On project Cobalt I'm going with 4 pod pillar. I'm thinking of doing a gauge for coolant temp, transmission temp, fuel pressure, and oil pressure.

Any suggestions for the fuel pressure gauge? I want it in the cab, not on the rail under the hood.

 

Fuel pressure is a super pointless gauge to have, IMO. Any kind of tampering with the fuel system to get a pressure sensor in there is just asking for trouble. I think the coolant temp gauge is questionable too, since the stock gauge is a "real" gauge and works fine.

Really the only two gauges I'd consider adding would be transmission temp, oil pressure (since the factory oil pressure gauge is just a glorified light) and maybe oil temperature.

 

2-1/16" FUEL PRESSURE, 0-100 PSI, FORD FACTORY MATCH

 

I have a fuel pressure gauge on my '71 Bronco. It's been nice to have when the aftermarket in-line electric fuel pumps were failing (so I didn't have to spend any time figuring out why I was coasting to a stop on the side of the freeway). But mine is a low pressure gage for a carb, so it wouldn't be one you'd be able to use.

 

GJ, are you considering wet gauges, or dry? And if dry, Autometer or Speed Hut (or other)? I'm having these same debates with myself.


Personally, I like the idea of a fuel pressure gauge though, 99% of the time, it won't tell you anything that you don't already know. But if it were me, I'd have 15 gauges, all telling me the same thing that they've been telling me for years.


I'm also agreed that coolant temp would be redundant.

 

My fuel pressure gauge (on the bottom) is an ISSPRO. I went with it because it has the ability to be fine tuned, has a red warning light that can be set to a high AND low pressure setting, and the sender for the fuel rail came with the proper adapter.

 

Here is the sender installed on the fuel rail

 

The Ford rail takes 1/16 NPT?

 

Yes it does. Just unscrew the schrader valve and screw the adapter in.

 

Is that mechanical or electric? You have a part number?

 

That one is electric. Actually all of them are electric. The fuel pres gauge part number is R17044. Here is a link to the best priced one I have found. Xtreme Diesel Performance | XDP - Search

 

I like duplication. So there is a "T" on my oil sender port for the stock "gauge" & an electric aftermarket gauge. If one "zeros" out, I'm not worried. Both go zero, there's a problem.
This is before the aftermarket sender was added:



I thought my engine was running the right temp with the factory gauge till I put in a mechanical in to backstop it & get a line on actual thermostat opening temps when I converted to an electric fan.
Then I tested some used electrical sender's resistances I picked up in the junkyard. Y'all keep thinking that.



Added a trans temp recently. Its in the pan, but I want to move its sender up to the test port or the output to cooler line.

 

Uh huh, and just what is the "right temp"? Redundant gauges are a waste of time, in my opinion, as are things like fuel pressure gauges. The only time you'd ever need to check fuel pressure, is if there's a problem. A permanent fuel pressure gauge is just going to tell you something you already know - there's a problem. You'd already know that, since you'd have noticeable running problems. IMO, gauges should tell you stuff that you can't readily see while driving - such as oil temp, trans temp, oil pressure. Having another coolant temp gauge to me is like those guys that put a big goofy AutoMeter tach in the car, when they already have one in the dashboard.

If I absolutely had to have a 4 gauge pillar, I'd have Trans Temp, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp and an engine vacuum gauge. At least a vacuum gauge can assist you in maximizing fuel economy.

 

My 5.8 is spec'd @ 195* to open thermostat.

 

OK........