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Fuel pressure and other gauges

4WDlifeform

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Beaver Falls, PA
Hey guys... fabricating ideas in my mind here, and looking for some support and ideas. I am planning to install a gauge cluster somewhere somehow. So, I want to get an idea on monitoring a few things.

For one, Fuel Pressure. Currently, I have to do the "poor mans prime". I have an internal fuel leak (as I have been told) and rather than dropping the tank and repairing it, just priming it has been working great. Its annoying though. I have the urge to monitor the fuel pressure. Has anyone ever ran a gauge off the 4.0 (I'm assuming its renix?) I have a 97 sport.

Also, I have the AX-15. I know alot of people run temp gauges for the aw-4, but what about the ax-15? Just a thought... Any real risk in over heating the manual?

Plan to monitor oil temp for sure. That seems to be a popular one.

Has anyone ever monitored electrical load? like, an AMP gauge? I have a lot of electrical loads with a stock alternator. Would like to eventually upgrade, but, no real need to until the original blows haha. That would be a nice thing to monitor IMO. I figure with careful monitoring, I could save a few alternators lives!

Lastly, a manifold vacuum gauge to keep an eye on engine load, and help with gas mileage.

What do you guys think? Those some good things to monitor? Other suggestions?
 
I don't like the idea of a fuel pressure gauge in the passenger compartment. If not done properly, it could end up spraying pressurized fuel where you're sitting. Not good.
 
seems like a lot of work, that wont fix any of your problems...
do you have a stock motor? if so, you dont need half those.
vacuum guage? lol
keep your eyes on the road, watching a vacuum guage will do NOTHING for you. if you want better fuel economy, slow down and pay attention to traffic to avoid braking.

cruiser is right about the fuel pressure gauge, but i bet they make a digital one, where the only thing connecting the fuel rail to the gauge, is a wire from the sending unit.... fix your fuel system...

i found a pic that is a perfect illustration of your approach
...
 
Yeah, I was assuming having an electronic deal, with a sender, like our factory oil pressure gauge. I would not run an actual fuel line to the cab...

xcm - what does that pic have to do with my approach?? not quite sure I get it...

I do have a stock motor right now... however in maybe a year or two, I'd like to do a stroker. Having the gauges for that would probably become more suitable. So, if I get them early and get used to the motors stats, it could help with understanding the stroker?

Like I said, just really tossing out some ideas. I just feel like there are some other things that when wheeling, you should keep an eye on, where as normal road driving there would never be a problem.

Thanks for the replies.
 
Hey guys... fabricating ideas in my mind here, and looking for some support and ideas. I am planning to install a gauge cluster somewhere somehow. So, I want to get an idea on monitoring a few things.

For one, Fuel Pressure. Currently, I have to do the "poor mans prime". I have an internal fuel leak (as I have been told) and rather than dropping the tank and repairing it, just priming it has been working great. Its annoying though. I have the urge to monitor the fuel pressure. Has anyone ever ran a gauge off the 4.0 (I'm assuming its renix?) I have a 97 sport.
You have OBD-II not RENIX. RENIX was the engine management system used up until the end of 1990. If you can find a fuel pressure gauge setup that uses a remote electronic sensor instead of a fuel line straight to the gauge, sure, I'd do it for the heck of it, else I would not bother.

Also, I have the AX-15. I know alot of people run temp gauges for the aw-4, but what about the ax-15? Just a thought... Any real risk in over heating the manual?
Not really, if you aren't grinding the gears I don't think you can do much to it, if anything, be careful with the clutch.

Plan to monitor oil temp for sure. That seems to be a popular one.
Not sure I'd bother, it'll be near engine temp, but if you want to, go for it. Personally the only upgrade I would do to the oiling system would be a remote oil filter mount kit.

Has anyone ever monitored electrical load? like, an AMP gauge? I have a lot of electrical loads with a stock alternator. Would like to eventually upgrade, but, no real need to until the original blows haha. That would be a nice thing to monitor IMO. I figure with careful monitoring, I could save a few alternators lives!
You could do this but it'll cost money - you will want to put a very low resistance (most likely around 1 milliohm) Kelvin-wired sense element in the B+ line from the alternator. The trouble is that very low resistance, low thermal coefficient, high power resistors tend to be on the pricey side. Also, even with only a 1 milliohm sense resistor, you'll be introducing about a tenth of a volt drop into your power system, though if the PCM's regulator sense line is downstream of where you put the sense resistor it will be invisible. You can get DC clamp-on meters that would eliminate all this trouble but they tend to be pricey too, and most of them don't have a remote display.

Lastly, a manifold vacuum gauge to keep an eye on engine load, and help with gas mileage.
This sounds fairly easy and maybe useful. If you wanted to, you could even do this by adding a second MAP sensor scavenged from a RENIX XJ, they're very simple, feed them a ground, 5VDC, and they give you a voltage output that indicates the pressure. Figure out the calibration curve using the FSM or another manifold vacuum gauge, add a voltmeter, make your own legend, and you're done.

What do you guys think? Those some good things to monitor? Other suggestions?
I'd also add a REAL voltmeter - I'd have to think about how to do this on a 97+ using the stock gauge but it shouldn't be hard to add a second one directly linked to the battery. Maybe add an overhead console, that will tell you fuel economy in realtime.
 
there are lots of guages that plug in to your DLC so you can monitor the things your computer is like map sensor and TPS (engine load) and a lot more. i would not have an amp guage. the basic ones run alternator power thru the guage. you can imagine what would happen if that shorted. a good battery gauge is fine for monitoring the alternator. oil temp is pretty much worthless unless youve got a turbo.
 
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