I'm looking to add the Gauges. I know one should be the Exhaust temps. 2 the tranny temp, the third is turbo?

So far I only seen the column gauge holder in black. Do you just get them painted or am I looking in the wrong places. What is a good price for them? Would any make of gauge due or are some better than others?

Is there a FAQ on how and where to install the sensors?

:help:

i got my isspro pryo from www.dps-performance.com. very easy instructions came with it and the guy was very helpful on the phone when i had a question. they are also one of the cheapest places i have found for gauges. most people just paint the column to match the color they want.

DG you will kick yourself for not going to a 3 gage pillar post, I went 2 gage post at 1st and upgraded to a 3, boost & EGT are 2 you want at a minimum as they let you know when engine is doing it's thing correctly, trans is a plus, once you start upgrading you will want more, IAT, IC in & out, turbo in and out, gages like power is addictive, you know you are making power but its way more cool by watching gages seeing it happpen, scrolling thru a scan tool display just isn't as fun as watching dials go from min to max. Ain't that rite GMCTD ;) with your mini instrumented flight control deck.

I want at least the 3 pillar. Just saw the 4 piller on dps-performance. They don't list it for my truck. My main question was to make sure that the 3 gauges I pick were the most useful. Then I wanted to know how set them up and the best places for the sensors to go.

Currently Boost, EGT, and Tranny are the ones to have. By what I read so far a lot depends on where you place the sensor for the normal readings?

I also read on dps-performance that the piller attaches to the old plastic piller piece. Is this true?

Has anyone ever tried to mount a gage pod on the steering column of a 97????

Maybe GMCTD will send a pic of his custom dash pocket mount, I don't think the column ones for the earlier trucks mount on later body trucks column.

I used the autometer 3 gage pillar for mine fits rite over factory pilar, came with push pins to fit in holes you drill to mate to factory pillar, mine came in black plastic can be painted to match interior, left it black looks good IMO in contrast to my grey interior. I also secured with stainless pan head sheet metal screws vs plastic pins supplied with pillar another look I like.

My boost is tapped to upper inlet back corner, EGT is in turbo down pipe at Banks location, will be moving to pre turbo one day or maybe install dual pre & post turbo gages, trans is set in my pan some prefer in return fluid line.

[QUOTE=I used the autometer 3 gage pillar for mine fits rite over factory pilar, came with push pins to fit in holes you drill to mate to factory pillar, mine came in black plastic can be painted to match interior, left it black looks good IMO in contrast to my grey interior. I also secured with stainless pan head sheet metal screws vs plastic pins supplied with pillar another look I like.

My boost is tapped to upper inlet back corner, EGT is in turbo down pipe at Banks location, will be moving to pre turbo one day or maybe install dual pre & post turbo gages, trans is set in my pan some prefer in return fluid line.[/QUOTE]

OK that's what I wanted to hear. I'm hoping to order the Gauges & Pillar next week. Now If I can just get some pics. :D

If you get a PML deep pan they have two bosses cast into the pan for the tranny temp sensor, or you can pay extra and they'll tap it for you.

Here are a few pics 2 of gages 1 of current boost and 1st boost tap location just right of IC tube coupling now plugged will be an IAT maybe in future, my PML pan is tapped for the trans temp sender, BTW an oil temp gage costs less than a "official" trans temp gage, if you don't mind reading word oil on gage vs trans. mine runs a 140-300F scale

So thats where the boost goes in. I take it you drilled and taped it yourself. Thanks for the quick and helpful replys.

Anywhere you have thick metal is best, easy to do take off the top intake drill & tap my fitting is a 1/8" NPT fitting, see in 3rd pic to right of my IC tube black square on top is where GM put its electronic boost sensor. Make sure when you reinstall it it's hospital clean, engines don't digest metal chips well :eek: :eek: :eek:

Heres the mess i made.


I'm still not sure of what to put in the 3rd hole.

trans temp or fuel line pressure

I'm thinking fuel pressure but i also want to have IAT.

I've thought about adding another probe for IAT and putting a selector switch on the leads to the pyro gauge I have. At least you could monitor one or the other at a time. Just an idea at this point!

thats a hell of an idea, lupey

Now that seems like the right application for a digital LED readout, they don't cost that much.

Niether is a pyro probe. Kennedy has 'um for $40 and a switch from the Shack maybe $3 for a heavy duty metal one. With the gauge of the leads I would imagine you would need the HD switch unless you relayed them, but why bring more crap into a simple idea? would only one of the leads need to be switched or would you have to go with a double throw type setup?

Thing you have to remember tho on a K thermocouple using chromel alumel the switch being copper can throw the reading off some ,need to compare before and after switch addition readings and make note of any offset impact the copper junction and switches internal resistance maght influence on the reading.

Here's what I wonder, how will a K type volt reading off a probe correspond to the IAT which like the ECT gives an ohm reading. I'm thinking you'd have to have a guage calibrated to the ohm reading.

