What gauges do I need?
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2008
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Gauges
would like to know also..Thanks.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2012
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If your truck is basically stock, you can get a Scangauge II and program it to monitor almost everything - it is also a very good scan tool and trip computer. Two things that it does not monitor that are important are fuel pressure and exhaust gas temperature. I have the SGII and an autometer fuel pressure gauge for my stock truck.
The dash gauges are pretty much the equivalent of idiot lights. Oil pressure is literally connected to a 7 psi switch, not a pressure sender, and the two temp gauges are set up so they read in the middle for everything but dead cold, and hot enough to kill things. Turbo boost is quite accurate, so they say.
Key things to monitor:
Engine coolant temp and engine oil temp. The thing to watch is not only the actual numbers, but more importantly the difference (delta) between them. This is how you monitor the oil cooler efficiency. If the oil cooler plugs up the EGR cooler can fail, and that can kill the engine.
FICM (fuel injection control module) voltage is important because if the FICM starts to fail, it can kill the injectors.
ICP (Injector control pressure) is the pressure output of the high pressure oil pump. This is what powers the injectors. Too low and the engine won't start.
Battery voltage is important - too low and the FICM will fail.
Fuel pressure - should be around 60 psi at idle and only a few psi lower at full power. Below 50 psi will kill injectors. There is a "blue spring" upgraded fuel pressure regulator spring. Many treat that as optional - it really is mandatory, and quite inexpensive.
Hope this gets you started.
Brian
Brian
The dash gauges are pretty much the equivalent of idiot lights. Oil pressure is literally connected to a 7 psi switch, not a pressure sender, and the two temp gauges are set up so they read in the middle for everything but dead cold, and hot enough to kill things. Turbo boost is quite accurate, so they say.
Key things to monitor:
Engine coolant temp and engine oil temp. The thing to watch is not only the actual numbers, but more importantly the difference (delta) between them. This is how you monitor the oil cooler efficiency. If the oil cooler plugs up the EGR cooler can fail, and that can kill the engine.
FICM (fuel injection control module) voltage is important because if the FICM starts to fail, it can kill the injectors.
ICP (Injector control pressure) is the pressure output of the high pressure oil pump. This is what powers the injectors. Too low and the engine won't start.
Battery voltage is important - too low and the FICM will fail.
Fuel pressure - should be around 60 psi at idle and only a few psi lower at full power. Below 50 psi will kill injectors. There is a "blue spring" upgraded fuel pressure regulator spring. Many treat that as optional - it really is mandatory, and quite inexpensive.
Hope this gets you started.
Brian
Brian
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 155
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From: phoenix
Nice Job MC5C!! I use the Dashboss, it gives you all that and more pids. I added the Egt and fuel pressure sensors. I'm very happy with how it works. I hooked mine up and found out the the fuel pressure was down to 41 psi. I put in the blue spring and now its 61 psi. I did not have any gauges and a injector # 7 broke @ 68,000 miles so I bought the Dashboss to check on the fuel Psi.
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