After installing my 300 GSK, KDP fix, and Fuel plate mods on Sunday, I installed my gauges on Monday.... and Tuesday.
Installing gauges aren't technically challenging, Unlike on Sunday, I always knew what I was doing and didn't feel that I was in constant and imminent danger of screwing something up. But installing gauges was just a PITA. And Murphy was alive and well for this project!
Took me forever to get he dash apart to route the wires and lines up to the pillar mount, not knowing how it comes apart (what should show up via UPS late this afternoon.. several days late... MY FSM. The first thing I ordered, the last thing to arrive. too late to be of much value for these projects.)
The thing I was most worried about, tapping the exhaust manifold for the EGR probe, was a piece of cake. A very strong rare earth magnet captured everything while drilling. Grease on the tap captured everything while tapping. Couldn't find even a trace of metal inside when I was done.
The big problem was after I drilled and tapped the banjo bolt to feed the fuel pressure gauge. While re-assembling, one of the neoprene washers just disappeared! I felt it fall, but when I went to retrieve it, it had vanished. I looked for 2 hours for that stupid washer. All over the floor at least 10 times, every nook and cranny in the engine compartment 20 times. I tried blowing crevices with air, prodding places with screwdrivers. It simply vanished, I tell you.
So I waited until today to buy a new washer, Not so easy. I made three trips to town, and buying about 6 different styles of washers before I found a washer that wouldn't leak. I finally found a metal encapsulated neoprene bellows washer at a hydraulic hose shop that worked just great. They felt sorry for me after hearing my saga, and just gave me a couple of those neat little washers.
So everything is finally installed and working.
Not knowing what to look for on boost pressure, I thought I had a problem when I first started the truck. 0 psi boost! I checked everything out, put pressure to the gauge (It worked.) Took the fitting off at the manifold and checked to see if it was plugged )it wasn't. Checked the pressure line for kinks. Started it up with no plug and stuck my finer over the hole. Sure enough, it had zero pressure. No vacuum, or no boost. I thought that to be strange.. if my turbo was shot, my truck probably wouldn't run with a darn. It don't run that bad!
So I hooked it back up and took it for a drive. Sure enough, it has pressure when you get on it. Shows what little I know!
When I took it out for a drive tonight and noticed I gotta find a dimmer switch somehow for the gauges. They blind me, the lights are so bright! Any ideas on the best way to do that?
Here are my various readings running empty: At an idle, 0 PSI boost, 16 psi fuel pressure, and, 350F EGT.
Driving steady at 60 to 70 mph, 10 to 20 psi boost, 750 to 850F EGT, and 21 psi fuel pressure.
Accelerating hard from 0 to 70; 25 to 28 psi boost, 1250 F EGT, and 26 psi fuel pressure.
Haven't towed with it yet, I will be curious to see what they read then.
Speaking out of semi-ignorance, those numbers seem kind of normal. Seems like the EGT might be high for accelerating with no load?? Am I gonna have problems when I pull a load? I put my fuel plate at half way, for lack of knowing where to put it.
Again, Thanks for all the help in getting to where I am.

 

Hook the guage lights to the dimmer wire on the headlight switch and when you dim the headlights the guages will also dim. My fuel pressure is about 22 at idle and about 32-35 at 2200RPM.

 

Everything sounds good except fuel pressure, a little low.
Might want to replace the overflow valve or change the fuel filter.

 

The fuel filter only has a couple hundred miles on it, so I had better look at the overflow valve.
I think I will see if Radio Shack has a rheostat or resistor or some other device to put on the hot wire feeding the lights.

 

I used a dimmer switch from geno's. $29.90 & used double face tape & stuck it to my steering column. works great..some have said it might be too much draw for my 3 gauges, tapping into the switch....! click the link

http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AM-9114

 

No mention of intake or exhaust in your sig. There are lots of different options. Not that your temps are that high but it will help doing some form of free flowing intake and a less restrictive exhaust.

 

ahh... too much reading..

 

The intake is stock, the exhaust I think has been modified. It has a 3" pipe the whole way with no catalytic converter or muffler.

 

3" pipe is fine for your power. Intake would probably help but many say that around that level a stock intake box with a higher flowing filter is enough.

 

u can paint the bulb a darker color to kill some of the light.

 

Yeah I forgot about the bulbs. I put blue covers on my bulbs to match the truck guage color.

 

Cougsfan..
I agree with Infidel and would say your fuel pressure is a tad low.If you have already changed out the filter and its fresh then maybe a new Overflow valve would help.Below is the part number of the Bosch valve...

Bosch number.... 2 417 413 101

If your running the stock air box take the top off and remove the rubber sleeve that connects it to the fender,it will allow for a tad more air also.If you do not buy a good air intake or use a BHAF then use a hole saw and open up the bottom of the stock air box below the filter for added air.

You gauge problem can be fixed by tapping into the dash lights in the fuse panel.If you choose to not go that route you can add some colored bulb covers for them to dim them.Another option is going to a LED style light in a different color and adding the Autometer dimmer for them.

Good luck and enjoy your new toys.....Andy