Digital dash

mitchw123456 · Jan 30, 2018

I've been debating this for months myself. My only issue with the tablet is I'd like to monitor steering fluid temp and trans temp and I don't see a way to add on sensors with a tablet. I could live without steering temp but I have too much $$$ invested to burn up my trans..

RustyC · Jan 30, 2018

mitchw123456 said:
I've been debating this for months myself. My only issue with the tablet is I'd like to monitor steering fluid temp and trans temp and I don't see a way to add on sensors with a tablet. I could live without steering temp but I have too much $$$ invested to burn up my trans..

I have been thinking my way through this. Even adding a coolant temp sensor in another fluid and wire into the trans temp circuit. My ecm is set up for a 4l60e with a temp sensor but I run a TH350. Possibly using the 5 volt a/c sensor circuit for another 0-5 volt sensor as well.

84mallcrawl · Jan 30, 2018

put one of these in your trans
they switch to ground when the temp is reached and disconnect at the lower temp

https://www.amazon.com/Partsam-Electric-Thermostat-Temperature-Cooling/dp/B00OQ1GDGY/ref=pd_day0_263_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00OQ1GDGY&pd_rd_r=GEQTCFX6MVB9PDJQG3YQ&pd_rd_w=wQeU0&pd_rd_wg=fnDCc&psc=1&refRID=GEQTCFX6MVB9PDJQG3YQ

instead of use it to control a warning light

A gauge is great as long as you remember to look at it, but a warning light jumps up and shouts at you :flipgotcha:

gottagofast · Jan 30, 2018

I'm very fond of dummy lights and alarms

RustyC · Jan 31, 2018

I had a fan relay fail last year. Water temp started climbing.
$15 Warning light probably saved my engine. I'm a fan too.

tonybolton · Jan 31, 2018

RustyC said:
I had a fan relay fail last year. Water temp started climbing.
$15 Warning light probably saved my engine. I'm a fan too.

I thought about doing the same thing. Had my fan "stop working" on a long slow climb and I just happened to look at my temp gauge and saw 240. Luckily I was at the top and all that happened was one of the wires fell out/broke out of a butt connector. I've been paranoid ever since and usually check it more than a normal person would.

redneckengineered · Jan 31, 2018

I am thinking about eventually converting my entire engine management over to Holley Dominator ECU and running this...

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/gauges_and_displays/lcd_displays/parts/553-106

I know it's $$$ but comparing this to the tablet/torque app is not apples to apples.

TBItoy · Jan 31, 2018

redneckengineered said:
I am thinking about eventually converting my entire engine management over to Holley Dominator ECU and running this...

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/gauges_and_displays/lcd_displays/parts/553-106

I know it's $$$ but comparing this to the tablet/torque app is not apples to apples.

I thought you were a MAST fanboi ???

tonybolton · Jan 31, 2018

LOL....I love hearing the word "fanboi"

wizzo · Jan 31, 2018

TBItoy said:
I thought you were a MAST fanboi ???

MAST no longer offers their engine management system. They are not improving anything with their system. From the sound of it, they are pushing the Holley set up now.

TBItoy · Jan 31, 2018

wizzo said:
MAST no longer offers their engine management system. They are not improving anything with their system. From the sound of it, they are pushing the Holley set up now.

Well there ya go. :dblthumb:

redneckengineered · Jan 31, 2018

TBItoy said:
I thought you were a MAST fanboi ???

Chris basically summed it up. My buggy runs like a top and has never had the first hiccup from a tune perspective. Runs like it came from the GM factory. But, gotta plan for the future. I got wind Mast is phasing out their ECM/software so they can focus on just building motors. My 3G Mast software is extremely dated compared to what you can do with kits like the Holley. Just looking down the road.

zukimaster · Jan 31, 2018

And here I am tuning with jets and a vacuum gauge....

tonybolton · Jan 31, 2018

Hell I'm just twistin' wires together and see what turns on!!!

mitchw123456 · Feb 1, 2018

yea I'm an idiot sometimes didn't even think about just running a dummy light.. I can do dummy light and save a grand.... not a bad idea

84mallcrawl said:
put one of these in your trans
they switch to ground when the temp is reached and disconnect at the lower temp

https://www.amazon.com/Partsam-Electric-Thermostat-Temperature-Cooling/dp/B00OQ1GDGY/ref=pd_day0_263_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00OQ1GDGY&pd_rd_r=GEQTCFX6MVB9PDJQG3YQ&pd_rd_w=wQeU0&pd_rd_wg=fnDCc&psc=1&refRID=GEQTCFX6MVB9PDJQG3YQ

instead of use it to control a warning light

A gauge is great as long as you remember to look at it, but a warning light jumps up and shouts at you

RustyC · Feb 4, 2018

I have been working on getting a tablet installed in the dash of my buggy for a while now, finally had some success. Hardware is a Samsung Tab4 repossessed from one of my kids. A OBD2 dongle from ebay and the Torque Pro app. The dongle runs just over $20 and the app is $5.99 plus a tablet which are not overly expensive these day.
Engine is a 2004 LS, TH350.
Started with some 2"x 6" aluminum tubing cut up and welded into tablet mount. Tablet slides in from the bottom. Added warning light for coolant over temp and low oil pressure and charger to the tablet.

tonybolton · Feb 4, 2018

Nice!!!

RustyC · Feb 4, 2018

I was able to get the tablet mounted in the buggy and just barely had room to not hit when shifting into park. I was able to get engine rpm, coolant, voltage to read on the app without any problem at all. I could not get the engine oil pressure to read. I could add a gauge but it would not read anything but a -- on the screen. I had originally deleted the oil pressure sensor from my harness. I added the sensor and wires back to the ecm. Still no luck on reading correctly. Searched for a couple of days on and off and finally found a solution on a GTO forum.
You have to manually add a custom PID into the Torque app to get the gauge to read correctly
Navigating the app from the home screen go to settings - manage extra pids/sensors - add custom pid (top right corner 3 dots). This will pull up the OBD2 pid editor. Enter the info below into the spaces. Click OK at the bottom right on the screen. Then you can go back to the homescreen and then to real time information. Add gauges as you see fit onto your screen. The green highlighted pids are available to be used as a gauge. The custom oil pressure pid was at the bottom of the list for me.
The oil pressure no reads correctly for me. Seems to be very accurate down to less the 1 psi. I can live with that!
Once you get the gauges added to your display you can even set a high or low warning. The display will flash the gauge to get your attention. I'm not sure if I like it as much as a dedicated warning light but it does work.

RustyC · Feb 4, 2018

I am running a TH350 transmission and my ecm was originally for a 5.3 / 4l60e. The 4l60e has a built in temp sensor in the pressure switch manifold of the trans the the ecm would monitor. I have plans to get probably a coolant temp sensor and install it into my TH350 trans and use the app as a trans temp gauge too.
When you do get a pid working as a gauge you can tune in the formula for more precise output. On the oil pressure pid above you can see the formula is (A*0.65)-17.5. You can change the 17.5 to get the gauge to rear dead on. My oil pressure gauge read 1.6 psi at atmospheric pressure. I went down a bit to around -15 I think and ended up with the gauge reading 0 psi with the engine off.
Hope this helps. The app works on everything OBD2 with a OEM setup so even the Toyota , Jeep etc can use this. :driving: