Twodiesels

How many of you guy's/gal's are running fuel straight from the pump into the cab to monitor fuel pressure? I had a fuel isolator that the fuel went through to my gauge, but the isolator took a dump a while back. I bypassed it and went from pump straight to the gauge. I was at Scheid today, and talking to them about it, and they say that I need to go with an electrical fuel gauge now, instead of the mechanical one. The new gauge is $143 bucks plus labor to install. My mechanical(isspro)gauge works fine. Should I put the electrical gauge in, or use the mechanical gauge I have installed now with the fuel coming staright to the gauge?

Thanks

Busboy

The electric fuel pressure gauges have a poor reputation and fuel pressure is critical on the second gen trucks. I would definitely stay mechanical but would get another isolator.

Twodiesels

Scheid doesn't even sell the isolators anymore. It would definately be cheaper to get another isolator. I was wondering if anyone runs without one, and ever had any problems.

mrclean

There are many folks that run without an isolator and have had no issues. With that said, I won't run without one. Rather not take the chance, however small, that I'll get diesel in the cab in the event of a line failure.

gorms

I've had a fuel filled line to the gauge in cab for at least 2 years now, no problems. It's a cheap gauge too, like $8 at tractor supply, just keep a shut-off valve easily accessible in the engine bay just in case. Not a bad idea to sleeve the line with some rubber (fuel) line to keep it from rubbing against anything.

Shovelhead

My 99 had a stainless braided line from the fuel filter canister to the dash mounted gauge from 2000 until Sept of this year when the truck was totaled by my neighbor's Acura.
Never dripped a drop in over 170,000 miles.

Homestead

10 plus years and over 260,000 miles with fuel straight to the guage, zero issues.

Have used a small diameter braided stainless line from filter canister to ISSPRO mechanical fuel guage myself while I know of trucks that for the same length of time or so have used small diameter air brake line for the same thing with no problems also.

Just use a small needle valve for that just in case moment as well as to dampen the pulses from the pump.

Jeff

Russ Roth

Mine has had fuel to the gauge for at least 5 years. No issues so far.

Busboy

I have had a mechanical oil pressure gauge in a vehicle for around 34 years it runs at more than twice the fuel pressure you will see, I have never had a problem, it's just the smell of diesel should it leak into the cab. You could do like the do on aircraft and that's "shroud" the line, run it in a sleeve.

AggieJustin

Running fuel straight to the back of my pillar mounted FP gauge. I have a needle valve on the line under the hood that I close down to dampen the pulses and I can use that as my shutoff in the event of a leak.

I ran a Westach electrical gauge for a number of years before I upgraded my pillar. I had a couple of sender failures that would result in either leaks from the terminals on the sender, or just faulty readings.

CapnRam

Ive had my gauges in since 04, fuel straight to the gauge in the pillar, NO PROBLEMS at all... I too put a small vavle inline my steel braided line to take care of the pulses and shut it off if i need to!! Stay with the fuel to the gauge, spend the $ somewhere else!!!

infidel

15 years and over half a million miles with zero problems on both my diesel in the cab trucks.
Way I look at it is do you trust that the plumbing in the walls of your home isn't going to leak?

I went to replace the FP gauge on my 2500 for a better one and got all prepared for diesel dripping in the cab. Line was still full of air from the install 12 years before.

Mechanical gauge with air in the lines reads correctly but if there is any air in the tubing with an isolator the gauge doesn't read right.
What good is a gauge that lies to you?

Twodiesels

Thanks guys. I ran it to the cab, no isolator. I would like to get a shut off valve put on, but not sure I know how to do that. Never seen one. But sure I can figure it out.

AggieJustin

Just get a small needle valve from that auto parts or hardware store (anywhere you can get small brass fittings) and put it in line before going through the firewall. You barely need to open up the valve since it will also work as a snubber to dampen the fuel pulses from the injector pump.

I had a homemade bracket made at the corner of my engine bay that used to hold my electric fuel pressure sender. When I went mechanical, I actually made a small 4 way manifold using some Ts and fittings. I have the incoming fuel from the pump on one port, my low pressure LED sender (idiot light for others driving my truck) on one, the line into the cab with a needle valve and another drain line with a needle valve that I can use for purging air from the system after fuel filter changes.