Installing EGT Probe after turbo, any Pics

[JCasper]

Well I will be installing a Westach Combo Boost,EGT gauge next weekend. After much debate I am going to install the probe after the turbo. I have read alot of the debates and if cummins says to put it there and my truck is going to stay stock for now I think it will be just fine right there. In the future if I do add a box it will probably be the edge with Attitude and I figure I could mount that probe pre-turbo if I ever get to that stage.



What I was hoping for was some pictures on where everyone has mounted their probes Post Turbo. The elbow after the turbo looks to be a cast part, is it thick enough or do I need to remove it and weld a bung on it.



My wife and kids are going to be out of town this next weekend so it is a good time for me to work on my truck. I am going to place my order with Genos first thing Monday morning, and pay a little extra shipping to be sure I have it for Friday night.



Thanks in advance and I would appreciate any pictures.



Joe

 

[rbattelle]

Me and Bertram posted pics of our probes here. The cast elbow is plenty thick for a tapping. For mine, I removed the elbow and installed it in a simple jig in a drill press. Then bored the appropriately sized hole and tapped.



The elbow is gray cast iron. It's simple to machine and doesn't present any particular problems when tapping. Use a low drill RPM (I think I used 600). [Machinery's Handbook says 80 fpm is optimal feed, so from the RPM tables 699 RPM is indicated for a 7/16" twist drill. ]



-Ryan

P. S. 10:1 someone will reply to this thread condemning the use of a post-turbo EGT.

 

[JCasper]

That is fine we will let the pre-turbo guys start the debate. They all have a valid point, but if my truck is staying mostly stock I think going post turbo is safer, in the sense you don't have to worry about chips getting into the turbo when you drill the manifold. Also I am planning on buying a travel trailer or fifth wheel next spring and I would like to be able to count on it for a cool down gauge.



I build plastic injection molds for a living so I am using machinery every day. I have thought about taking the elbow off and bringing it to work and using a bridgeport mill to drill and tap it, But if I can do it on the truck I probably will.





Joe

 

[JCasper]

[Machinery's Handbook says 80 fpm is optimal feed, so from the RPM tables 699 RPM is indicated for a 7/16" twist drill. ]



So going by your drill size you used a 1/4 NPT probe. I was going to use the 1/8NPT probe. Are there any advantages to the larger probe.



Thanks

 

[Silver600]

Actually you have the right idea. In my 04. 5 I started pre-turbo but when I got the Edge J/A I moved my Dipricol EGT to post turbo for cool down purposes. I think it is more useful there for a truck with little to no engine mods and if you plan on adding the Edge J/A later that probe needs to be pre-turbo for de-fueling anyway. I can't really tell you about the elbow because I had already installed a Pacbrake which has a 1/4 NPT port in it for EGT.



As far as 1/8 NPT vs. 1/4 NPT, I would start with the 1/8. Not that you will with your machining experience but I figured if I screwed up the small hole I would have a second chance by going up to 1/4 NPT.

 

[lawdog]

On my old 2000 truck, I removed the elbow and a friend took it inot work at chrysler and they drilled and tapped it... . It seems to my litle thought process, that a drill pressor machine of some sort will drill a straighter hole and not wobble around... . just my . 02

 

[CKruse]

I took mine off and drilled and tapped it there in the driveway. No sweat. It was great to have it in the truck for towing our TT up the mountains a couple of weeks ago. I learned a lot about driving with gauges- keeping the rpms up at times to keep the egt in a safe range. Anyway, it is possible to switch the clamps from the front and back of the elbow. They won't interchange and it will leak if you switch them. Don't ask me how I know!! I caught it right away, so no harm done. It's a pretty easy process for someone of average or above mechanical aptitude. I would go with the smaller 1/8 " probe, just in case some day the hole was stripped, etc. That would allow the larger one to be a backup. The guys at Geno's said there is no real difference. I did mine about 2 months ago, and used the same items you are getting. Enjoy! CKruse

 

[rbattelle]

I went with a 1/4 NPT because that's all Isspro offers. The others accurately point out that if you plan for 1/8 and screw up you can move up to 1/4. Of course, if you plan for 1/4 and screw up you can move up to 3/8. And if you screw that up you can move up to 1/2. And so on until there's more hole than elbow. :-laf Adaptors are easy to find.



Anyway, with your machining experience it will be a non-event. Even people who have never drilled a hole before can do it.



-Ryan

 

[JCasper]

Placed order this morning

So I ordered my combo gauge this morning. I payed for three day shipping to be sure it will be here for me to install Friday night. How long does the install take, I figured probably not more then a couple hours? I want to get it on as I am going to central oregon on Saturday to pick up 100 bales of hay.



Thanks for all the input,



Joe

 

[BigPapa]

I went with a 1/4 NPT because that's all Isspro offers.

My Isspro has 1/8".



Scott

 

[JCasper]

How hard to remove the elbow

For all you who removed the elbow to drill and tap for the Pyro. probe. How hard is it to remove. I am thinking I should be able to do the whole install in 2-3 hours, will removing the elbow take a lot longer? I am going to install in the morning.



Thanks,



Joe

 

[rbattelle]

Elbow comes off very easily. It's a little tricky to get it back on, but not what I'd call hard.



-Ryan

 

[JCasper]

Sorry it has been so long for me to get back. I have installed my westach gauge and love it. I ended up removing the elbow to drill and tap the hole, it made it a lot easier. The install was fairly simple, just took a couple of hours. I have made two trips hauling about 20,000 lbs GVW over the mountains and it has been nice to see what exactly is going on. I have to say though it isn't hard to see 950-1000 degrees pulling hills fast in 6th gear. Loaded when I am in 5th over the hills it doesn't break about 850. I guess there is something to be said for all that boost.



Thanks for all the help,



Joe

 

[alexanderJ]

Elbow comes off very easily. It's a little tricky to get it back on, but not what I'd call hard.



-Ryan

Tell us what the "trick" is? Just moving it around?



thanks... ... ... .

 

[rbattelle]

Tell us what the "trick" is? Just moving it around?



thanks... ... ... .

Oh, there's no specific trick, it just takes a little finesse to get the alignment pins lined up and get the clamp on there and hold it all together until you can put some tension on the clamp when you're working alone and you only have 2 hands.



Not hard at all, but it takes a few minutes to get it right without dropping the elbow in the process.



Ryan