That sounds like what I would expect on the hills....

And it won't until the engine temp gets to some 220* or more!! The stock water temp gauge is set to just sit there nice and pretty giving you, the driver, a false sense that all is well.... Well, it is "all well" for the most part..... Just don't think it's 195* either.....

Your engine should handle 220* for a short period of time. At that point, it might trigger the low coolant mode or overheat mode however..... If and when the gauge does move, all it has told you at that point is that it's REALLY hot!

I've had mine up to 210* before without issue. The stock gauge was sitting real nice and pretty at it's "normal" position that it's always at.....

Glad you had a sucessfull road trip!

Mitch

 

Thanks for the info Mitch! I would like to get a real set of gauges but I really don't know what to go with or where to put them. I had enough trouble putting my brake control in and that was about the last available spot anywhere around the driver's side of the console. Any suggestions? Is there a reasonable set that will actually go into the cluster itself or is that just a pipe dream?

 

Hey WV,

The "best" way to mount the gauges is on the A piller.... They have single, dual and tri pod mounts for this. If you have the grab bar, then you will have to decide one way or the other....

I've not seen anything that "converts" your cluster gauges to work like the real ones.... since they are tied to the computer and all, I don't think there is much that can be done that way... Even when you add the aftermarket gauges, you have to leave the stock ones in place and functional for the computer. Which means you have to find a second place to mount the sensor(s).

I've got the dual pod with the Water and Trans gauges. I used the electric gauges, so it was just a matter of routing a bunch of wires. I put the water temp sensor using a brass "T" in the heater hose. I put the trans temp sensor using a smaller brass "T" in the trans output line, tapped into the rubber hose section of the line up front near the rad (to the top line). I got all the hardware from Home Depot in the plumbing dept.....

I got the gauges and pod from Summit Racing online for around $100.00. Then another $30.00 or so for the plumbing hardware and some wire.

It took me the better part of a day to install mine. I took my time and watched TV in my garage and downed a few beers, so it was a nice "bonding" experience with my truck!! If you have the basic knowledge of wiring, it's a pretty simple process.

I gotta tell you that those are the two gauges I pay the most attention to when I tow.... They tell you in an instant how hard you are working your truck and you can adjust your driving style sooner if you are working it too hard.....

Mitch