aftermarket gauge installation & illumination


RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
That's a beautiful offshore boat (is it a Cigarette?) - and for salt water, a closed system is almost mandatory! I've always loved the beauty of those boats and the staggered engines with their exhaust systems. The outfitters do a fantastic job. Too bad that "Hot Boat" magazine went under, but I've saved all my past issues. Be safe in that beauty.

Closed cooling keeps me from having the exact same affect but my earlier open cooling boats did exactly the same thing.

Love the Boat Ralphie. :thumbsup

Mine is a little different in style (7,500lbs dry). My wife took a couple pictures from the house tho.
 
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2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
Thank you.

I am the engine assembler/outfitter.

Definitely take your comment as a true compliment.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
From my direct experience, this statement couldn't be further from the truth. The Coyote engine in the Boss uses a similar cooler to the GT and we have done extensive datalogging of coolant and oil temps - under both normal and track conditions. There is little similarity between the two and has been mentioned previously - short bursts into high RPM has an almost immediate effect on oil temps. Sustained high RPM play havoc with oil temps whereas water temps may be much more reasonable. Oil temp is what you want to be looking at.

Thanks for the information. What temps are you seeing and are were they ever in a dangerous area?

What I was trying to say is that if the engine coolant temperature get too high the engine will go into limp mode. I believe that is around 240F. Given the oil cooler to dump heat to the engine coolant it obviously will be hotter than the 240F but never to a dangerous level. My guess is about 280F post cooler. I don't know where the oil temp sensor is located. If the reading is pre-cooler it will be much higher. e.g the oil after getting sprayed on the pistons is much hotter but that is not what I am referring too. IMO since the cars have a 9+ QT capacity and a change interval of 5K or less I don't worry about oil degradation. I am confident that the engineers at Ford did a fine job specing the system.

If you are concerned about oil temps, you can just slow down before your coolant temps get too high with the same results.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,195
It is easily possible to have oil temps that are excessive while still having high, but pre-limp mode coolant temps. It is the chief reason that FRPP (and others) are bringing out an oil-to-air engine oil cooler for the Coyote folks.
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
I am going to have a few dash plates made in Carbon Fiber for these gauges. If anyone else is interested please let me know. Perhaps I can negotiate a group rate. I am going out to the CF shop tomorrow to let the guys look at the current dash and give me pricing on a mold versus putting a layer over the dash they offer. I suspect I will end up going with a full CF piece based on a mold. I am going to ask them about leaving the gauge cutouts in place so that you may choose any size gauge you’d like. i.e.: stock, 4” Speedo or 4.5.” It also leaves the ability to use a Motec dash in that place if you wanted to go that route.

Cheers,
MM
 

Superfly

HERITAGE GT OWNER
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 23, 2008
2,210
Edmonton, Alberta
Mark, in for a quote on the CF dash. Thanks
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
Here is the deal. The initial mold is going to cost about $1000. Then each dash made from that mold will run $500. I have specifically requested that the dash be made perfectly flat with no cutouts for the gauges. That way a person can use any size speedo or motec dash or add additional lights, switches ect…

So, I am going to have the dash plates manufactured with the bottom holes (warning lights and odometer), the fastener holes and the support piers on the back. The back of the dash will have a small etching so that alignment for normal round gauges can be cut easily. This will be offered for $600. If you would like the gauges precut, I think I can get that done for $700 (but not the stock tach, as it would require a machine template to be done perfectly (and Kip offers this dash, I don’t want to step on his toes). I can use any material in the mold so if someone has a special request like white carbon or banana peals, whatever… we can do that.
 
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fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,503
Belleville, IL
Condoms?
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
It's possible. Do u want used ones?
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,503
Belleville, IL
No thanks, I have plenty of body parts available for that exotic look.
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
Just an update, if anyone is looking for the dash plate in the future I will be posting pictures of the process and final product in my GT Project thread. So there!
 

Waldo

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 7, 2005
767
Fort Worth, TX
I understand that they are trying to accommodate the
requests for ... a larger diameter speedometer.
Any updates on a stock sized (larger) speedometer?

Best Regards,
Waldo
 

mardyn

GT Owner
Dec 20, 2005
490
Beautiful East Texas
My FGT dash with carbon/black hydrographic panel & Speed Hut gauges.

DABpics-Spring2012010.jpg


I'm anxious to get it all back in the car and be finished with the gauge debacle for a while.

mardyn
 

steved57

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Mar 29, 2008
1,941
kilgore tx
Wow, those look nice ! Doing the install yourself ? Let's get together with the GT's soon.
 

paul b

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2006
810
Before you do the install, think about switching the temperature gauge and the fuel gauge, making the temperature gauge easier to view.
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
Before you do the install, think about switching the temperature gauge and the fuel gauge, making the temperature gauge easier to view.

Same for voltage and oil pressure.

Mardyn, did Speed hut do the hydrographic panel for you or did you send that out after you got it?
 

mardyn

GT Owner
Dec 20, 2005
490
Beautiful East Texas
Wow, those look nice ! Doing the install yourself ? Let's get together with the GT's soon.

Yes< I'm handling the install myself... the SH dash is much easier to get in and out than the OEM panel.

Mardyn, did Speed hut do the hydrographic panel for you or did you send that out after you got it?

No, this is the original brushed panel we used when developing the replacement gauges... I wanted a more finished appearance
for the panel that will reside in the car so I sent it out to a guy up in Michigan to get it dipped.

mardyn