Sorry if this question seems dumb but I need to know the reasons for installing gauges (beginner question).

I have a stock '96 and will not be in any competitions or racing so why gauges?
I haul seed, fertilizer, feed, and pull a cattle trailer.
My truck has enough power, I would like more, but only if it does not affect my fuel consumption.
What are the different guages and what is their purpose?
Are they only necesary if you want to double or triple your horsepower?

I enjoy this site and appreciate the help I have received from it.
Kevin

 

you at least NEED a pyro. That moniters your exhaust temps and makes sure that you dont either melt your engine or your turbo. if your runnin an auto, you NEED a trans temp if your going to be pulling. this will keep you from overheating your automatic transmission.

Then you can install a boost guage if you want to, and a fuel pressure. i dont know if the FP is necessary with a 12v tho.

 

Guages are necessary because the only real way to increase performance (HP) is to add fuel. Adding fuel adds heat very fast, this heat can actually melt the aluminum of the pistons (which is REALLY bad) - generally. aluminum melts at around 1300 degress when exposed to these temps for prolonged periods. Therefore, an exhaust temperature guage (pyrometer) is needed to monitor exhaust temps. Even in stock form, (especially when towing) you can reach dangerous temperatures.

Is short, a boost guage measures turbo performance/output.

A transmission temperature guage is pretty much self explanatary.

A fuel pressure guage on a 24V is necessary to ensure that the injector pump gets the correct amount of fuel to keep it working and cool.

 

Welcome to DTR CattleKev

The DR. is correct. (He usually is. )
Basically, gauges are piece of mind, you know what the engine is doing. Fuel pressure (to me) is a big thing. You want to know what your fuel pump / fuel filter is doing. As you know diesel fuel is pretty dirty, and if you are fueling from a steel tank it's gonna have rust, water, or crud in it sometime, so filters need to be monitored. The best way to do that is to watch the fuel pressure on the downside (post) of the filter.

 

Thanks for all the help.
Are these guages available as a factory option in new trucks?
I've never seen them in new trucks and wonder why?

Kevin

 

No, these gauges aren't offered from the factory on the newer trucks......GM does offere a trans temp gauge, though. The engine management systems are sophisticated enough to keep the new trucks from running in dangerous operating parameters in stock form but all that goes out the window when the level of fueling is increased beyond stock on the new trucks too.....

At the very least, intall a pre turbo pyro gauge......this is the most important gauge to have in a CTD, especially when adding fueling beyond stock.

Check your PM's...

 

Pyro will let you know if you're turbo has cooled enough to shutdown after hauling a load too =P

 

The new Fords have a boost gauge option.

 

I wouldnt worry about gauges on a bone stock truck and even less-so on one with an intake/exhaust or straight pipe. I will probably always have gauges on my trucks, even if they are stock(but that wont happen ), just because you can monitor, and see how you can drive to keep it cooler, etc, but there really is no way you can run one stock to tear it up unless you are always lugging it at like 1k rpm or less. If you are going to modify it; i would make sure and do at least an EGT gauge though.

Eric

 

I'm with cumminsdriver....I'll probably have gauges on every truck from here on out. In addition to keeping you in the safe zone, they're a good troubleshooting tool while driving. If I see my fuel pressure dropping, I know my filter maybe getting clogged. If boost is lower than normal, possibly I slipped a boost hose, clogged a filter or I've got a turbo problem. Temps outside normal range, etc, etc.

You can never have too much info...

 

One question that wasnt answered : Almost all the light mods (including adding fuel and more boost streight pipe, big honkin air filter) will give you an increditable amount of increased torque and horse power with no drop in fuel milage, and in MOST cases you will get an increase in milage. Because you dont have to mash the go pedal as much. Add fuel is adding heat, add air boost adds cooling, get pretty close on the ratio and you got POWER ! Add Gauges to monitor perfomance, and to watch Exaust temperatures while pulling on the hills, so you know when to back off the throttle IF it gets close to the red zone. Thats the Glory of a CUMMINS !

 

gauges are important once u start adding fuel...more fuel= higher temps...ur engine can only tolerate a certain temp for acertain amount of time...u CAN control the temp with ur foot....but u need a gauge to know when to back off.....a pyro and boost gauge also tell u when when in ur powerband u are fueling and when not and approx how much!...so thn when u slide plates forward or change plates u know how much more fueling u are adding...etc ect..

 

Didnt I just say that ?

 

Even on a stock truck you can produce high EGT temps. Pyro is a MUST for all trucks.

2nd Gen's NEED a fuel pressure guage... So you know when you pump is dieing...

Boost guage is nice to know if your turbo is working properly.

Tranny Guage is a must if you have a auto trans and tow a lot...

 

I've never towed anything other than a little 4wheeler trailer, and I've seen my tranny temps peg 280 on more than one occasion, empty,
so I'd say you need a tranny temp guage if you have an automatic transmission, and drive.


phox