Just broke down on I-95 S at the Florida/Georgia Border Need Advice

[uemjg]

Before this post I was interested in installing a set of aftermarket gauges to display oil pressure, water temp & transmission temp. (maybe even a fuel level gauge)but I was unsure if auto gauges would be accurate and most importantly where to "tap" into for the senders.

Has anybody done this?

Brand of gauges?

location to install senders?

thanks!

[JackConrad]

Before this post I was interested in installing a set of aftermarket gauges to display oil pressure, water temp & transmission temp. (maybe even a fuel level gauge)but I was unsure if auto gauges would be accurate and most importantly where to "tap" into for the senders.
Has anybody done this?
Brand of gauges?
location to install senders?
thanks!

I purchased Datcon gauges & sending units from Precision Speedometer in Phoenix, AZ. There were great to work with including tech support. Oil pressure sender was installed in the oil pressure manifold, oil temperature sender was installed in oil pan after removing an existing plug. water temp senders were installed in thermostat housings (2 gauges, one on each cylinder head), and transmission sender in the specified threaded hole in the transmission (740 Allison).  This is all on an 8V71 in a MC-8.    Jack

[Joe Camper]

I think if you actually overheated this time of the year regardless of your speed, when it was what 80 degree out,  something is for sure not straight.

Either that or a low fluid level sensor shut you down and functioned as designed.

[buswarrior]

You want to confirm/test the senders and the dash gauge to see what they are sending/receiving/displaying.

Where is/was the exhaust blowing from the fractured pipes? On, or towards, any of the stuff that measures the temps?

You need fairly high RPM's to get the required air flow to give you an idea where the HOT exhaust gasses were directed.

Your good quality multi-meter will be your friend, if you choose to do the troubleshooting hours...

You want to know what the readings should be on the alarmstats for a given temp, and then see if they indeed are allowing the appropriate voltage/resistance to pass.

The alarmstats may be tested in a pot of water on the stove, much the same way as thermostats, if you are inspired to drain the coolant down below their location, remove, rig up in the pot, test leads in place, and start warming the water.

May be easier and less annoying to the neighbours than running the engine, and getting temps all the way to boiling is easier and cheaper in energy required.

Or, just get a fresh set of alarmstats and R&R?

I'd want to have a pretty good idea as to what has triggered these events, so I could go down the road without thinking about it anymore.

Knowledge is power, and peace of mind?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Scott & Heather]

uemjg I already have the those gauges with the exception of trans temp. And I'm glad I have them. I think I'll try the boiling water test for the alarmstats. I would like to know if one or both has gone bad. Here's a list of questions:

1. There are two correct? If one of them trips, but the other doesn't (because one is bad) would that still trip the alarm and shutdown?
2. I am posting a few photos to show where the exhaust came off. It is literally blowing hot exhaust gasses inches past a large copper coolant line. Could this be the cause of the overheat alarmstats going off?
3. What is involved in having a mechanical (v.s. electronic) temp gauge installed for the dash gauge so that my most accurate readings are at the dash not in an engine bay (pretty useless when driving down the road).

Here are photos of where the exhaust separated as well as photos of the disconnected alarmstat wires:

[luvrbus]

That is a sending unit for the temp gauge not a alarm stat

[Scott & Heather]

Clifford,

I disconnected three wires. One on each of the stat sensors (those photos indicate two different stats) and another wire that you can see in the second stat photo (it's hanging loose to the right of the photo). One of those must have been the alarm stat shutdown wire right??? 

[luvrbus]

All the 1 post Kysor  alarmstat I have been around have a 1in+ body hard to tell from your photos but you can start the engine and ground 1 wire and it should shut the engine down if it is a alarmstat


good luck

[Joe Camper]

Did you experiance a major loss of power accompanyed by a significant amout of additional black smoke when that exhaust flange let loose?

[Scott & Heather]

Did you experiance a major loss of power accompanyed by a significant amout of additional black smoke when that exhaust flange let loose?

No...none of the above...I drove it that way for 200 miles...why would it have done that?

Cliff I'll try that to determine which wire is the alarmstat...thanks for the advice.

[luvrbus]

It won't lose power or smoke if it comes off on that side of the turbo it probably gained a little lol

good luck

[buswarrior]

In stock trim, in this vintage, these engines will have three of these temperature measuring devices, with one wire each.

An alarmstat in each thermostat housing, which will ground if the magic temp is reached, triggering the hot engine light, and the auto shutdown, if so equipped, and one side will have a second sensor that is connected to the dash temperature gauge.

Often, a busnut will make provision to install the second sensor for another temp gauge in the off side, to monitor the temp out of each bank. Why? Well, because we like to know these things....

Whether that pipe break influenced the temp sensors, well, maybe not... it will definitely have made the whole engine room hotter generally.

It would not be a bad thing to swap the alarmstats out for new ones and call it preventive maintenance? Consider pulling fresh wires for them...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Scott & Heather]

Good good info...I love good info. Thanks so much you guys...this is excellent thinking fodder for me...

[luvrbus]

MCI sure complicates their electronics Eagle uses a 3 wire alarmstat so easy to find a problem ,you MCI  guys seem be always chasing the electrical demon  lol 


good luck