This is my first thread, although I have spent many hours reading all of yours. My wife is getting a little upset that I seem to spend more time with you than her. She struck me a deal. I can buy what ever gauges I want as long as I stay off the computer for one week. I said "That's a deal!"

I want to buy a set of gauges and a-pillar triple mount this week. Also, gauge faces for the factory gauges. I really like the billet, silver and Escalade look. I want them all to match. Any suggestions, prices and pictures. Oh, did I mention pictures?

Gauges: kennedydiesel.com // Instrument Cluster faces: jpcustoms.com

'Nuff said

http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4113&highlight=searay90


Take a look at the pictures I posted. Ordered guages and pillar from John Kennedy

Update! I just bought a set of gauge faces from USSpeedo, true ss metal. I have been looking at them for quite some time, then I realized they were literally 6 miles from home. Went to see the gauge in person. They were extremely helpful, they assembled 3 sets with the combinations I thought would look best. This gave me no doubt and no regrets! Highly recommended. Couple bucks more, but ten times the quality. I will post pics When I get a chance.

Still looking for a set of a-pillars to match my USSpeedo's. Nice install, Searay! I am keeping your thread in my favorites. I am thinking about a three gauge but not sure of the third, possibly differential.

Everyones advice is greatly appreciated!

http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4113&highlight=searay90


Take a look at the pictures I posted. Ordered guages and pillar from John Kennedy
Also good references:
http://www.bmdmax.com/Gauges.html.0.html (http://www.bmdmax.com/Gauges.html.0.html)
http://www.kennedydiesel.com/dmaxguages.html (http://www.kennedydiesel.com/dmaxguages.html)

:ro) Thanks to everyone here and in the links above. After 3.5 hours of work (part of that spent scrambling to move the truck and all my tools into the garage when a sudden torrential down pour hit) last night, I have my gagues installed. They look good, and I am getting what appear to be good readings from them. I used the "hoot" method of running the engine while drilling the exhaust manifold. Worked just fine (though I would not recommend using the 21/64" drill that some went to for the 1/8" NPT...it produces too tight of a thread for the nipple and ends up binding with the soft cast iron, which happened to me, and I wasn't able to back it and try a little deeper threading for fear of snapping something, so I just left it in as it was...go with 11/32" and it will be great). I also just popped the soft intercooler connect off the intake manifold for the boost tap, stuck a rag inside like someone else mentioned (made sure to block all other openings too) and drilled that. Pull the rag out and wipe down.

:cool: Normal CC driving down the Freeway at 70 mph (in around 50'F OSAT) with Predator 45hp program (no other mods and empty...just truck), I get around 900'F on the EGT's and 5-7psi boost. I can spike the boost to around 30psi if I floor the accellerator from a stop, and it is cool to see how the computer changes the turbo fins as you shift to remove boost. The pyrometer response is FAST, and I spike up into 1200'F VERY quickly if I keep my foot into it (I've no doubt it would continue to go up past 1350'F if I left it).

:cool2: This is the first time I've really romped on the throttle (I just hit 500 miles), and WOW, I knew this thing had pretty good torque, but not only that, when that turbo is really pumping, this thing will just get up and flat out move!!

Anyway, no major problems encountered. Thanks again for everyones posts in these boards and ESPECIALLY to those folks that posted guides/walk throughs. They gave me lots to think about and figure out ahead of time what I wanted to do, so it was all pretty straight forward when I actually started last night.

Regards,

-JM

:help2: P.S. What does "WOT" mean? I've seen it in several posts, and I'm kicking my brain's ass trying to figure that out (I've tried Warm Up Time..yeah..I know..it doesnt fit, Wromp On The Gas...grin, nothing seems to fit).

wide open throttle, i believe. it also took me a while to figure it out.

I just got done installing my gauges too. Went w/ Autometer Ultra-Lite Pyro and Boost on the A-pillar. It went pretty well. Took about 4 hours after the paint dried on the A-pillar. Went nice and slow to make sure that all the wires and tube was routed and covered w/ conduit. Pretty pleased.

I wanted to ask what kind of reading you are seeing. I installed the pyro probe on the passenger side exhaust manifold, where are lot of you have done! Man, that tap gets pretty hot while the engines runnning. Then, it's a no wonder after seeing the reading on the pyro gauge. For boost, I tee to the wastegate hose. I have an 02 DMAX, all stock, no intake or exhaust (wanted to get a baseline before the 4" exhaust went in... )
Here are some of the avg readings:
Pyro: at idle, once warmed up reads about 300F. Full throttle unloaded up to about 4th gear will run it to about 900F, then once you let off the go-pedal, it slowly falls back to about 400F for light city driving 35 mph.

