Pyrometer install on FG140
- Thread starter Fusooka
- Start date
SkiFreak
Crazy Person
The first thing you need to determine is if you want the pyrometer pre or post turbo.
Pre turbo will give you a much more accurate temperature reading, but this temperature will fluctuate quickly, so can be a little difficult to read. A potential issue here is if a bit of the pyrometer were to break off, in which case it would go through the turbine blades and likely kill the turbo. Best advice here would be to use a high quality pyrometer if you choose to go down that route. Mounting the pyrometer post turbo is definitely a safer install, but it's less accurate.
Installing the pyrometer pre turbo.
If the FG140's manifold is the same as my FG84's (which I am pretty sure it is) then there is no existing hole in the manifold in which to put the pyrometer; you would need to drill and tap a hole for it. To drill and tap the hole in situ could result in debris going inside of the manifold and ultimately through the turbo. Even the smallest bit of crap could result in damage to the turbo vanes. If you were brave you could do this work with the engine running, as this would give you a positive pressure in the exhaust manifold, which "should" blow the crap out, but there is no guarantee that this will be 100% successful. The only 100% safe way would be to remove the manifold, which is not really a small job.
Alternately, you could mount the pyrometer post turbo.
Be aware that the temperature readings you get here will be significantly lower than if the pyrometer were mounted pre turbo and will not be as immediate. Again, there is no hole in the casting post turbo, so one would need to be drilled and tapped. If mounting post turbo you need to place the pyrometer as close to the turbo as possible (no more than 6" away). The difference here is that you could do this more safely without dismantling anything. I would still run the engine to give positive pressure in the manifold, but should any debris get into the manifold it would only need to get past the retarder butterfly and out of the exhaust, neither of which should be problematic.
I guess that it comes down to exactly what you want from a pyrometer.
In my opinion, either way is better than going by the coolant temperature gauge, which has some serious lag time in responding to temperature changes.
Very interested in hearing other people's views on this subject.
Pre turbo will give you a much more accurate temperature reading, but this temperature will fluctuate quickly, so can be a little difficult to read. A potential issue here is if a bit of the pyrometer were to break off, in which case it would go through the turbine blades and likely kill the turbo. Best advice here would be to use a high quality pyrometer if you choose to go down that route. Mounting the pyrometer post turbo is definitely a safer install, but it's less accurate.
Installing the pyrometer pre turbo.
If the FG140's manifold is the same as my FG84's (which I am pretty sure it is) then there is no existing hole in the manifold in which to put the pyrometer; you would need to drill and tap a hole for it. To drill and tap the hole in situ could result in debris going inside of the manifold and ultimately through the turbo. Even the smallest bit of crap could result in damage to the turbo vanes. If you were brave you could do this work with the engine running, as this would give you a positive pressure in the exhaust manifold, which "should" blow the crap out, but there is no guarantee that this will be 100% successful. The only 100% safe way would be to remove the manifold, which is not really a small job.
Alternately, you could mount the pyrometer post turbo.
Be aware that the temperature readings you get here will be significantly lower than if the pyrometer were mounted pre turbo and will not be as immediate. Again, there is no hole in the casting post turbo, so one would need to be drilled and tapped. If mounting post turbo you need to place the pyrometer as close to the turbo as possible (no more than 6" away). The difference here is that you could do this more safely without dismantling anything. I would still run the engine to give positive pressure in the manifold, but should any debris get into the manifold it would only need to get past the retarder butterfly and out of the exhaust, neither of which should be problematic.
I guess that it comes down to exactly what you want from a pyrometer.
In my opinion, either way is better than going by the coolant temperature gauge, which has some serious lag time in responding to temperature changes.
Very interested in hearing other people's views on this subject.
Aussie Iron
Explorer
I believe you have it down right.
Dan.
Dan.