So, a friend of mine here at work have decided to put our heads together and use my truck as a base for a project, just for fun.

I know there are plenty of available solutions already out there. This all started when he was in my truck and saw me setting up my phone and monitoring it with my Torque Pro app.

We are going to try to come up with a display panel mounted on top of the dash above the instrument cluster that will show a series of digital gauges. The first thing we need to do is figure out exactly what we want to monitor. That's where I wanted to ask for some opinions from everyone here at the FTE.

Here's what I'm thinking so far:
-engine oil temperature
-engine coolant temperature
-EOT and ECT delta
-engine oil pressure
-fuel pressure
-exhaust gas temperature
*I already have a thermocouple mounted in my driver's side exhaust manifold for my PLX iMFD set up. Does anyone think there would be any advantage to having one in each manifold, one in the up pipe (after the Y) and one on the down pipe?*
-cooling system pressure
-boost pressure
-transmission temperature
-FICM output voltage
-charging system voltage
*I considered IAP actual pressure, but I'm not sure there's a need to monitor this. Seems it's most useful as a diagnostic tool if there is a problem.*

I mainly just want to monitor items that will have active alarms at preset values to let me know that there is a problem that can cause a bigger problem if I don't do something. Temperatures climbing out of range can certainly cause larger issues if the issue is ignored, same with low oil and fuel pressure. Low charging system voltage can kill a FICM. A weak FICM can damage injectors. We all know what over boost and excessive EGTs can do. Being alert to climbing cooling system pressure can allow you to fix an issue before it becomes necessary to replace your heads or rebuild your engine. Anyway, you se where I'm going with this. I don't want to monitor every available data point, just the ones that will allow me to stop a problem before it becomes a much bigger problem.

So, I'm looking for input from FTE on my list of things to monitor with our set up. Thanks!

 

Also curious to see what you guys would set your alarms at for each monitored parameter?

 

I thought you guys would be all over this.
I'll keep this updated anyway.
Strange things happen when engineers get bored.

 

No need to monitor the down pipe, I have this on mine and it is pretty useless. Going to plug the bung, use the open hole for a fuel pressure gauge in my Pod.

 

Good to know, you just saved me $60 on a thermocouple and bung.
I'm not really sure there's much value in having more than the one in the driver's side manifold...

 

No problem, you can buy me a Smoothie if I visit Orlando...

 

That'd be a heck of a drive for a smoothie, but I'll gladly grab you a beer if you're ever in Jacksonville!

 

Some folks on the 7.3L forum are using dual pyro's to monitor EGT's. Seems to help figure out which side might be the area to focus on when problems arise. There might be a benefit for the folks living in the cold climate as well - help keep an eye on glow plugs, etc.

Just a thought. How about a little LED to show when the GP's are on?

Another thought - EBP that measures in PSI, then you can compare that to MAP to show drive pressure when going crazy or towing heavy.

 

SO, perhaps a thermocouple in both manifolds, but skip the up and down pipes.

I was under the impression that the "coil spring" shaped indicator on the cluster indicated when the glow plugs were on. Am I incorrect?

I'm not sure what you're getting at with the EBP / MAP reading. Can you clarify?

Keep the input coming guys!

I work on our mechanical engineering side and my buddy works on our electrical engineering side and we just thought this would be a fun project and also will keep me from having to fiddle with my phone and BT and apps.

 

That coil is a wait to start light not a glow plug light - it's the PCM telling you when things are warmed up enough and the truck is ready to start. The glow plugs can actually stay on quite a bit longer, IIRC from 10 to 120 seconds longer depending on oil temp & baro sensor readings. You can see when they turn off a few different ways.

1. if you have your wipers on following a cold start, you can notice the speed change when the glow plugs turn off.

2. just turn on your interior light and watch it. You can see the light get a bit lighter after the glow plugs turn off.

3. watch the battery voltage go up after they turn off.

Alot of folks on the 7.3L forum hook up a little LED light in the cab and wire it to the Glow Plug Relay to show when it is off.

 

Some folks place them on the gauge pods or anywhere on the dash. Just a neat way to visually see when the GP system is on.

 

I have seen Android tablets or Double DIN radios, Android based, used for gauges. I keep the most important stuff at eye level with my pillar gauge. A heads up display would be the most desirable if you can make it work... I'm in for BETA testing.

 

sometimes the focus tends to be on boost pressure, but just as important if not more is drive pressure. Think of it as boost in reverse, it how hard your engine is working to push exhaust gas out of it and drive the turbine side of the turbo. Drive pressure ratio is the ratio between boost and drive pressure. Ideal drive pressure ratio is 1:1 but, realistically the drive pressure ratio will usually be slightly higher but the goal is to be close to 1:1 - when boost = drive pressure.

I have not had the chance to do much data logging on drive pressures with the 6.0L to see if it is an issue like it is on the 7.3L. So this might not be a big enough issue under 500hp but VGT turbo setups tend to have higher drive pressures in general from what I have read. My mind set is still on the 7.3L as a reference. I need to get some data logging while towing a heavy load on the 6.0L and find out the valve spring specs for the 6.0L. Cuz I have read about a few folks running 500-700hp setups with the stock valve train.

For example, the factory valve springs on a 7.3L can handle up to about 60-70 or PSI Drive pressure. So, if you are running 35-40 psi of boost and 60-65 psi drive pressure you are very close if not at a drive pressure ratio of 2:1 and on the verge of reaching or exceeding the spring specs. This is hard on the engine and can lead to valve float.

So folks that tow heavy, sled pull or tear it up at the track watch to make sure that drive pressure does not exceed the valve spring limits and tear things up.

By monitoring MAP and EBP you can compare the two to get a drive pressure ratio. But many times this comparison seems to be done after data logging not in real time. Unless you hook up a a stand alone driver pressure gauge with a bunch of copper tubing to cool the exhasut so it does not melt the sensor.

I'm not sure if I did a good job explaing this or not - it's been a long day

 

Ok.
The glow plug light will be easy.
I see what you're saying about drive pressure, I'm pretty sure we could write a gauge for that into the software.
We're looking to do a total software solution that will display simulated gauges on a screen.

 

What parameters (besides VGT duty cycle) do hills watch to make sure the VGT turbo is operating correctly? I'm just starting to dig into this part of the motor.