# Gauge's



## Howier (Apr 26, 2009)

I have been looking at heavy duty trucks lately and have noticed that a Ford F-350 had a trans temp gauge and the Dodges i have looked at don't. Now the Dodges I have looked at are 2500 and not 3500. Is that the difference or is this just not offered in the Dodge. If not is it something that should be looked at to be added as as accessory.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

I have a TRANS TEMP Gauge on my CHEV 2500HD ... although the 2500 HD has a very good transmission cooler - I always feel better when towing a large 5th wheel up and down hillsides knowing what the TRANS temp is BEFORE I get into trouble..


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Its one of those things that make a dodge a dodge. They just dont have all the goodies that the other 2 brands have. I mean dodges dont have signals on the mirrors either. They are just off a bit compared to the other two. This will change in the new 2010 dodges though.

It would be good to have a gauge but your gonna have to put it in yourself.

Carey


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Yes, you can find aftermarket gauges for these trucks. Even the Ford guys often add more gauges because there are other things to monitor such as EGT - Right Doug?


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

Don't be fooled by the trans temp gauge on the Fords. From what I hear they are not very accurate and by the time you start to see it climbing higher then normal, it's already too late. Can you believe that Ford has not voltage gauge? A few weeks ago, we were camping near Cedar Point with a few other Outbackers. Late Sunday afternoon, I started to notice the idiot light for the voltage was illuminated. However, when I scrolled through the drivers info center, the voltage check checked out okay. The next time it went to start her, she was very slow to turn over and I thought she may not. Luckily Out4Fun was still with us so we were able to get it over to the closest dealership for evaluation. As it turns out, the alternator was shot after only 34,000 miles. I'm glad the problem reared it's ugly head prior to us departing on our 375 mile trip home. I plan to add Aeroforce scan gauge soon.

For the Ford guys, they did have some great eye candy in the showroom (sorry for the bad cell phone photos, that was all I had available)


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## jdpm (Apr 12, 2007)

The Dodge has a tranny temp overheat idiot light. I swapped out the driver side a-pillar assist handle for an identical color Dodge assist handle that accomodates 1 guage. I purchased a tranny temp guage and installed it into the new assist handle. It looks great and is very funtional. I like having at as it creates a normal range, therefore, allowing you to note any drastic change before danger. 
If interested, let me know and I will post a pic of it. Won't be till next week though because we keep the truck in the garage at the other house. phillip


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

I added a fuel and turbo boost pressure gauge along with an exhaust temperature gauge on the A pilliar. I also added an edge box with attitude monitor and can monitor 4 additional items. Currently I watch intake manifold, engine and transmission temperature along with FCA load position. I want to add a couple more gauges such as fuel rail and oil pressure.

None of the trucks come with enough operation information.


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

I added an Edge Insight. Read up to 7 parameters at once and you can choose from like 40 different parameters.


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## JMAC (Jul 31, 2009)

I added Boost and EGT to go along with my OEM trans gauge.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

I added a pair of the Aero Interceptor scan guages to Das Brick a year ago, and have been very happy with them. You can call up more information than you could possibly know what to do with. But boy, if you ever did have a problem it would be quick to diagnose!

The gauges are available with a variety of display colors, faces and bezels. I choose green on a white face with a chrome bezel because it most closely matched the existing gauges. The high intensity LEDs annunciators are also available in a variety of colors.









This photo shows the programable choice of black on green or green on black. Even though it's a lot brighter at night, I have found the black on green is the least distracting.









The gauges installed in a two hole A pillar mount. There are about three dozen individual parameters that can be called up to any of the four display lines. It's actually hard to come up with four that are useful on a daily basis and don't duplicate the info already available on the dash. Most of the time I display (top to bottom) Instantaneous MPG, engine load, EGT1 (@ the turbo) and EGT 2 (@ the DPF). Any of the displays can also be set to cycle (scan) any number of the perameters at a user defined rate if you so choose. The top LEDs are set as a shift light, and the bottom LEDs come on when the engine goes into regen mode (EGT2 exceeds 800 degrees).









Best of all, installation is a snap. The gauges simply plug into the OBD2 port under the dash. No wires or hoses to snake through the firewall. No holes to drill in the engine. Just plug it in, and you are good to go!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

Since were sharing photos now I'll share mine.

A pillar, boost, egt and trans










Trans temp sensor in the hot line, not pan...









Boost, simple using a banjo bolt in the intercoller inlet









EGT, tapped into the exhaust manifold, not post turbo









Steering pod for fuel pressure








No picture but it's installed on the shrader valve (test port) of the VP44 injector pump.