DG,



I recently installed an EGT, Boost and Trans temperature set of gauges in a pillar mount along with two oil temp gauges (One sensor located before the oil cooler and one after) under the dash.

I mounted the thermocoupler in the exhaust manifold just prior to the turbo charger. This is the best location for actual gas temps. The best way to get to this spot is to remove the right front tire and then the inner wheel well (lots of bolts here). This will put the manifold right in your face. You will see a raised flat on the casting just below the turbo. Drill here for the thermocoupler thingy. I think you will need a 1/8" pipe tap and the proper drill size.

The Boost sender tubing mounted to the intake cover. Remove the boost sensor and the bolts holding the cover to the intake and install the brass fitting at your work bench. You don’t want any of the drill shavings going down the intake. Also, be careful with this fitting installation. The aluminum is very thin here. Don’t over tighten the fitting. Use Teflon tape or pipe dope here. I used a 90-degree street el with a 1/8 inch tubing compression fitting.

All the wiring and the boost tubing entered the cab through a slit I cut in the rubber piece around the steering column on the firewall.

The trans. temp sensor (I have the L-80 trany) mounted directly into the transmission at a pressure-testing port plug.

EGT, trans., and turbo boost gauges are pillar mounted.<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"></v:shapetype></v:shapetype>The oil temp. guages are mounted under dash, left side. I used Auto Meter Z-series gauges as they match the stock gauges perfectly.

I found that a can of off the shelf slate gray spray paint from Home Depot was a perfect match to the interior of my Suburban.



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PS: My ride is a 1997 GMC K2500 6.5 TD Suburban just like yours but one year older.
Location: Wayne, NJ

Here's what I wonder, how will a K type volt reading off a probe correspond to the IAT which like the ECT gives an ohm reading. I'm thinking you'd have to have a guage calibrated to the ohm reading.
Most temp sensors are just resistive devices the meters they are attached to are scaled to a range of resistance for a given value potential range of error unless you get serious about it

To be dead on accurate for a specific value you need to incorporate a variable resistor or potentiometer (definately not a switch) then you would put the sensor into a known temp source for the given range you want accuracy/range for and bias the output of the sensor with the var pot/res. so meter is calibrated now for operating range of system being monitored, this also takes into account of the wire harness itself, which effects resistive reading output.

Another method similar is adjust the needle of the instrument good instruments have a span adjustment built in for this.

For most of us what comes from autometer et als is close enough, as we are looking for max lows & peaks and trends and not finite measurment.

This is why mechanical bulb type instruments are more accurate, the bulb, fluid in them & gage/scale are a matched set, X temp is X reading. Pressure gages respond to fluid reacting on it, accuracy only as good as mfr makes it, or range of gage don't use a 0-100 gage for accurate reading of a 0-15 system.

Thermocouples generally produce a current by bymetallic process reactive to changing temp, chromel alumel wire is used to carry this change to the meter without influencing thermocouples output, copper & other wire is resistive to current flow and can change reading, it's change isn't linear could only be a little off when cold but a lot off when hot, if you must use a circuit with common wire then a special "cold junction" wire or strip is incorporated to compensate for wiring influence, most accurate is chro/al wire all the way to the EGT meter.

Note I say meter as EGT isn't a gage reading, gages are mechanical devices, just like one can't call a variable resistor a switch they aren't the same thing, even to the most open minded and closed minded of us, like my 12 yr old says "Daddy Thats just wrong"

hey someone!-- does that mean it won't work?

It means you should have a LED read out wired off the IAT sensor calibrated as TD suggested and verified through DVOM readings campared to known temps for each range. My service manual has the conversion and I've posted it before.
The EGT gauge isn't going to work.

Should work my caution is to make sure you know what/influence a common switch has on the reading so you aren't limiting on incorrect reading, check probe direct to the meter then for same speed contition see if reading changes when read thru the switch, if it does then see if the change is linear so X degree offset across all readings. sort of us post turbo EGT readers know 200-300F drop across our turbo so we limit around 1000F

One of the things I have on my to do list is look for a thermo couple capable switch that does not influence EGT readings.

too big but on the right track. still looking for something smaller.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50926&item=3876406693&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

You are on right track you bloodhound; go boy, do a google & others for omega or thermocouple switches

Would gold contacts have the least resistance? Then use chromel and alumel wires back to the instrument? These aren't the only ones I've found but the first section has gold or silver contacts.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/621/1045.pdf

Mmmmmmm Mouser:drool:

Would gold contacts have the least resistance? Then use chromel and alumel wires back to the instrument? These aren't the only ones I've found but the first section has gold or silver contacts.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/621/1045.pdf

:iamlost:wwwwwwwwwhat?

The OMEGA brand thermocouple switches are available in gold or silver plated contacts.

Just order the 3 pillar and set of Guages. They should be in by the end of the week. Fun getting new toys but it hurts the wallet.