Pyrometers, options, mounts...

[rmgill]

Ok, I'm getting close to wanting to install a pyrometer in my deuce so I can turn the fuel up a touch and keep an eye on that. I'm wondering if a Boost gauge would be good to do as well *shrug*. Anyhow, I looked at Hewitt Industries and a few other locations, but I can't decide on a good setup. This is aimed mainly at Bjorn, but I know a bunch of you guys have installed them as well. What's the best place to mount the gauges and how and with what?

 

[Jones]

Look into www.isspro.com too. I've got their pyrometer and boost gauge and have had good luck with them. The HEMTT dashs have a bunch of gauges so two more fit right in. For the deuces,we've made an aux. panel that mounts to the windshield frame so the drivers don't have to take their eyes too far off the road. Mount is set-up to either go on the horizontal with gauges side-by-side or on the vertical with gauges one over the other.

 

[Deuceswild]

rmgill,
I have installed a "D" turbocharger on my engine ( LD-465-1C ) a couple of months ago with great result, thanks to Bjorns tech. article.I installed a Pyro with the Thermocouple located BEFORE the turbocharger, and yes this was drilled and tapped before the the turbocharger was installed on the engine. I have also installed A Pyrometer & Boost Gauge and built a custom box to mount them in which I mounted to the top of the steering colum so the EGTs & Boost readings are easily monitored at a quick glance, I chose the Isspro gauges for 2 reasons, 1, there is no power requires to operate the Pyro, other than the light, and 2, I prefer the easy to read" Danger Zone" area which,is very easy to read at a quick glance. If you turn your fuel up the ext temps will rise VERY FAST and you will see what I'm talking about.
After I installed the turbo I also bypassed the F.D.C., which is equivalant to "turning up the fuel",,,in a way,,, monitoring the Pyro becomes even more crucial as the power output of the engine dramatically increases as does the EGTs, This is a time where you have to be very cautious, as the engine will respond TOTALLY DIFFERENT than it did before the these Mods were done.
Enlosed are some pics of my Mods.
Hope this helps, Jeff

 

[area52]

So whats the light on top of the box for? Does it flash on when you get near the danger zone?

Nice looking set up.

 

[rmgill]

I like the box too. What's the double fitting on the intake side?

 

[cranetruck]

Ryan, are you referring to this? It's the intake manifold heater nozzle, the smaller fitting is the inlet and the larger is the return fuel line.
If you haven't checked it, remove it and make sure it doesn't leak fuel into the intake manifold, mine did at one time.

Nice installation, Jeff!

 

[Deuceswild]

So whats the light on top of the box for? Does it flash on when you get near the danger zone?

Nice looking set up.

The light on top of the box is a low oil pressure warning light.
Jeff

 

[gringeltaube]

Jeff: That's what I call a clean installation in a super clean deuce! Good pics!

What size is that tapped hole for the thermocouple, 1/8” NPT?

What about the LDS 465-1 and 1A. If they didn't come with a pyro in the 5ton, why (or why not) retrofit them to work or better say play, in a " lightweight" deuce?

Gerhard

 

[houdel]

Jeff - Glad to see you reposted you pics, your original posting must have gotton lost last Saturday in the server crash. What box did you use for the gauges and where did you get it from? I'd like to make a similar setup. I have the low air pressure warning light kit from Saturn Surplus, I was going to mount it in my gauge panel but it looks like it would fit nicely in your box centered above the gauges and would be more visible there. Like the muffler clamp mounts too!

Also, what do you use for your low oil pressure sender? I was planning on wiring a low oil pressure and E-brake on source to the low air pressure light for a multi function warning light.

Anyone looking for the ISSPRO guages, you can find them cheaper if you Google them. As I recall, the boost pressure gauge was about $52 at the ISSPRO site, I found one for $33 elsewhere.

 

[rmgill]

Yeah Bjorn, I realized that this morning looking through TMs to figure out how to adjust valve lash. Thanks.

 

[Twinpinion]

I ended up with an AutoMeter gauge and I used a $12 AutoMeter pod to mount it to the steering column with a hose clamp like this:

 

[Recovry4x4]

I just picked this pyro up on Ebay for change. LOL, kinda like the IH logo. Once I get the thermocoupler I'll install this on the wrecker since I have to pull the turbo here soon. It's ove 3" in diameter.

