Which gauges should I use.

[Dave Remillard]

I was wondering if any of you would share with us which gauges you felt are needed the most, why, and where should I go to purchase them. I have a stock "95" with auto transmission, which I use for hauling a 2500lb. camper and a 5500 lb. boat. Hills are always between me and where I'm going. I'm guessing I'll have the following three suggested the most (EGT, boost, and Pyro. ) but would appreciate being squared away if I'm off on the wrong track.

 

[24V-DSL]

lots of choices.....

Egt and pyro are just different names for the same gauge.



I have boost, egt, and fuel pressure.



I don't tow so didn't get a transmission guage, but you might want to consider... . someone who tows will weigh in on this... .



Most popular brands are Autometer, Isspro, DiPricol, VDO, Westach, etc. , and most of them are easily found at vendors who support the TDR.



Good luck... .

 

[WyoJim]

Guages

I have Westach Egt-Boost and Transmission Temperature. They have taught me a lot about my driving and my truck. I have the fuel pressure also, but I don't think you need that one.

 

[TxDieselKid]

SPA all the way....

I have not yet got my gauges, but when i do, they will be SPA. Greater accurecy is the main thing with these. They do cost more, but you get what you pay for IMHO.



AJB

 

[HoleshotHolset]

With digital gauges you have to actually take time to process the number it is displaying... time which should be spent keeping your eyes on what's important (like the brunette in the CTD Dodge winking at you as you drive on down the highway..... ).



IMHO, you get used to the important engine/drivetrain data when it is displayed as a graphical representation. You will grow accustomed to where the needles should be... . and what they mean in real #'s.....



As far as accuracy goes... . any good analog gauge will give you a good idea as to what's going on and that's all you really need. Knowing whether you have 1250deg or 1255deg on your pyrometer is not all that important. Buy a good precision gauge, properly maintain/test it regularly, and fully understand what the gauge is telling you is going on.



Matt

 

[TxDieselKid]

well that is, and is not what I ment...

Take time to process a number? Try this, look away, just to the left of your screen, and think of a number, I did 35 just because it was the first number to come to mind. Then look back at the screen. How long did it take? Took me about 1/2 a second. But I do understand that I am pretty young compaired to most members on these fourms, so it would take longer for someone a little older.



When I said greater accuracy, I met by a pinpoint number as opposed to just a range between 30-35, somewhere in that area.



Just a couple of thigs to think about.



AJB

 

[SlyBones]

TDK,



I think the point Holeshot is making is you actually have to read a digital gauge. You have to look at it, keep your eyes there long enough to focus, read the number, etc. With an analog gauge you learn the good and bad positions. You will learn to only glance at the gauge and observe the needle position. You dont actually look at it long enough to read the needle points to 1200 degrees. You can tell by just the position of the needle.



Now that may only be a half a second or so, but thats a half a second longer you could be checking out that brunette



Your analogy should really be, look to the left of the screen, focus on a point that contains a number, and focus on it long enough to be able to clearly read the number, then look back at the screen. Now how long did that take.



A bigger argument IMO is not static readings but dynamic readings. With a sweeping needle you can see the 'rate' of increace much easier and faster that having to stare a digital gauge to see rate the numbers are moving.



Personally I went analog because of price. I dont think the accuracy is worth it. However I do like the peak recall thing people have mentioned. Now this may make it worth the extra costs.

 

[DBCooper]

I just got my Westach guages in a couplea weeks ago. Bought from Geno's. Here's the plus. . Very easy to read, easy to buy and Geno's gives a COMPLETE kit with extra instuctions that really help. I've been in aviation awhile and Westach is a name I recognise. The only change I would make is going to a 1/8 npt probe versus a 1/4 in case you hose the drill and tap. I just got to thinking as I drilled into my manifold that I had no "oversize" to go to if I messed up. The downs? Still tryin' to think of one.

