Tapping an EGT gauge

[DSMvroom]

So surfin on VFAQ and on this forum for how to install an EGT gauge, i stumbled on a few different sets of instructions.

I'm confused about what is "right" or "better" when it comes to the position of the tap.

I've found some to say that it should be tapped approximately 6" from cylinder 1, and I found another that had it tapped in the o2 housing.

Discuss please, thx!

 

[Mackzero]

Everyone I know has it installed about 6-7" from cylinder 1 in their manifold. Make sure when you tap it, you don't tap it too big. You want to have a couple thread showing on the probe after it is tight.

 

[98eclipseRS]

So surfin on VFAQ and on this forum for how to install an EGT gauge, i stumbled on a few different sets of instructions.

I'm confused about what is "right" or "better" when it comes to the position of the tap.

I've found some to say that it should be tapped approximately 6" from cylinder 1, and I found another that had it tapped in the o2 housing.

Discuss please, thx!

its really all personal preferance. Some say you get a more accurate reading from placing it in the manifold because you can see temp changes faster, while the o2 crowd says that you are getting a more accurate temp reading because your not realying on just 1 cylnder. As far as temp readings go it really doesn't matter if you are running so hot that your going to melt a piston your egt won't show you soon enough, the only added benefit I can see from placing it in the o2 over the manifold is that if the probe does break(which they do ocasionally) you won't damage your turbo from the peice of metal bouncing all over the turbine wheel, and you wont have to take of your turbo assembly to get the peice out either.

 

[98eclipseRS]

oh ya if you do tap in the o2 housing your temps will read lower, which is normal, so don't freak out when it reads low and you think something is wrong.

 

[Defiant]

If you install it after the turbo, the blades won't have to eat the slag when it fails. And it will fail, but not necessarily in large enough chunks to blow the wheel.

 

[EvolvingGST]

If the O2 housing is tapped what would the ideal temps be opposed to the ideal temps of say the exhaust manifold. And where would the lines of dangerous cross into it. I am a noob please help me out. I am thinking I should also tap in my O2 so my turbo doesnt start chewing up metal chunks.

 

[Diceman19]

If you install it after the turbo, the blades won't have to eat the slag when it fails. And it will fail, but not necessarily in large enough chunks to blow the wheel.

where is yours tapped? just wondering.

 

[99gst_racer]

its really all personal preferance. Some say you get a more accurate reading from placing it in the manifold because you can see temp changes faster, while the o2 crowd says that you are getting a more accurate temp reading because your not realying on just 1 cylnder. As far as temp readings go it really doesn't matter if you are running so hot that your going to melt a piston your egt won't show you soon enough, the only added benefit I can see from placing it in the o2 over the manifold is that if the probe does break(which they do ocasionally) you won't damage your turbo from the peice of metal bouncing all over the turbine wheel, and you wont have to take of your turbo assembly to get the peice out either.

I agree with all of this ^^^

If the O2 housing is tapped what would the ideal temps be opposed to the ideal temps of say the exhaust manifold.

I have mine installed after the turbo. Installation is 3 times easier doing it like this. The are usually about 50-75 degrees less than it would be in the manifold. Just add 50 to whatever the gauge says.

 

[DSMvroom]

looks like i'll be tapping into the o2 sensor then.

but this 5h!7 breaks?? like, in pieces??? wtf im goin to have to spend 150 bucks on this thing and i KNOW it is goin to break??? :thumbdown

that sux, oh well. how long before it breaks?

 

[98eclipseRS]

when it breaks just depends on the unit itself, it could take a day or it could take 2 years just luck of the draw. As for temps you should be seeing, it's hard to say every car is different as well as temps themselves don't really matter to much. What you want to be looking for with an egt gauge is temp change. Drive around for a while and see where the needle usually sits, you know somethign is wrong when the needle isn't there and that's about as accurate as an egt gauge can be for you.