I much prefer mechanical vs digital but will take any guage over no gauge. My only issue with plug and play gauges is your trusting the placement of the gauge sensor from the manufacture not the tried and true placement. Example, dodge takes it's trans temp from the pan but above oil line so it's more a radiant heat, so I'm told. My gauge is in the hot line after the converter before the trans cooler, so I'm seeing the HOTTEST temps possible and can adjust before it becomes an issue.

my .02


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

2500Ram said:


> My only issue with plug and play gauges is your trusting the placement of the gauge sensor from the manufacture not the tried and true placement.


Not trying to start an argument here, but I have to take exception to this statement.

Personally, I would feel it presumptuous of myself to think that I know better than the engineers that designed the engine as to where the gauge sensors should be mounted on their engine. And if I could not trust them to get that part right, how could I trust that they did any better job on the design of the rest of the engine? No, I think at that point I would have to find myself another manufacturer. One that I did trust.

That said, I agree that analog gauges are preferable to digital gauges in most cases. They are simply faster to read and process, which means less time with your eyes off the road. That would have been my preference going in. For me, the digital gauges won out simply because I did not have to take any chance of messing something up on the engine that would not be covered under warranty. And if you have ever seen one of the Ford 6.4L PowerStrokes, you know the last thing you are ever going to want is to have to do non-warranty work on that beast!

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

PDX_Doug said:


> Not trying to start an argument here, but I have to take exception to this statement.
> Happy Trails,
> Doug


No argument from me and it was not meant as a my setup is better than yours. I simply stated the fact that Dodge places the trans temp probe in a test port that is above fluid line and gives a "more" radiant temp than an true temp reading, hence my placement for my sensor in the hot line and not trusting the engineer for it's placement that the ECM/PCM can read, it's not accurate and proven.

Alls well. I'm sure with 7 or so years of newer technology your getting a truer temp reading, than I would with a plug and play gauge.

Also I can't see a manufacturer voiding a warranty for adding a guage for monitoring what's going on, if they did, I'd look for a different manufacturer. As long as your using store bought aftermarket parts, and your only trying to help keep things in check, how is that voiding any warranty.

My .02 non confrontational cents


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

2500Ram said:


> Also I can't see a manufacturer voiding a warranty for adding a guage for monitoring what's going on, if they did, I'd look for a different manufacturer. As long as your using store bought aftermarket parts, and your only trying to help keep things in check, how is that voiding any warranty.
> 
> My .02 non confrontational cents


Well that can get sticky as you should see where some people put gauges. You can install them in such a way to impede oil flow for example and that would void the warranty on the system that it was monitoring.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Very nice Doug. Thanks for posting. I had not seen those gages before.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

CamperAndy said:


> Also I can't see a manufacturer voiding a warranty for adding a guage for monitoring what's going on, if they did, I'd look for a different manufacturer. As long as your using store bought aftermarket parts, and your only trying to help keep things in check, how is that voiding any warranty.
> 
> My .02 non confrontational cents


Well that can get sticky as you should see where some people put gauges. You can install them in such a way to impede oil flow for example and that would void the warranty on the system that it was monitoring.
[/quote]

Yes, and if something cracks that you tapped into....









Of course those pictures are good demonstrations of how to do things right, but not everyone does.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Semis have the exhaust heat sensor behind the turbo. We use 9-1200 degrees as a rule. Without a mounting pad of extra metal material on the exhaust manifold for the sensor, I would be weary about drilling my ex manifold. Prolly work fine, but on a commercial high mileage vehicle such as my dodge, I would rather not touch my ex manifold. It will crack soon enough as it is. I dont have a single guage in mine, and not real concerned about getting any.

I might get one that plugs in electronicly like an edge or edge insight, but will prolly never put mechanical guages in. I just dont feel there high expense is offset enough.

Very few rv haulers have guages. We all know if there is much of a problem the computer will shut er down, so we just dont worry much. I hate having to watch the dang things anyway.

I remember the old days of trucking and it wasnt uncommon to have close to 20 guages in a semi cab. Man that sucked!

Nowdays a semi has maybe 6 other than speed and tach, and thats what I like! I havent driven a semi with an ex gauge since prolly the early 90's. Some of the Peterbuilt classics have maybe 12, but I havent seen more than 12 since the 80's. Most all have just 6-8.

The computer will shut down the engine if anything at all goes wrong. I have no need for trans temp gauges as I have a manual. Its as simple as reaching down and feeling the shift boot for me. If my trans gets hot, I will soon know from the heat being radiated thru the boot and my foot, as I drive with just sox on most of the time.

Thats my 2 cents and I think having to many gauges just blows.

Ive blown prolly 3-4 semi turbos and every one has anounced they are ready to give up from the sound. I will continue to trust my ears, my tach and my seat of the pantys feel. Almost every part will give a warning in sound before its done. Ive always caught way more stuff that way, then anything a gauge gives me anyway. Im way over 2 million miles of pro driving and ive never been left on the side of the road yet, knock, knock.

Carey


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