Boost: practically nothing when just cruising at 35-40 in town. But full throttle, wheewwwy, goes from 10-12 lbs on 1st, to 15-18 on 2nd and peak at 20-22 above that. By this time I'm off the throttle cuz I'm going about 60mph.

One things for sure, it is amazing how quickly that exhaust temp goes up.

I wasn't quite sure whether my pyro #'s were too high...
Is this within normal parameters?

I wasn't quite sure whether my pyro #'s were too high...
Is this within normal parameters?
:exactly:

Looks good to me. He is what I've seen typically over the last couple days driving (empty, no tow, 65'F ambient temp at around 2500 ft elevation). Only mod I have on my LLY is predator running 40hp setting. Pyro is in rear passenger manifold, "Hoot" style. Boost is in intake manifold just after intercooler.

idle/park: 350'F and 2-3psi.
35mph steady: 450'F and 4-5psi.
WOT from stop to 65mph: spikes quickly to 900-1000'F and gradually comes up to 1300'F and boost bounces between 20-30psi as it shifts.
75mph steady: 850'F and 6-7psi. RPM is at 2200.

I'll get some tow numbers this weekend.

-JM

This is my first thread, although I have spent many hours reading all of yours. My wife is getting a little upset that I seem to spend more time with you than her. She struck me a deal. I can buy what ever gauges I want as long as I stay off the computer for one week. I said "That's a deal!"

I want to buy a set of gauges and a-pillar triple mount this week. Also, gauge faces for the factory gauges. I really like the billet, silver and Escalade look. I want them all to match. Any suggestions, prices and pictures. Oh, did I mention pictures?Well, If she is going to make you a deal like that, go for it!

Does that mean you are going to get the Edge Juice and Attitude?
Of course the attitude serves as 'Gauges' so you need the controller 'Juice' so they work too!:lol:

Just a thought!

I do like the looks of the escalade cluster though.

:help: I almost finished the install of my gauges. Everything went well and took about 5 hours. The only thing I didn't finish was the install of the diff sensor. The instructions didn't give me enough detail of where to install it. I would imagine the sensor needs to be in contact with the fluids. If so, where should I put it so snow and ice wont accumualate and pull the wire out of the sensor?


I did one thing different from anyone else. I bought a solid pillar cover and cut a speaker hole in it to match the factory one. I then cut a larger hole in the factory one to clear the tabs on the speaker. No gap around the speaker now and looks factory, except by the door with the door open. Pretty proud of myself getting the guts up to damage a perfectly new $40000.00 truck. Looks great and was worth every penny!:ro)

My Diablo should be here tomorrow! :devilfing I can't wait!

I am going to play it cool and wait awhile before the next mod. This way she doesn't think I am taking advantage, and will agree with the bigger mods later.

Thanks to everyone that has posted detailed information on these subjects. You have been a great help! ):h

I'll get some tow numbers this weekend.

Well, sure am glad I put these gauges in!!! I hooked up to my 25' Wildwood travel trailer (6950lbs dry, almost 7700lbs loaded with water), and we towed on I-84 this past weekend. Outside temp was 65-70'F and there weren't any really nasty long hills on our route. I checked both stock and +40hp Predator setting.

I didn't notice the stock tune turning in significantly more boost, but it was just a little higher. I'm guessing that is because of the way the predator lies to the computer on the fuel that the engine is ACTUALLY getting. Also, the stock tune NEVER got above 1350'F (it pops up to 1200'F pretty quick, and then just creeps up to around 1300'F mostly over long pulls). The +40hp setting would quickly exceed 1400'F and didn't show signs of slowing down by the time I would pull my foot off. It would run 1300'F just on a level road at 75mph cruise (and any little hill would send it over 1400'F, pretty quick). This is one place that the Edge/Attitude is probably a great buy with the defueling ability.

I was a little disappointed in how hard this trailer pullled (after reading all of the posts around here, and people pulling 16,000lb stuff all at 75+). I had a tough time on some grades keeping it at 75mph. Some times the truck would get this high rev sound, but the RPM's didn't seem to change, then it would sort of slowly wind down and get quieter (again, all with no RPM change). It wasn't really a "shift", but I assume it was something in the tranny? Is this what is known as "limping" or slipping the tranny? Is this bad? How do I avoid it (without buying a new upgrade)? Just slow down?

Thanks,

-JM

I was a little disappointed in how hard this trailer pullled (after reading all of the posts around here, and people pulling 16,000lb stuff all at 75+). I had a tough time on some grades keeping it at 75mph.

-JM
Before my tuner and gauges, I didn't have any problem pulling my 15000# 5er at 60mph. Haven't pulled since.

I will tell you what, I just installed my tuner today an holy s**t, what a difference. I couldn't immagine this thing on the highest setting. So far, extremely happy.

:grd:

Thanks again!