There are only so many things you can do to the outside of your truck before you have to consider the interior. One of the things that can really make a truck look better is a custom instrument swap. The owner of this ’08 Dodge Cummins 6.7L wanted to upgrade his driving experience with an Auto Meter gauge install, and we were lucky enough to be able to grab photos of the swap.
Auto Meter has a Dodge Factory Match series for this truck that matches the OEM instruments exactly, but this owner specifically asked for the LED Phantom II gauges.
Follow along—it’s easier than you might have expected.
For this particular vehicle,...
For this particular vehicle, the owner requested LED-lit Phantom II gauges. Auto Meter also has a Dodge Factory Match series that is an exact match for the OEM instruments.
01. The A-pillar gauge mount...
01. The A-pillar gauge mount Auto Meter makes for this truck is a full replacement piece. The factory pillar cover is removed completely in this installation. All the Auto Meter pillars for these years are finished in the factory taupe color for a seamless integration with the interior.
02.0 To connect the lighting...
02.0 To connect the lighting on these gauges, Auto Meter pulls the factory dimmer to jump onto its output circuit. Because these gauges use LED-lit gauges, we needed to wire an Auto Meter 9114 dimmer module in series.
02.5 LEDs are either on...
02.5 LEDs are either on or off and don’t actually dim on their own. This module will allow them to be dimmed just like a conventional incandescent light.The wire we want to jump onto on this ’08 is the orange one with the brown stripe.
03. And here it is back in...
03. And here it is back in place.
04. We’ll start by installing...
04. We’ll start by installing the boost gauge.
05. The upper intake needed...
05. The upper intake needed to come off the engine so we could drill and tap it. If you want to skip this step, you can get a Boost Bolt from the folks at Diesel Manor. This kit lets you just put one bolt in and you’ve got a hookup. We took the hard way this time around.
06. Here is the engine with...
06. Here is the engine with the intake removed.
07. And this is a look at...
07. And this is a look at our intake on the bench. We want to drill a 5⁄16-inch hole in the cast-aluminum portion.
08. Once our hole was complete,...
08. Once our hole was complete, we ran a 1⁄8-inch NPT pipe tap through it.
09. It’s important to make...
09. It’s important to make sure the tap doesn’t go all the way down. Pipe threads are tapered, and going too far in can compromise sealing.
10. And here is our boost...
10. And here is our boost port, ready to go.
11. We installed our male...
11. We installed our male 1⁄8-inch NPT fitting, and it was ready to go back on the truck.
12. Here is our boost line...
12. Here is our boost line that is run to the intake.
13. The next step will be...
13. The next step will be to drill and tap the exhaust manifold for the pyrometer probe. While the best way to do this is to remove the manifold, if you’re methodical in your approach, it can be done safely on the engine. The key is to start with a very small pilot hole and work your way up to the 5⁄16-inch drill bit. This keeps the shavings very small and dust-like and makes them easy for the bit to eject.
14. Some people will put...
14. Some people will put grease on the bit, but we don’t recommend this. This can cause shavings to stick inside the manifold, which will ultimately find their way to your turbo. A dry bit that gradually works its way up in size is the best method. Here, we’ve got our hole tapped out to 1⁄8-inch NPT, just like the intake.
15. The probe is installed...
15. The probe is installed in the manifold.
16. Dodge played a nasty...
16. Dodge played a nasty trick on us with the late-model Rams. There’s no longer anywhere on the trans to access the fluid to measure temperature. We used a series of compression fittings to get access to the factory trans cooler line. It’s a bit of a job, but not terrible. You can also get a complete kit from the folks at Diesel Manor at www.dieselmanor.com.
17. Make sure you are going...
17. Make sure you are going into the hot side line for the most accurate temp. We aren’t as interested in what the fluid looks like after it has gone through the cooler.
18. As you can see, it’s...
18. As you can see, it’s the top line on this ’08.
19. Here is a look at the...
19. Here is a look at the gauges installed in the cab.