Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Pic's in the link in my sig below. I installed the Dakota Digital 3-in-1 gauge, and also installed a Mag-Hytec DD Pan while I was at it. The thing I like about the gauge is that you have all three readings in one 2" gauge that matches the teal green display on the odometer, PRND21 readout, and stereo. The top left reading is the transmission, boost on top right, with EGT on the bottom. The gauge is very responsive, easy to read (day and night), and I'm glad I went with it. Dakota Digital started out in the muscle car, and motorcycle market in the late 80's and they build top quality units. I'm finding more and more truck owners with their gauges. If you're looking for a digital gauge I would recommend it.
This was my first try at installing gauges not to mention even servicing a transmission and both went great. I was able to drop the stock transmission pan without taking a shower in ATF and putting in the Hytec pan on was a breeze (used the stock gasket as well). I am really impressed with the quality of the pan.
It was funny how this all went because I orginally planned on having Fred Swanson install everything for me but when I got done with the pan I started messing around and ended up mounting the gauge in the SRT-10 pillar and installed that. Then I decided I would drill a hole in the plate that is located where the clutch would go to route the wiring. Then I installed the boost bolt towards the rear of the intake manifold (couldn't get in on the front bolt as the wiring harness for injectors 1-3 was in the way), and hooked up the wiring for that and the trans pan, power at the ignition with a Posi-Tap connector, hooked up the dimmer at the headlight switch (bottom of connector closest to the door panel), and ground on the ground screw under the kick panel where the other wiring is grounded. I then figured since I had gone that far I would try to drill and tap the exhaust manifold myself. I was litterly shaking when I first started drilling becuase I had never drilled or tapped before but once I got going all my fear and doubt went away. I could have gotten it a little more vertically straight but, hey, not bad for a first timer. I originally planned on mounting it on the down pipe above the turbo but becuase the 7/16 bit for the 1/4 NPT Tap was so darn long I couldn't even get a 90 degree drill in there so I had to go aft of cyl #3, but I figured since that's good enough for ATS' aftermarket manifold it's good enough for me (temps have been reported on TDR to only be 30 degrees different between the two locations). Got the drilling done and used a long bendable-wand magnet to get out the metal filing's and moved on to the tap. I took my time and worked my way to about 5-6 threads from the top of the tap and got out all of the filings again. I installed the EGT probe with some Never Seize and called it a weekend.
All in all, I have to say I'm pretty darned proud of myself as there is nothing like the feeling of doing this kind of work yourself Oo. , but I'm just glad to have some gauges on the truck since I've been putting it off for a year.
Karl
This was my first try at installing gauges not to mention even servicing a transmission and both went great. I was able to drop the stock transmission pan without taking a shower in ATF and putting in the Hytec pan on was a breeze (used the stock gasket as well). I am really impressed with the quality of the pan.
It was funny how this all went because I orginally planned on having Fred Swanson install everything for me but when I got done with the pan I started messing around and ended up mounting the gauge in the SRT-10 pillar and installed that. Then I decided I would drill a hole in the plate that is located where the clutch would go to route the wiring. Then I installed the boost bolt towards the rear of the intake manifold (couldn't get in on the front bolt as the wiring harness for injectors 1-3 was in the way), and hooked up the wiring for that and the trans pan, power at the ignition with a Posi-Tap connector, hooked up the dimmer at the headlight switch (bottom of connector closest to the door panel), and ground on the ground screw under the kick panel where the other wiring is grounded. I then figured since I had gone that far I would try to drill and tap the exhaust manifold myself. I was litterly shaking when I first started drilling becuase I had never drilled or tapped before but once I got going all my fear and doubt went away. I could have gotten it a little more vertically straight but, hey, not bad for a first timer. I originally planned on mounting it on the down pipe above the turbo but becuase the 7/16 bit for the 1/4 NPT Tap was so darn long I couldn't even get a 90 degree drill in there so I had to go aft of cyl #3, but I figured since that's good enough for ATS' aftermarket manifold it's good enough for me (temps have been reported on TDR to only be 30 degrees different between the two locations). Got the drilling done and used a long bendable-wand magnet to get out the metal filing's and moved on to the tap. I took my time and worked my way to about 5-6 threads from the top of the tap and got out all of the filings again. I installed the EGT probe with some Never Seize and called it a weekend.
All in all, I have to say I'm pretty darned proud of myself as there is nothing like the feeling of doing this kind of work yourself Oo. , but I'm just glad to have some gauges on the truck since I've been putting it off for a year.
Karl
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