comment ISSPRO Performax Series install

[RSG]

I saved my pennies and got the ESP + EGT, boost and tranny temp guages, along with a 4-hole pillar (all from sponsor from Diesel Manor). Thought I'd provide an update for anyone else...

Painted the pillar, got the gauges fit in (Boost, EGT, tranny temp, hole; top to bottom). Struggled to pull wires but got that done, cut holes in the original A-pillar to snake lines, left enough wire to go to the rearview mirror. Cut a tee into the pressure line and hooked in the boost sensor. Found the test port plug on the tranny and hooked in the tranny sensor. Don't have the time or patience for EGT yet, so left that stuck next to a hot spot by my radiator. Worked too long to pull the headlamp switch unit w/o breaking it, and spliced into the proper wire for the rheostat.

The Isspro series seems pretty nice, but instructions sorely need a pinout diagram of the plugs because the numbers are really really small. I found a mag lens to figure out which holes were which -- very important to put the right sensor into the right holes. After following the directions for putting pins into correct holes, putting a 5A fuse inline for power and 15A inline for ignition wire, and finding the dimmer wire, I turned on power. Big surprise...NOTHING!

The connection to the back of each gauge uses 'insulation displacement' and you squish the wires down pretty firmly into a connector, which then is inserted into back of guage. I thought I'd left myself plenty of wire looped from hole to hole, but if I ever did it again, I would leave even more! Measuring the 3 lines, I got no voltage ... so squished the wires even harder and finally got 7V on the power line to each gauge (measured both from a real ground and the gauge ground). Also thought I got a voltage of some value on the "data" line...but I may be wishfully thinking. Put back together and my tranny gauge did start to work, but not the other 2. Went for a drive and see about 150F...

So what is left to do? Clean up the wiring and ESP fastening. Drill/tap/install EGT sensor. Figure out why the boost isn't working and why the gauge lights don't come on. I suspect that my failure to get any lights or action out of the other 2 gauges is from "insulation displacement" issues in both cases. I thought I could check this by switching two gauges...? But if anyone has some free advice I'm all ears! Also, what to put into the 4th hole? Oil temp? Coolant temp? Oil pressure? I'll post a few pics of the completed job.

 

[NevrKnow]

Sorry to hear about your problems brother. I just installed the ISSPRO EV2 gauges and everything went smooth as silk.

Boost line get crimped maybe? I only ask cause I tightened mine to tight on the T and 30mins later figured it out. Damm cimp part in the T got cock-eyed and crimped my line in the fitting. Easy fix tho. Good Luck.

 

[RSG]

No crimps! All brass in the tee, and no hose line to the cab, just the wires to the ESP box under the hood. That's the nice part of the Performax...

I fiddled some more with the connections on the back of the gauges, and sure enough after I really mashed on them (that was some tough insulation!), the lights came on each as I worked 'em over. Haven't had a chance to run it yet, so don't know if the boost is operational but hope so...

 

[95_stroker]

Have you talked to anybody at ISSPRO yet? I have talked with them on gauge installs before and have found them to be very helpful.

 

[BJS]

for the lighting this may help it is instructions from when i beta tested the performax gauges

2) Pasted immediately below are instructions for matching the backlighting to your factory lighting, using the "mode" button wire. I am particularly interested in your lighting performance when dimming down, as we have seen some issues with the lighting on Ford SD trucks.




Mode Button

The mode button input (Gray connector, Pin #12) can be wired to a Normally-Open momentary switch (button), with the other side of the switch connected to ground. This switch is used to adjust the backlighting curve so that your gauges match the factory lighting perfectly, while still dimming with the factory dimmer. This adjustment should be completed when it is dark outside the vehicle.

Step #1: Turn on the ignition, so that your Performax(tm) gauges are powered on.

Step #2: Adjust the factory dimmer so that the factory instruments are at a comfortable lighting level.

Step #3: Press and hold the mode button. After 5 seconds, the backlight level will begin to adjust, getting brighter initially (until it reaches the brightest setting), then getting dimmer until it reaches the dimmest setting, and repeating the cycle. When the Performax(tm) gauge lighting intensity matches the factory instrument lighting intensity, release the button.

The lighting setting will be automatically saved in the ESP, and will now be the default. The Performax(tm) gauge lighting will still get brighter and dimmer as you change the factory dimmer adjustment.

If you are just making this adjustment one time to match the factory gauges, you can temporarily run mode switch wires outside the vehicle and into the cab (rather than permanently routing them through the firewall).

Make sure that you have the pins fully seated in the harness connecting to the computer under the hood.

I found for the connectors on the back of the gauges to take and press the wire in with a small screwdriver was best to get good connections. If you keep you dash lights dimmed down to a lower level then the performax gauges in original configuration may not come on see the quote for adjusting that.

 

[RSG]

Update -
Thanks guys for your input. I can report that it was definitely a problem of me not squashing the 3 wires into the gauge connectors. I pulled each and slowly worked on 'em with a odd ball little aluminum block "thingy" that came with the ESP. Don't know if that was what it was for but I used it anyhow. I could hear some sputtering as each one finally fully connected. Lighting was a similar issue with my crimp-on connector to the dimmer circuit. So...now it all works!

My lighting "mode switch" consists of shorting the wire to ground while I'm sitting behind the wheel. So far, it seems pretty touchy and gauge lights will go off before the panel lights. I need to work on that -- I'm not seeing a lot of adjustment when I run thru that sequencing component.

Good news, sort of. I see that my turbo boost is twitching a bit, usually down 1psi sometimes up 1 psi. I guess that must be a leak of intermittent nature, so I'll be checking all the boots and of course the sensor connections. Then I can adjust my turbomaster wastegate controller and step it up a bit ...

Hey, these are fun!! We ran down the freeway last night and got around 5psi boost (max I've seen is 18 psi), 145F tranny temp, and EGT is not hooked up yet. Running during the hot daytime, around 90F outside and 80 mph, we were running 8 psi boost, 155-160F tranny temp. Which of course makes me wonder if I need an aux cooler....

 

[BJS]

yes in stock configuration you need an auxillary cooler period end of story.

I have yet to be able to get the performax gauges to stay lit until the dash lights go out. I think this is due to the design of the lighting system. I keep mine just above the blackout level which is just about right.