Hello..just wondering what you 150 4.6 guys do to get away from the idiot lights on the dashboard. I would like to be able to monitor oil pressure and temp, coolant temp and trans temp..is it a realtively straight forward job running all the electrical and mechanical conncetions for the above mentioned stuff or I am better off with the Edge device of the scanguage? Has anybody installed gauges and are their detailed write ups to guide me...anyone have the edge or scanguage? Thanks and sorry for the long post

 

You can purchase gauge kits for everything you mentioned either online or at most auto parts stores. I think even Ford Performance Parts, that you can order through a dealer has them.

They usually come with install instructions and are relitivly straight forward. It helps to have some basic electrical knowledge.

The main issues with these are finding a good place to mount the sensors, routing your wiring so it is unobtrusive and mounting the guages so they look good.

I know several people in the forums have used the pillar mount guage pods and have liked them.

Good Luck,
Doug

 

You will not get an accurate oil pressure from anything but an aftermarket gauge. the oil sending unit is an ON OFF switch. The scan tool will only pick up weather it is on or off. There is no provision for the PCM to measure the oil temp in the engine so your scan tool will not pick up that info either. Coolant temp is inferred from a cylinder head temp sensor so you will not get that either. You can however work off of the cylinder head temp if you want to learn what is cold hot and too hod based on this reading. So the only thing that the PCM actually monitors is the tranny temp. Looks like you will be buying three gauges so you might as well spring for the fourth. This info is based on the 1999 model year.

JMC

 

I use a ScanGauge in my CVs, but as JMC said: it's limited by the sensors already on the vehicle. I've converted my oil pressure gauge to actually work, but it's not calibrated (no numbers); it only shows CHANGES in pressure. The factory "gauge" won't do that.