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SPA Series 2 digital gauges - Way Kool!!!

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Just had Brandon install my 3 new SPA Series 2 gauges. Yep, 3 of them! EGT/boost, transmission/rear diff temp & engine oil temp/fuel pressure. They are way cool. I haven't had a chance to read the directions yet, so I don't know exactly what all they can do, or how to program them, but man, they do look sweet. I'll get pictures posted in the next day or so. They are in a 3 guage pillar mount.



Oh, and I already have two members in my area interested in my old ISSPRO gauges, just in case you were wondering about them... .



Tom
 
Well, I'll be honest, they ain't cheap (price-wise anyway). I listed the 3 I got in the initial post. For all 3, I paid $850. I can't say how much each individual one cost, as Brandon quoted me the price for all 3. For the install, $150 per gauge.



However, Brandon is absolutely meticulous and extremely detail oriented in all the work he does for TDR and non-TDR Cummins owners, and these digital gauges are a bit more "delicate" than mechanical gauges. Meaning that if the installer isn't as careful as they should be, they can easily damage the gauge and you'll have problems down the road. And, I ain't the neatest installer of goodies, so it was absolutely worth every penny to me to have Brandon do the installs. And since it took him 9+ hours to get all 3 of them installed, I can only guess it would have taken me 3 days of contortions and misery, and the install would have come out with nasty wires everywhere :D



Tom
 
Way to go Tom on the SPA'S. I bet they look really cool over the ISSPRO guages. Now I am jealous. :D Your right though, Brandon is meticulous in his work. He da man!:D -Ray-
 
Tom,



Do you notice on the gauges higher in the pillar mount (closer to the roof) the numbers seem to be "washed out" and not as clear as the the lower gauge? I have a 2 gauge pillar with one series 2 on top and a series 1 (or whatever they were/are called) on the bottom. The old gauge is much clearer and the numbers stand out much better. I've tried both background colors and several brightness settings, but my old gauge is just plain clearer.



Anybody else have this problem?



Jerry

Waiting on the eternal backorder.
 
Pictures...

Powder - yes, I have noticed that the top gauge is at such an angle from my eyes, that the numbers are a tad more faint than those of the lowest gauge. I have not yet read the manual to know how to fiddle with the contrast, if you even can, or any other way they can be adjusted yet. Also, I have noticed these series 2's have almost a matte type of finish on the crystal, I'm guessing to help reduce glare, which may or may not have anything to do with this faintness.





Here is picture #1



Just in case you can't read the gauge faces, they are, from top gauge to bottom gauge:



Transmission Temp

Rear diff temp



Fuel pressure

engine oil temp



Boost

EGT
 
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Very nice, Tom.



Just curious. Can you describe how your fuel pressure guage reads at different throttle/acceleration levels... . idle, wot, etc. ? On my analog autometer the needle is pretty busy, except at idle or steady speeds.



thanks... . Joe
 
Originally posted by 24V-DSL

Can you describe how your fuel pressure guage reads at different throttle/acceleration levels... . idle, wot, etc. ? On my analog autometer the needle is pretty busy, except at idle or steady speeds.



Speaking from personal experience with 1+ year on the Original (Mk. 1) SPA units without dimmable backlighting..... I personally have not yet realised the need to have background lighting control adjustment, but because of the Fuel surges (+/-) flowing past the sensor on the fuel gauge, I have been casually experimenting with the sampling time.



IOW, the "snapshot" the gauge takes of the fuel pressure every (insert variable value here), which is then aggregated over time to produce a "pseudo-steady" reading. The longer the period between subsequent value measurements, the smoother/more steady the actual readout will be, which is a big plus compared with analog as that is a direct reading.



Where did Brandon site the sensor please - I'm really interested as sensor relocation may be the short and easy answer to a steady figure, without surging values/readings? BTW, I don't see much (i. e. signficant) variance between idle tickover, WOT, or regular highway speeds of between 55mph and 85mph. Anyone else care to comment on their SPA1s under similar conditions?

 
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Hi Joe,



Well, bear in mind that my lift pump (original one) died that night when Brandon was installing my gauges, and I am currently using a used one he let me borrow to get me home. My gauge also flutetrs around quite a bit, but usually not by more than 1 - 1. 5 PSI, unless I all of a sudden drastically change my foot on the go faster pedal.



At idle, 10. 5 - 11. 5 PSI

At normal take off and at cruising speed, 7. 5 - 10 PSI

The one and only WOT run I have done since getting the gauge in showed ~3 PSI.



I am going to pick up my brand new lift pumps from Cummins West at lunch today, and hope to get one of them installed by this weekend. The other is a spare for the toolbox.



John - I also have fuel line upgrades - stainless steel braided lines and Webber type fittings in place of the OEM rubber lines and banjo bolts. Brandon put the FP sensor immediately prior to the fuel/water filter cannister on the input line to the F/W cannister.



Tom
 
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When my top gauge was an original series, it was very easy to read. Now the Mk II is difficult to read.



Jerry



PS. Brandon I just cleared my PM's so try sending your message again, thanks.
 
YoYo values.....

Originally posted by TomGolden

John - I also have fuel line upgrades - stainless steel braided lines and Webber type fittings in place of the OEM rubber lines and banjo bolts. Brandon put the FP sensor immediately prior to the fuel/water filter cannister on the input line to the F/W cannister.



Tom, perhaps you'd "casually" mention to Brandon that it's been over a year since he said that he'd get me a set of them s/s lines and aftermarket fittings... . As far as I can see that's the only delta between your install and mine with YoYo readings.....



JMc
 
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s/s lines

I know we had issues a long time ago. the s/s fuel lines are not specifically the problem. the answer lies with sensor relocation and adjustment to the AT average time adjustment on spa, they are factory set at . 4 and can be reset to . 8. that is what i would recommend. sensor should be relocated to bottom of fuel filter housing utilizing a rayt banjo bolt from genos garage.



sorry about not getting the s/s lines to you. if you are interested in them still i will get a set for you.



as for emailing you last year i had problems getting through to you emails.



brandon

btw spa sensors have never done well directly at vp 44.

btw i also have started to grow fond of pusher pump for medium bombed trucks
 
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Re: s/s lines

Originally posted by Brandon

btw i also have started to grow fond of pusher pump for medium bombed trucks
Yeah, after Sunday evening's fun, I am starting to think along those lines. I just saw a thread Steve St. Laurent has about the pusher/helper Carter pump he installed from the Mitchell's Enterprise Engine site. Looking very good to me... May get one later in the year.



Going to tackle the new one I got at Cummins West either tonight after work, or this weekend.
 
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