Installing Isspro Boost/EGT gauges?

[JGrefenstette]

alright yall, sorry i been flappin my jaws a lot on this. but its all working now. i didnt have any power getting through those crappy splicers from the cig lighter to the pyrometer amplifier box. i stripped some insulation and she is good to go.



questions



1. what is an average idle temp?

2. good shut down temp.

3. max safe temp.

4. what should my boost be doing through the gears and in nuetral when i rev it?



thanks yall !!!

 

[JGrefenstette]

pictures are up in the photo gallery



critisism welcomed! any coments or advice appreciated.



a specially thanks to all those who helped me and offered advice.

 

[JLEONARD]

View angle is off a mite onthat bottom gage LOL... kudos for immagination on that one.



1. what is an average idle temp? under 300 F

2. good shut down temp. 300F

3. max safe temp. I think the rule of thumb is 1200/1300

4. what should my boost be doing through the gears and in nuetral when i rev it? Won't be anything in neutral at least in theory. . you may see maybe 1 or 2 psi, but the gage lacks accuracy down that low. For a stocker, anything between 12 and 20 psi I believe with the engine loaded up in 4th or 5th. You probably won't get that much in the lower gears unless the engine really gets loaded down.

 

[JGrefenstette]

haha, yea ive been using that can as my tach mount for a few months, and now with these new gauges i need to get a real mount.



1. yea it idles about 250-280

2. ok, it seems to drop to 300 real fast, than climb back to 350 for a while before dropping for good.

3. really? i thought you were supposed to add about 100*F to what the gauge says to actually get the in-cylinder temp. and that the pistons will melt at 1250*F? i have a friend with a 97 cummins, and he's hit 1400-1500* in his! so what is the theory here?

4. perfect. it seems that 12 is all i can get so far. well see what happens the more i drive it though.



thanks a buch, this is perfect.

 

[Furthur]

Did you use pop rivets to hold it down? I've been thinking of doing that. Those stupic plastic things aren't holding again, and the stupid mount keeps falling off... classy. The beer can mount is cool... I just need to find one I like... wonder if guiness is the right size?



I think my gauge lights are too bright compared to the stockers, anyone put a resistor inline with the lights to dim them a bit?



John

 

[JLEONARD]

i thought you were supposed to add about 100*F to what the gauge says to actually get the in-cylinder temp. and that the pistons will melt at 1250*F? i have a friend with a 97 cummins, and he's hit 1400-1500* in his! so what is the theory here?

I never heard that "rule of thumb" about adding 100 to get cyl temp. Remember that the pyro is the accululation of 3 cylinders... and that exhaust gases are probably still burning a bit as they exhaust, and that the intake air cools the cylinders/pistons, coolant keeps the cyl temps down, injected fuel cools the cyls/pistons, yada, yada, lots of factors as part of the recipe here.



Someone else who's smarter can chime in and correct me or hopefully add to this.



Gotta go do some troubleshooting on mine in the parkking lot. Later.

Jay

 

[JGrefenstette]

john, i used 1inch self tapping screw and ran them into the actual metal pillar. 3 of them, 2 up top 1 on bottom. yea the gauges are very bright but i like that, i just need to find a way to get the tach brighter because it is super dim in compairison. it was quite a trick to get the can to work. i drilled out the dash, and used two screws. used two 1/4" x 4" strips of hard plastic, 1 inside the can, and 1 on the dash under a foam pad. this stabalized it and worked very well. made it look a litttle less clean, but tryin to mount it direct to the dash is a disaster. and 12 oz. can will work. just cut the top off with a razor just below the crimped ring a the top.



does anybody no of any brighter bulbs for the tach that i can use??





jay, thats good insite... thanks i think that makes sence. i do have one question though. on our motors, isnt it known that the #1 cylinder (closest to the radiator) get the hottest, for a # of different reasons? so why to whe use the pyro for the back 3? isnt that mostly for the 2nd gens with the last 2 cylenders under the cab?



also, what troubleshooting are you doing??

 

[JGrefenstette]

i was driving down around blacksburg va this weekend moving my brother back from Virginia Tech, and pulling through the mountains, i hit 18lbs of boost! highest egts were 1100*f. i thought 12psi was max for a stock truck? whats the story here. i emagine i could have pushed more psi if i reall layed into it, but i wasnt sure how much is safe for these head gaskets?

 

[JGrefenstette]

any body know how much boost is too much for out headgaskets?

 

[dpuckett]

30 used to be the recommended limit, but I think it's closer to the 45-50 range now. You are in no danger with 18psi. Mine tops 30 weekly.



18 psi boost isnt bad for a stock engine and the 1100 deg sounds about right. They will all be a little different, and I think yours is on the upper end. Someone in the past may have turned your fuelling cone to gain some response.



Good to see you got the gauges in. GOnna have to go see the beer can mount. Are you old enough to even have one of them?



Daniel

 

[JGrefenstette]

well thats encouraging that the ole' girl is doin her job with 18psi

thanks, yea im extreamly glad to have the gauges finally in. i drive it like a totaly new truck, i love it. and i guess i should set the record streight, thats not Actually a beer can, its a Cheerwine soda can. Cheerwine is more of a southern drink, but if youd rather call it a beer can, fine by me. and no, i have just over 3 years till i can legally have 'one of those' :-laf