Installing a Pyrometer have a question

[RickyR]

I am getting ready to do a pre turbo pyrometer/thermocouple and wanted to know anyone's experience on manifold location.
I have a 2001 Journey with the 330 hp cat.
I have already run the wires and installed the gauge, so the hard part for me is where to drill the hole..
I was told the depth of the thermocouple should be 1/2 the distance across the manifold. Does this sound right?
Thanks in advance for any help or advice.
Ricky

[1ciderdog]

I've added pyrometer's to four different diesels I have owned and I hope you have been cautioned about getting any metal particles into the intake side of the turbo. Yes, about half way through for the thermocouple would be right (in my opinion). On three of them I removed the turbo, pushed rags into the area where the drill bit would come out. After drilling I used more rags to clean out metal particles. There may be better ideas but this worked for me. On the other one I put the thermocouple down wind of the turbo so there was no metal particle problem.

[RickyR]

Bob,
Thanks for the info.. Yes, I know about the shavings and will definitely be taking precautions. I decided not to do post turbo, so that I could get a faster reading pre turbo, and hopefully keep from doing any damage. I tow a jeep rock crawler on a trailer, and it is pretty heavy. Not that I will be going crazy with fuel, it is just something I know that hight EGT's is a critical issue towing.
Any ideas of a good location on the manifold?
Thanks again,
Ricky

[RVhauler]

Post turbo does not give a true EGT reading as opposed to pre turbo

[RickyR]

My thoughts on post turbo, is cool down time, and it would be a good way to determine when the turbo is cool enough to shut down the engine.

[VanDiemen23]

putting grease on the drill bit and grease on the rag will help catch the chips.

[RickyR]

OK,
The thermocouple is installed and the pyrometer seems to be working fine.
We did 2 things, ran the engine while drilling the manifold and greased the tap while making the threads.
We also used Q tips to make sure nothing else got into the manifold.
I will post some pis next time I take the hatch off.
Thanks for all of the above advice.
Ricky

[sandcar361]

I would think running the engine while drilling would be bad. It would blow the shavings right into the turbo. Maybe I am not reading this right.

[RickyR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandcar361 I would think running the engine while drilling would be bad. It would blow the shavings right into the turbo. Maybe I am not reading this right.

Look at it this way, while drilling, I am creating a hole that the exhaust will be pushing air back through.
So, I am creating another way for exhaust to blow out of, blowing any shavings out of the hole being drilled.


Ricky

[sandcar361]

Gotcha. Did you buy your pyrometer from Banks?

[RustyJC]

In addition to the precautions you used, another trick is to run a mechanic's magnet (the small cylindrical magnet on the end of a telescoping wand - available at NAPA and other sources) through the finished hole for the pre-turbo thermocouple to pick up any stray chips that might be lying in the manifold.

Rusty

[RickyR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandcar361 Gotcha. Did you buy your pyrometer from Banks?

It is an Isspro setup, they offer the thermocouple wire in 35 and 40' lengths too.
I got it from myself, I sell jeeps and parts, we added the truck accessories about 2 years ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyJC In addition to the precautions you used, another trick is to run a mechanic's magnet (the small cylindrical magnet on the end of a telescoping wand - available at NAPA and other sources) through the finished hole for the pre-turbo thermocouple to pick up any stray chips that might be lying in the manifold. Rusty

I have one of those magnets too..


Thanks, Ricky

[bachler]

Magnetize the drill bit , and take it out and clean/magnetize it frequently, There is no real benafit to a pyro. The engine fuel is computer controled, In our expierments , they runn nice until you Crest a hill after a long pull and let off the accilater the pyro, climbs. A bit tap the accl; and it will come back down. Life is good.

[RickyR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bachler ..... There is no real benafit to a pyro. The engine fuel is computer controled, In our expierments , they runn nice until you Crest a hill after a long pull and let off the accilater the pyro, climbs. A bit tap the accl; and it will come back down. Life is good.

Maybe this is the case without towing, but a pyrometer can tell you if you need to use a lower gear, get out of the throttle, or if you have a burned valve.

I installed a power tuner, so that is a definite need for the pyro, and usually tow a trailer, I want to know my EGT's.