Ranger Mods

Hi,

A mate of mine has advised that I should put in a minimum of EGT & Boost Gauge but also recommends a Oil Pressure & Temperature Gauge. Being this is my first Turbo Diesel just wondering if this is good advice? I have a 2015 Manual XLT that I primarily use for towing my Wake Boat and easy 4x4 (mainly for Camping). Advice is appreciated.

Jason

Ford advised me to buy an extended warranty............

Any form of additional monitoring can always be beneficial especially if working your vehicle harder than most over extended periods. At the same time you need to be able to read them and act accordingly. The last PX1 I saw that popped a coolant hose drove for a further 2 minutes to pull off the road safely. End result was replacement head and it's back again with a scored bore amongst other things. From talking to them, coolant loss is the biggest enemy so that would be my first choice.

Everyone will have a different opinion so use a judgement that make you feel at ease or you will have 35 gauges across your dash. Not sure monitoring boost would really achieve anything on a stock vehicle.

I towed a trailer from Broken Hill to Mildura at 130kph and boost was sitting on about 19PSI the whole time. All temps were still good but it was working pretty hard. Only thing I notice a week later was one of the bolts holding the heat shield on the exhaust manifold was loose.

Look at adding an Ultragauge or Scangauge to monitor the basics then make a more informed decision as you get some more input from others. Preferably first hand input and not a mate had one because his Nissan Subaru was made in 1901 etc.

Enjoy your new toy

I'm having ARB install the same gauge, its bloody expensive at just under $500 but then it does indicate the boost pressure, exhaust gas temperature and oil pressure, I'd guess if you were to buy say three individual VDO gauges and have them mounted and wired etc there wouldn't be too much difference in cost, and the single RedArc mounted on the A column does look very neat.
Other things I'm having done is a Plasmaman intercooler fitted and a Roos systems Legendex 3" exhaust, the car then goes down to Victoria where HPF will be installing an uprated turbo of the type and size used in the PX1 Ranger, its stronger and more reliable then the smaller turbo used in the PX2 motor. I guess at that stage my Ford warranty will be flying out of the window but to me thats secondary to reliability when I'm out in the desert.

I fitted the scangage 2 it plugs into the OBD2 port, I can monitor ATF,Water temp, boost pressure, voltage, plus it can read and remove fault codes and much more, made in USA. $235 from fuel economy solutions in Melbourne. Check it out.

I've got the three-in-one RedArc gauge mounted on my A pillar, it reads Boost, EGT and Oil Pressure. One word of advice though, on mounting the oil pressure sensor get NZ or a similar hydraulic hose company to make you up a short - say 300mm long -- braided high pressure oil hose to go from the engine block to your "T" piece that will accommodate the original pressure switch and the new RedArc unit, the reason for this is clearance between the switch/T piece and the Differential housing, - less than 15mm on my Wildtrak and easily damaged with a sudden upward movement of the differential. The "T: piece and switches can be easily cable tied to the inner guard well out of harms way.