw at the top with a neat little nylon washer that has a snap on cover. I painted the little cover with the agate paint also. Took two orders to get the right paint! I put some stick on fuzzy part velcro pad at the bottom front inside and outside to keep it from sweaking. Snow King

 

[Slick]

This TDR sight is just awesome!!! Being a novice in the field of diesels (been a gasser all my life) I have been somewhat scared to do the upgrades that I wanted to do. Bob Cochran is asking the exact questions for the same set up I want to do. You all have givin invaluable informatin. Now I need to read it and get busy on my gauge project. Thanks all of you TDR's!!