 

[breelanr]

I used the Hewitt Industries pyro and boost gauges in a home made bracket sandwiched between the windshield frame and hardtop.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The IH pyro I just bought is a Hewitt. Looks good Sir!

 

[houdel]

If you can only afford one gauge, make it a pyrometer (aka EGT gauge). This is the only add-on gauge that will tell you when you are getting into the range of doing damage to your engine. Expect to spend $125 to $175 for the pyrometer, high temp Inconel thermocouple, and lead wires. The ISSPRO R607T which Jeff uses is a good choice, it is a mechanical gauge and only requires electricity for the gauge light, which can be swapped for a 24V bulb. However, there ARE 24V signal amplified electric pyrometers available as well, which MAY be cheaper, more accurate and more responsive that the R607T. When I get more info on them I'll post it here.

A boost gauge is "nice to have" but doesn't give you much information you can do much of anything about, unless you have a problem with your turbo. The turbo pressure is going to be whatever it is, and won't change unless you up your fuel delivery rate, and even then so what unless you get into the 20+ psi range, if which case you already have or are about to scrap your engine anyhow. The upside is they are pretty cool, run $35-$50 so they are pretty cheap and do give you some informative, if not necessarily usefull, information about what your tubo is doing.

Finally, if you are a gauge freak, consider a back pressure gauge and an inclinometer and gradeomter. The back pressure gauge is usefull if you are making exhaust system mods to quiet down that infamous Deuce exhaust noise without excessively restricting exhaust flow. They are in the $35-$50 range. An inclinometer/gradeometer is usefull if you do a lot of off-roading or just want to be able to calculate approximate rear wheel horsepower if you are modding you truck. They are also pretty cheap, $25-$35 bucks or so.

As far as I am concerned, Jeff has the ultimate gauge package. The only thing I'd add is a low air pressure light centered between and slightly above the pyrometer and boost gauges, and get rid of the annoying low air pressure buzzer. I'd include a low oil pressure and E-brake on source to the low air pressure light, and add an in-line 24V flasher to better get my attention. The low air pressure light will be pretty much in my normal driving line of sight anyhow, the flasher just insures a little more visable control to attract my attention.

I hope to have this project done in 2-3 weeks, I'll post pictures and details when the job is completed!

 

[cranetruck]

When it comes to gauges, I like quality at low cost, a combination ebay can offer on a daily basis. However, my IH pyro gauge came from a truck salvage yard and cost me $20 (same gauge Kenny has, just about). The boost gauge was a new "industrial " air pressure gauge, which cost $9.99 from McDaniels(?). The pyro thermocouple probe and wire was purchased new from IH and cost about $40.
Other gauges in my assortment come from ebay at prices way below "new", such as exhaust brake back pressure, brake line pressure and filter canister vacuum gauges.

 

[Otter]

Hello,
Here is my addition to the pyro mount fest!
What numbers is everyone else seeing post-turbo thermocouple?
I see about 1000F during a hard climb!

 

[OPCOM]

That! is a nice rig. sorta reminds me of one I seen somewhere.. I ride a 4WD 4-wheeler.

 

[cranetruck]

Otter, the difference between post and pre turbo is about 300°F (read that somewhere) and you need to ease off if your post turbo mounted probe hits 1000.
My pre turbo pyro will easily hit 1,100-1,200°F on a climb in 5th gear...

I find the boost gauge very useful as well, a very quick response to your foot action on the accelerator pedal. More resolution and I noticed that if I keep the boost to 9-10 psi in the hills, the pyro will not get into the danger zone.

 

[OPCOM]

This morning I mounted a pyro 2" downstream of the turbo outlet. Is there a big difference between 6" and 2"?

It was a bear removing the clamps and that short pipe, they have not been off since 1991. Got the nipple or whatever it's called TIG welded on, and put it back together. I pushed the laden beast (20,000 GVW according to the scales) as hard as I could, and had a hard time getting 900 degrees out of it.

Only at 55 charging up a hill, and decelerating despite having the pedal to the metal. I suppose I could turn it up 1/6 turn and see what I get. Maybe there is alot of difference in 100 degrees?

I noted that the pyro guage itself, disconnected, sits at 50 degrees. normal? Connected to a cold engine, it does not move any, so maybe that is right. It's all new stuff.

On level road, 55, stayed around 700. Surprised how fast the temp decreases when the fuel is let off at speed.