Thread: very inexpensive digital temp gauge

Originally Posted by goingbush

cheers, the long probe looks way better.
Do you drill and tap the turbo outlet or do you weld a nut on the engine pipe ?

On 300tdi's I drill the EGR blank plate on the manifold, pre turbo. On other vehicles I drill and tap the exhaust manifold pre turbo. To pressurise the exhaust and prevent bulk shavings going into the turbo I use an old industrial vac on blow, jammed up the tailpipe. I dry drill 11/32" and tap 1/8 BSPT, wearing safety specs cos shavings fly out everywhere.

Post turbo EGT measurements are not as useful at determining safe operating conditions. These probes can handle 800+C no worries.

Just picked up one of the temp monitors mentioned on the Autospeed site. Great unit for the price! Now got to figure out the best place to fit it to monitor engine temp in the event of loss of coolant etc. Anyone got any suggestions on where the best spot is on a 300TDI, Head or block?
I noticed a series of bolt heads on the fuel pump side just below the head, anyone know what they are for (see pic)
Cheers
Mark

How would this thing suit for fridge temp too? The unit's cheap but large, so if I could run a few things through it it'd be great.

Great read thanks, I have just ordered a couple as well.

just ordered one for the 200tdi as well, can an alarm temp be set on it? anyone tried and tested it, boiling pot of water would suffice.

I haven't set mine , but the instructions are on Autospeed . It works because I hear the relay click when I turn my ignition on although I guess that doesn't guarantee that it will be able to be set up.
Maybe I will set the alarm temp just to check

Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

BTW, you can lengthen the thermocouple wires on the gauge. In fact you have to as it only comes with 1 metre. if you could get more thermocouples , you could easily switch between them with a double pole switch. Why not ask the vendor when you order on ebay.

Thermistor or thermocouple?
Thermistor wires can be lengthened without problems. Thermocouple wires need the right plugs and compensating cable.

Originally Posted by sew350

just ordered one for the 200tdi as well, can an alarm temp be set on it? anyone tried and tested it, boiling pot of water would suffice.

I set mine at 100c initially and on the first trip it triggered on the slow climb up the Hulme highway from Syd to Goulburn, towing a 1.3ton trailer. I have a $3 buzzer from Jaycar connected to the relay and its plenty loud enough once the alarm threshold is reached.
When it went off the Wife said what the hells that! not another alarm! I've got one on the transmission and EGT as well, and two remote fridge monitors so its like an aircraft cockpit now, in fact I refer to missus the First Officer now as there are that many gauges on the dash

You have to set a hysteresis with these units so if you want 100c you set the trigger at 98 & the hysteresis at 2, it triggers at 100 but stays on till the temp drops to 98c or at least thats the way mine seemed to work.
I found that normal level driving the temp was around 92c but up Cambewarra mountain with the trailer saw the temp hit 104c so I had to raise the alarm trigger to 106c. The normal temp gauge needle never budged during the steep climbs so it shows that it's not very granular, in fact I don't remember ever seeing it move from normal in the 14 years i've owned the car.
Cheers
Mark