After Market Gauges?

Froggy1936 · October 22, 2013, 08:56 PM

Hey TJ Here is a little better explanation of Transmission Temps, 195o Is the desired operating temp, 220o is the maximum operating temp, and should not be maintained for too long. @240o Varnish starts to form, @260o seals harden, @ 295o clutches start to lose grip, and start to slip. @ 315o seals and clutches are destroyed . Frank

LJ-TJ · October 22, 2013, 09:02 PM

That's perfect Frank. Just what I've been looking for. Now! What do you think the numbers should be for Water Temp and Oil Temp. For me this gauge thing is working out perfect. Now I've driven her a bit with them I love it. It's worth every penny I've spent on them.

LJ-TJ · November 11, 2013, 10:25 AM

Well it looks like another great Winnie adventure is rapidly coming to a close. Only those who do not have a working interment panel will appreciate this project. When one has no gauges and you break down out on the road you have absolutely know idea why or were to begin looking. Shoot before you know it you've fried your engine or tranny or the batteries fried or you got know gas. Where do you start. Well over the last few years I've been collecting Autometer gauges. Not cheep if you by them retail how ever if you keep your eyes open at auto swap meets or on Craig's list you can pick them up inexpensively. I have a gauge package worth about $1,500.00 retail for $250.00. That's 2 fuel gauges,(one for the main and one for the aux ). I have a Volt gauge,a Vac gauge,a Trans Temp gauge,a Water Temp gauge,a Oil Temp gauge,a Oil Pressure gauge, a Fuel Pressure gauge and finally a Tach? (waiting for that to be delivered). Rather than just slap them all over the place or find a convenient hole for them I wanted it to look like they were suppose to be part of the original dash so as you can see from the picture this is what I came up with. When your driving you don't really have to take your eyes off the road and at one glance you can do a sweep the gauges and you know what the numbers are suppose to be you can make sure everything checks out. It really is great. So after 2 two hundred mile trips this is what I've learned with my 21 foot 440 Brave. According to the Dodge Motor Home Chassis Manual. Fuel Pressure 6 to 7-1/2 Pg 14-56 Dodge Motor Home Chassis Service Manual Oil Pressure at Idle 8 PSI. at 2,000 RPM 30-80 PSI. Pg 9-59 Dodge Motor Home Chassis Service Manual Trans Temp 150 to 200 degrees F (175) Pg 21-16 Dodge Motor Home Chassis Service Manual Oil Temp Water Temp 177 Deg (or 8 degs below Thermo Opening Temp) Pg 7-4 Dodge Motor Home Chassis Service Manual My numbers while driving matched pretty much bang on. The interesting thing I observed was the volt gauge ran a constant 14 volts but when I put the duel battery switch to duel it would drop to around 13 -131/2 volts and after a while it would come back up to 14 volts so my guess is that once the house battery was charged the gauge would read 14 volts at which time I would put the switch back to normal. Anyway that's about it. Once I finish installing the rest of the gauges if anyone is interested I'll post a finished picture. Hope this has helped somebody.
The only thing I haven't been able to find is the proper Oil Temp for the 440. Hm?

LJ-TJ · December 17, 2013, 06:02 PM

Well there yeah go boys. Installed the last three gauges today. Two fuel gauges and a fuel pressure gauge. Granted I still have to hook them up yet but with the temps at -10C I think I'll stay in for the next few days. But this is what the finished project looks like.

The END.

Well it's been slow but one has to be frugal. Got the tach finally and installed today. Now I just got to wish spring could get here so I can try her out.

Froggy1936 · December 17, 2013, 07:01 PM

WHAT? No Altimiter or Clock And what about Differential temp & Tire air pressure You are not done yet !!

:)rotflmao :)rotflmao Frank

pvoth1111 · December 17, 2013, 08:17 PM

and maybe a inclinometer

cosmic · December 17, 2013, 08:33 PM

what about how cold your beer is. D:oH! never can be to safe :)rotflmao

LJ-TJ · January 17, 2014, 02:44 PM

THE VERY END

DaveVA78Chieftain · January 17, 2014, 02:46 PM

Gotta love it when a plan comes together!

Hmm, wait a minute, all stop.

Where did that backup camera on the right side of the previous picture disappear too?

Dave

LJ-TJ · January 17, 2014, 02:50 PM

Shoot I was hoping you wouldn't have noticed that. :)rotflmao Looks like I'll make a special bracket and mount it over the Tach and Fuel Pressure gauge. Hm?

DaveVA78Chieftain · January 17, 2014, 03:13 PM

M & J · January 17, 2014, 06:02 PM

At a glance: TMI........

ClydesdaleKevin · January 18, 2014, 08:57 AM

LOVE it! You can never have enough gauges! You did a great job on that panel. If you find some yellowish tannish vinyl you can cover the top to match the dash and it will look stock...lol!

Kev