Dan

 

[HoleshotHolset]

SlyBones said it much better than I did... . trying to make my point clear is a bit difficult at times..... I hate to think that my major is communications!!! haha



(insert my $. 02 worth disclaimer here... . )



Precision is how close a gauge (or anything for that matter. . ) can get to the actual target. Accuracy is how it averages out and how often it can repeatedly be precise... . I'd rather have a gauge that is easy to read that might be off a little bit than something that requires more attention. Looking at brunettes comes second to my love of diesels... . so I do have to prioritize at times... .



Give me graphs... easy to see at a distance... . easy to plot trends... . and easy to remember those trends. Besides... it's more fun to look at curves in person than just looking at something's numerical dimensions! (that goes for a LOT of things!!!!)



Matt - lover of curves

 

[Strick-9]

I started out with all analog gauges for the very reasons you mentioned. Cheaper, quicker to glance than read, etc.



A few months ago I purchased the SPA egt/boost gauge. Coughing up $350 for it about killed me.



After getting used to it, I wouldn't have any other gauge.

The high temp recall and a blinking warning light is more than worth the price of the gauge.



I have my EGT light set to go off at 1415°. Now, I don't even watch the EGT gauge anymore. When I'm hammering on it, I don't like taking my eyes off the quickly approaching obstacles ahead. Now I just leave my foot in it until I see the blinking light and then back out a little. After things calm down, I hit the recall button to see how toasty things got.



My former EGT gauge was a BANKS gauge and when I installed the SPA gauge with NO fueling changes, I saw over 150° difference in temperatures. I'll agree that 1250° or 1266° isn't important, but I think 1400° versus 1550° IS important. I cringe thinking about how hot things actually were when the slow responding analog gauge actually displayed 1500°.



Matt:

If you're serious about getting 600 hp then you'll need VERY accurate, quick responding gauges.



I would HIGHLY recommend the SPA gauges if you can afford it.







-Chris

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Yeah, crazy as it seems... . this new guy with the relatively stock truck eventually wants 600rwhp. This goal is a few years down the road, though... . as the truck won't be the daily driver then.

For now I'd like to get a set of Westach or Auto Meters... ... . Summit Racing and everyone else on Earth has the Auto Meter stuff but I am having a hard time finding which pyrometer probe to use... . I like the idea of the 1/8NPT instead of the larger hole.

Having a light would be cool... . that wouldn't be hard to rig up if I could come up with a chart or equation that gave me voltage vs. temperature for a specific probe... . or I could just test it in real time.

For now I just need some gauges so I can start kicking it up a few notches.....

As always... thanks for the info!



Matt - time to research my EGT light project

 

[Dave Remillard]

I am a bit curious HoleshotHolset, who you are referring to as the new guy wanting to get 600 h. p. out of his truck. I hope it's you, because if I went to that extreme, the war department would want to divorce me on grounds of insanity: Sure sounds like fun though being able to blow the spoiler off a Porche. Thanks for your input.

 

[Hutchew]

SPA's & bright light?

I too like the idea of the SPA digital gauges, but would like to know how easy they are to 'read' in bright light, such as when the sun is shining directly on them? I will have to install them (probably) in a custom (meaning home-made) dash-top mount, and if they are anything like my stereo and/or anything else I own that has a 'digital' face, they will be unreadable in this instance. Anybody have the answer?

 

[TxDieselKid]

lol

Originally posted by HoleshotHolset

I hate to think that my major is communications!!! haha

My major is going to be Radio/Television Communications, kinda cool how either one of us can get our point across clearly.



AJB

 

[HoleshotHolset]

TxDieselKid: I have an associates degree (paper towel) in Broadcasting and Telecommunications... I double majored in video and audio production..... Hopefully, I will have my Bachelor's degree (Bounty paper towel) this Spring '02 in Communications (video production).



As far as me being right in the head... . I'm insane when it comes to horsepower. A simple glance at my profile shows that I drank diesel fuel before... . about a 'shot' or so. I had gasoline a couple of times as a result of improper siphoning techniques... . so I figured if I'm such a big diesel nut... I may as well know what it tastes like... . so I drank some... . it wasn't bad and I'm still alive to talk about it. (don't try this at home!)



Matt - new self-declared nickname: DieselDrinker