removing dash obd2 guages only?

M249cummins

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
157
I a building a open class puller for fun and don't care to be competitive...about 800hp-900hp and my dash is all cracked and missing chunks and half the gauges don't work anyway. I was planning to put a universal aluminum dash from jegs in there and I would like to still monitor my oil psi, coolant temp, voltage, speed and ect but don't want a ton of gauges. do you think it would work fairly well to hook a tablet up to the obd2 port and use the tablet as my instrument cluster? ideally I would love a motec system but that can be a few thousand dollars vs $300 for the obd2 and tablet I already have.
 
I've never done it but it should work just fine as long as you have the software to read the ECU/PCM whatever Dodge calls it.

What about one of the edge CT-s units that just monitors? They come up fairly cheap used and you wouldn't need to purchase the software for your laptop.
 
What truck are you using? This might be considerably easier with mechanical gauges.
 
It is a 1999 RCLB 5spd. I just assumed a lot of people have done this before. I have egt, boost and fuel psi on my pillar. I already have a tablet I don't use I can use as a dedicated instrument cluster. The only gauges I plan to get individually is a Autometer tach, Air/Water intercooler water temp and a fuel guage possibly. Most of it will fit on a 8"x6" tablet.

I thought about the edge too but like to have a bigger screen. i will look into the edge a little more.
 
I do the same thing on one of my play trucks. $50 bluetooth link between the OBD2 port and the tablet and a couple of free apps will get you most of what you're going to want.

I mostly use Torque Pro which I think I had to pay a coupe of bucks for, but I cannot read oil pressure. The truck that it's on is also a 99, so that will give you an idea of what it's capable of.

The Edge monitors do allow you to read oil pressure and a couple other parameters that the free apps don't offer. I heard at one time that Edge was talking about selling their software so users could download it on their personal tablets, but I don't know if that ever became a reality.
 
I looked into the edge cts2 and I think that is the route I want to go. seems cheap enough and I'm willing to bet there is not as much lag in gauges as a Bluetooth app will have.
 
Back
Top