I'm new to this and i'm going to order my fuel pressure guage. Some have said get electric and some have said mechanical. So i'm asking what kind do i need and what all do i need to install it

 

All the ones that I have done in customers truck has been Isspro mechanical gauge w/o the isolator. We use a banjo tap that gives you an 1/8" npt port to hook your fuel rated (boost line size) line that goes to the guage.
I install a needle valve with it nearly closed off to stop the pulsation of the lift pump. By doing this you wont kill the gauge.. I also do not put the fuel pressure gauge on the A pillar. To get to the A-pillar you go real close to the fuse panel. Dont like to run live fuel up in the A-pillar incase of a leak. What I had done is to install a 1 gauge mount under the dash just above the left edge of the trans tunnel. That way if you do develope a leak its easier to find it and also its still within your site to monitor the fuel pressure. Never was a fan of those isolators because of how they work.. There is really no difference of running live fuel in the cab as it it when you use a mechanical oil pressure gauge..
Anyway that is how we do it here in the shop...

Rick

 

Here is what RH is talking about I mounted mine exactly like that. I am glad some one else thinks like i do about having live fuel in the pillar i would much rather dump fuel on the floor mat than down the dash.

 

Read this thread, a lot of good info is here:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=121388

 

DodgeCowboy, Thanks for posting the photo. I’m putting mine there too and was wondering how it’d look. Did you punch right through the fire wall inline from the gauge or over by the steering column?

Thanks

 

I found a whole that was there that looked like at some time a factory plug went AWOL and ran my fuel line though there then i came up over the steering wheel column and to the gage. I did put some of that wire loom stuff on the hose that was on top of the steering column for safe measure. An last night while wiring up my extra back up lights i had picked up one of these bell 12volt cig lighter led "mood lights" and cut it apart and added it to a keyed 12fuse so now my mechanical gage has light at night

 

If you have an auto, there is a big rubber plug to the left of the steering column, which is used for the clutch. Punch a hole through the center and feed your line through.

 

I was eyeing that rubber plug too as an easy route. I’ll go that way once I get my 0-35 psi h2o gauge in the mail. DL1221 – thanks for the tip on that one, what a deal at $10.00 and tech at Autometer said it will work well.

 

NGA Ram if you go electrical get a 18" or so rubber fuel 1/4' line with 1/8 fittings and run to the fire wall. At the fire wall tie into a snubber $10.00 from Diesel Innovations and put the sending unit on that then to the cab with the wires. If no snubber the Cummins psi spikes can waste the sending unit. Same concept with the the needle valve to control the spikes and not kill the mechanical gauge. I hear it’s easier to run the electrical, but you could get mixed up readings from the sending unit if you mount it direct to the banjo or outlet fuel source.

Mechanical seems cheaper too. Can do a unit as cheap as $30.00 including nylon or copper, rubber ¼”, quality gauge , and fittings. Vulcan has good prices on needle valves and pushlock fitting/line/hose.


Thanks to all at DTR, I’m learning a lot too, about my truck at least.

 

Is a needle valve a one way valve??

 

The needle valve is just a shutoff valve that you can get at your local Napa store..No its not a one way valve...
By using this valve you dont need the rubber snubber line to dampen the pulsation of the lift pump...this little jewel takes care of all of that..When we install the banjo tap ...the needle valve is screwed right into it instead of having to find a location between there and the firewall...

Rick

 

And the 98.5 & 99 model years have the best and easiest hook up for monitoring fuel pressure.

 

The 01-02s are not that bad either once you get the needle out of the test port on the injection pump its about as strait forward as yours shuvel best of both years I guess

 

BINGO! Great pix of the set up DodgeCowboy. I have a 2000 with the port on the VP44 and will use that port to run my fittings. What type of fitting did you use from the valve to the elbow? Where did you pick this up? What type and size of hose did you run from the valve to the guage?

Thanks!