They have gauges and A-pillar pods
(Tim didn't want you to miss this one.LOL)
Rob

 

The BD-X monitor guage uses the existing transmission sensor. It may respond more quickly than the analog guage, however, I have not yet installed it on my 05 PSD.

FYI on the temp guage...

 

My apologies, guage-indicator take your pick. I read somewhere the dash guage worked that way, and I've never seen my react anyother way. Once it reaches normal range it never fluxuates. The trans cooler must be doing a great job of keeping the temperature that stabile. I believe guages are mechanical, and indicators use sensors, take your pick.

 

hmmm...than is my digital EGT gauge on my Edge Juice an indicator or gauge? It looks like a gauge with all the numbers it displays...but since it only has a heat sensor thermometer on the manifold...I guess it could be an indicator?

where is this conversation going?

 

If it had a Thermocouple it would be a guage, apparently yours is a different animal

 

The word Thermo (heat {sensing}) and couple (connector/together/connected).

Thus it is a connected sensor.
LOL

 

The tachometer and speedometer are 'soft' too; they are from the SCP, standard corporate protocol, network communication. The electrical drawings do show the engine coolant gauge as being likewise; however, in the service manual (2004 F-250) it says early model were hardwired! mine isn't.
There is an additional parameter for the instrument cluster called "speedometer bias"; not to be confused with the tire/axle ratio parameter. Ever do the odometer trick and watch the digital speedometer and compare it to the analog speedometer?

Per the electrical drawing the following instrument indications are from the SCP network (typically the PCM originates) or the non direct wired indications:
4) Engine coolant temperature gauge
5) Speedometer
15) Tachometer
17) Tow/Haul indicator LED lamp
42) Check engine LED lamp
43) Water in fuel Led lamp
98) Transmission fluid temperature gauge
99) Wait to start LED lamp
109) Low oil pressure/high coolant temperature LED lamp

Actually there is nothing wrong with using a microprocessor based instrument cluster and using the network to send the data; actually pretty slick. What is poor is how Ford does not provide engineering units on the temperature gauges or even a real oil pressure switch; and how about that missing voltmeter if you have an automatic. Accuracy doesn't seem important to Ford engineering with respect to what the customer gets; or the speedometers wouldn't be off by 2 to 2-1/2 MPH.

Bob

 

NOt the determining factor. An indicator is a light, a guage is any notification of varying temps, press. speed, etc. We joke about the "guages" in our trucks being idiot lights in disguise or indicators as a joke b/c they don't really move like real guages should. Digital or analog, mechanical or electrical, it doesn't matter. If it has a sensor, a thermocouple or a sender, it is a guage. Technically the oil pressure guage is really just an indicator, it shows that either there is pressure or that there is no pressure, nothing further and it is controlled by only a switch (on-off at 6psi). The "EGT guage" or pyrometer is a guage and it is controlled by a thermocouple (a temperature sensor) in the manifold or downpipe depending on the specific install. The aftermarket trans temp guages that use the factory sensor will work as proper guages b/c they take the signal directly from the sensor where the factory guage is driven from a signal out of the PCM that is a reinterpretation of the original sensor signal. I hope this clears this all up for everyone. IF you really want to know the temp of your coolant or trans fluid or the actual oil pressure, get aftermarket guage. Yes this means that you will have duplicates for these, FOMOCO will NOT provide any help with replacing the existing "guages" with real ones, as their opinion is that the originals will provide the user with enough info. to protect their interest and shut down the engine if the temps get too hot or the oil press drops. They should tell this to the guy who trashed an engine b/c his oil pressure dropped enough that it didn't lube the engine properly but he swore the oil pressure didn't drop, "it was midrange right up till the engine shut down". The "guage" won't drop until the oil pressure is below 6psi, then it goes to "L", by then it's way too late for an engine at operating speeds and temps. Good luck and have fun with the indicators that Ford has provided for us to monitor our $45000 machines. Mat

 

Bob, I completely agree. If they cared, the tolerances for error would be closer to zero than "it's close enough". It seems like that's the answer for too many things with them. My speedo is always off, and as has been discussed on this forum before, it just gets worse as you go faster. Which means that really, if you drive on the highway all the time, your odometer will read many more miles than you have actually driven during the life of your truck, which won't really matter until you hit that magic 100,000 mile mark a little sooner than you should and then your engine warranty is done, but should it be, or should you only be at 98,000 when it blows and now who has to pay for it? Well, the odometer says 101,000 so that means that you do and not Ford. Funny how that works isn't it? Also hurts the resale, more miles means less money you get for trade-in too, Ford dealers win that one if you stay with Ford that is. Bottom line, Ford and nearly every other big company have found ways to cheat us a little at a time until we don't even notice any more, and really can't do anything about it now. Sorry, I stretched that out so much, but the guage thing always gets me miffed, it's just so dang cheap and ridiculous.

 

I have an X-monitor and have watched my tranny go from outside temp to 155, at the same time the factory gauge never moves once the temp is around 100.

Glorified idiot light. Just like the 90's oil pressure (and the SD oil pressure too I believe) once there is 7psi the gauge shows normal all the time drop below 7psi and it will drop.