You can get many styles of gauges, some with warning lights built in that will flash to get your attention if certain thresholds are exceeded and even others that are a perfect match to the gauges on your instrument cluster for an OE look And if you are of the “more is better” mindset, you can get dozens of gauges, each reading something different, making other diesel truck owners green with envy. If pressure drops when it shouldn’t, you know you have a problem that needs addressing, like a weak or too small injection pump or fuel delivery issue, and the gauge will help you spot the problem. If during wide open throttle acceleration or high load conditions you notice the lift pump pressure drops, this means the injection pump is using more fuel than its being supplied, and you are possibly losing power. Keeping an eye on the low pressure side will let you know if your lift pump has adequate volume, or if it needs an upgrade. FUEL PRESSURE: A fuel pressure gauge will let you know if your fuel delivery system is up to the task of supporting the horsepower you’re asking for.But if you have compound turbos, you may want to step up to a 0-100psi version for total system pressure, and keep the 0-60 psi gauge for intermediate stage pressure. Most stock trucks run at about 35 psi max, with tuned trucks being slightly higher, so a 60psi gauge is a great place to start. But a boost gauge is also helpful in diagnosing a problem, like a leak in the charge air system, or a drop in power. BOOST: There’s nothing more fun than mashing that accelerator, hearing the turbos spool, feeling your body pressed back into the seat, and watching a boost gauge quickly max out.Got boost? Especially if you’ve upgraded the turbocharger, its a great idea to keep an eye on boost levels. With an EGT gauge installed, you can quickly back off the fuel if things get too toasty. That might be OK for a few seconds on that occasional trip to “Mexico” but temps of that level are certainly not safe for sustained use. On the other hand, a truck running a hot tune with a stock turbo setup might get as hot as 1,800☏ to 2,000☏. A stock engine might max out in the range of 1,200☏ under sustained load (like towing a trailer) which is a perfectly safe temperature. The problem, all that extra fuel creates more heat. One of the easiest ways to add power is to add fuel. Known as a pyrometer, it measures the temperature of the exhaust, and is the first clue if your engine is happy or not. EGT: This is the first gauge I always recommend.In other words, gauges are cheap insurance. It’s all about spotting a problem before it becomes a massive headache. While generally the stock engine and drive train components can live a long life with increased power, you want to make sure everything is operating in a safe zone, and be able to quickly get your foot off the skinny pedal if something goes wrong, rather than waiting for a potentially catastrophic failure to let you know the truck was not happy.
Modern programmers and tuning can easily add an additional 150 or more horsepower over stock, but to do so, you’ll be creating more heat, be working the turbo charging system harder, and demanding more fuel volume to create more power. When you add more power to your engine (which let’s face it, we all are going to do) you are operating your engine outside of its design parameters. Today well talk about why it’s a good idea to add gauges, which parameters you should monitor, and some good ways to mount them. There’s a lot going on inside a diesel engine, and lots you should pay attention to. But there is some method to the madness when it comes to outfitting your dashboard with more instrumentation. In fact, it’s almost a badge of honor for some, in the same way guys leave their lift pump filters hanging below the frame rails of their pickup, letting the world know “this is no stock truck”. It’s kind of a diesel cliché to have a cockpit filled with gauges. Tolman Keeping an eye on EGT’s is the most important gauge for any diesel pickup.
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