AUX guages, questions

[RickTheEngineer]

Hello everyone, sorry for the second question I had today, and I apologize for the repetitive nature of this question of the forum, but I did have a couple questions to hopefully clear up some grey area answers on the matter. I have an M1009, slowly turning it into an overlanding vehicle. For the long haul, I will need to be able to monitor as many aspects about the truck as I can, so I want to install an oil temp and coolant temp gauge. I am aware that there have been many postings about this on the forum, and I have read well over a dozen threads on it, but I really am not sure of a few things still. I see folks saying that the best place to add a T is by the sending unit, while some have added parts to somewhere near the radiator by a valve near the coolant reservoir? (not sure of the technical name of that piece). None the less though, to be straight forward, what is the easiest way to install these gauges without having to tap, or heavily modify anything? I am also not quite sure what parts would be best for this, and if anyone has any experience, I was curious what parts you purchased to get it all to work? If you have pictures LET ME SEE! Thanks so much fellow Steel Soldiers!

 

[joshuak]

Yes, lots of good info. if you search.

I added a 12v voltmeter, an oil pressure gauge and a coolant temp. gauge. The oil pressure is plumbed into the oil sampling valve and the coolant sensor is plumbed into a HMMVW coolant crossover pipe.

 

[richingalveston]

There is an extra port with a plug in it on the water pump, you don't have a port on the cross over unless you change the cross over.
Oil pressure can be done from sampling port or by putting a T where the existing sending unit is and adding the second sending unit. just need some small fittings that you can get from home depot or lowes. check the brass fitting section in plumbing.

The water pump is probably the best location for sending unit. keep the original one in the back of the motor. The back of the motor will be the hottest part of the motor and that is where you want at least one of the sending units. I used the factory gauge cluster and just added the additional sensors. I still have the idiot light sending units but I combined them into the check engine light.

If I am not paying attention to the gauge, the check engine light will get my attention. gauges are great if you look at them often. Most people never do, that is why I tied the Water temp and oil pressure sending units into the idiot light.

most gauges will work with the stock sending units.

Rich

 

[Haoleb]

I added coolant temp and oil pressure. I teed off the oil pressure sender at the back of the motor and that works like a charm. The coolant temp I installed where the glow plug circuit sensor was located at the back of the motor and that works very poorly. That spot seems to get air pockets right where the sender is and it doesn't read worth a ****. And when it does read it never goes above 150. Someday I plan to relocate the sender to the water pump to make sure its always wetted and hopefully a more accurate measurement of what is going on.

I made a custom metal plate to mount the gauges and I had to cut away some of the dash to fit them in. The oil pressure is a mechanical gauge. I spliced into the back lighting from the volt meter to get power for the gauge lighting.

 

[Skinny]

You can't T a temp guage in, just to save you some trouble.

I think I put my sender on the side of the cylinder head in an empty port and it works fine. I do know my aftermarket water pump also has an open port too. I run a SunPro temp gauge in the diagnostic pod under the dash just to keep it out of the way. Not the ideal location but I've made it a habit to look down if I'm pulling any kind of grade or load.

 

[Loco_Hosa]

There is an extra port with a plug in it on the water pump, you don't have a port on the cross over unless you change the cross over.
Oil pressure can be done from sampling port or by putting a T where the existing sending unit is and adding the second sending unit. just need some small fittings that you can get from home depot or lowes. check the brass fitting section in plumbing.

The water pump is probably the best location for sending unit. keep the original one in the back of the motor. The back of the motor will be the hottest part of the motor and that is where you want at least one of the sending units. I used the factory gauge cluster and just added the additional sensors. I still have the idiot light sending units but I combined them into the check engine light.

If I am not paying attention to the gauge, the check engine light will get my attention. gauges are great if you look at them often. Most people never do, that is why I tied the Water temp and oil pressure sending units into the idiot light.

most gauges will work with the stock sending units.

Rich

I like the idea of idiot lighting the CEL. I'm hoping to use the stock gauges from my parts truck, I hadn't thought of also keeping an idiot light.