Gauge Install

[BirfMark]

I thought I'd post up some pictures of the gauges I installed in my Cruiser. I made a really simple fiberglass piece and then covered it in grey vinyl. The gauges are from GlowShift - I really like the digital readout, as it takes the guess work out of reading an analog gauge.

I'm currently running a tranmission temperature gauge and a water temperature gauge. I'm already thinking of making a slightly different form for the console, and adding an oil pressure and oil temperature to the mix. These gauges are nice in that they're only 1" deep. I think if I push the panel back to the level of the power outlet I added, I could fit four gauges across it.

Here's the pictures, starting with making the bracket:

And a couple installed pictures:

I drilled & tapped the boss in the transmission just above the transfer case flange of the front driveshaft for the transmission temperature sending unit. This was a bit tricky, requiring the removal of the front driveshaft and the use of a right angle drill to make the hole. Short drill bits are helpful here.

There is also a boss in a water neck just between the distributor and the intake manifold for the cooling system. I drilled & tapped this for the water temperature sending unit. Problem is, this is on the 'cool' side of the system - it's the coolant that has passed through the radiator and is as cool as possible. Around town, my temps for this location are showing in the upper 160 degree range. I think I may drill and tap the thermostat housing tomorrow to get a more accurate reading of the temperature coming out of the engine.

For the record, after some driving around town a bit, my tranmission temperature is only showing in the 150 degree range. I'll put this to the test later this week as I haul a pop-up from Denver across the continental divide to Ouray and back again.

 

[Tyler93]

Nicely executed, I've been thinking how it would be nice to have a good tranny temp gauge and especially a good coolant gauge; without looking tacky and you've done it.

 

[Windering]

Wow, nicely done. The guages look great and will come in handy with the hauling your doing. Great Job!

 

[96r50]

...There is also a boss in a water neck just between the distributor and the intake manifold for the cooling system. I drilled & tapped this for the water temperature sending unit. Problem is, this is on the 'cool' side of the system - it's the coolant that has passed through the radiator and is as cool as possible. Around town, my temps for this location are showing in the upper 160 degree range. I think I may drill and tap the thermostat housing tomorrow to get a more accurate reading of the temperature coming out of the engine.

For the record, after some driving around town a bit, my tranmission temperature is only showing in the 150 degree range. I'll put this to the test later this week as I haul a pop-up from Denver across the continental divide to Ouray and back again.

Actually, that is the hot side of the engine. Hot coolant is pumped into the top of the rad and by the time it reaches the bottom of the rad it is cooled off. The thermostat "reads" the temperature of the coolant circulating in the engine and only opens to let cooled coolant in from the bottom of the rad when the engine coolant temperature hits 80-84C (the thermostat opening temperature). So you've got the sender in a good place.

Your transmission temperatures sound pretty good for around town. My temp sensor is in place of the factory one in the outlet pipe, and I normally see 70-80C there.

 

[fj80toyman]

Mounting?

I like that, good work. It's better than mine which uses a typical 3-guage mounting bezel in the same place, so three across would probably look good there. And you can never have enough 12V power outlets.

One question, how did you attach it to that part of the dash, I couldn't see any way that you mounted, sorry if I missed it in your explanation.


Dan.

 

[1FZj80]

There is also a boss in a water neck just between the distributor and the intake manifold for the cooling system. I drilled & tapped this for the water temperature sending unit. Problem is, this is on the 'cool' side of the system - it's the coolant that has passed through the radiator and is as cool as possible. Around town, my temps for this location are showing in the upper 160 degree range. I think I may drill and tap the thermostat housing tomorrow to get a more accurate reading of the temperature coming out of the engine.

96R50 is right, this is the hot side. 160F doesn't seem right. I usually run 190-195F. Just returned from a trip yesterday, and fully loaded, WOT with 101F air temp, I was getting 205-210F.

 

[BirfMark]

One question, how did you attach it to that part of the dash, I couldn't see any way that you mounted, sorry if I missed it in your explanation.

Dan.

The PO had something stuck down in that area with velcro, and there were remnants of it that I had never removed. I have a piece of plywood across the bottom of the bracket that then has velcro on the bottom of it, adhering it to the shifter console.

Actually, that is the hot side of the engine. Hot coolant is pumped into the top of the rad and by the time it reaches the bottom of the rad it is cooled off. The thermostat "reads" the temperature of the coolant circulating in the engine and only opens to let cooled coolant in from the bottom of the rad when the engine coolant temperature hits 80-84C (the thermostat opening temperature). So you've got the sender in a good place.

Your transmission temperatures sound pretty good for around town. My temp sensor is in place of the factory one in the outlet pipe, and I normally see 70-80C there.

Hmm - I'll have to double check some temps then, and see what's up. 160/170 degrees is too cold I would think.

96R50 is right, this is the hot side. 160F doesn't seem right. I usually run 190-195F. Just returned from a trip yesterday, and fully loaded, WOT with 101F air temp, I was getting 205-210F.

How quick do you get up to temp? I drove mine around town for about 7 or 8 miles, with a stop in between, but it never came above about 167 or so. I agree - 160's is too low. Ambient here was in the upper 80's, low 90's possibly.

 

[1FZj80]

How quick do you get up to temp? I drove mine around town for about 7 or 8 miles, with a stop in between, but it never came above about 167 or so. I agree - 160's is too low. Ambient here was in the upper 80's, low 90's possibly.

I usually get to temp (190ish) in just a few miles. You might want to verify your sensor is reading accurately. One way to do this is to to remove it from your truck and pour boiling water over it. You should get close to 212F, or 100C.

 

[BirfMark]

I verified temperatures at the sending unit location with a non-contact IR temperature gun last night, and sure enough it showed numbers in the 190° range. My thoughts are that the sending unit is bad.

I spoke to tech support at GlowShift about the issue, and they provided me with resistance numbers for the sending unit so I can ohm it out & see if I the unit is operating properly. In case anyone cares, the sending unit should show 925Ω at 104°, and 224Ω at 176°. They are also shipping me out a new, replacement sending unit on their dime. Unfortunately I won't receive it until after I return from vacation, which is the whole reason I wanted these gauges. Oh well.

Also, the transmission temperature gauge blinks until it reaches 105°, which I found annoying. I have a feeling it'll be blinking for quite a while come winter time. Glowshift confirms that this is normal operation of the gauge, but I wasn't aware of this 'function' when I purchased it.

 

[hakalugi]

did the replacement gauge work well/accurately?

thanks.

 

[BirfMark]

Yes - the gauge works great after I installed the replacement sending unit.

Still like the gauges, I just wish the transmission gauge didn't blink until 105°.

 

[wesayso]

Very sharp.

 

[beachcomberspi]

Nicely done. Did you buy a fiberglass kit or wing it with "on hand" resources? Thanks.

 

[BirfMark]

I 'wung' it.

I just used a fiberglass repair kit that I got from the parts store - it came with a couple sheets of cloth, and the resin & hardener. I built a really simple wood mold to get the shape kinda right, and just laid the fiberglass over it. Peeled it off, cut some holes, wrapped it in grey vinyl & voila - gauge mount.

 

[beachcomberspi]

Nicely "wung", sir!

 

[beachcomberspi]

^Yee Ha, Woot Woot...just hit 100th post!!! Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.