Pillar gauge pod for 85 E350?

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
I really hate the locations of the boost and pryometer, down low, hiding behind the steering wheel. I have to lean forward and look down toward the floor to see one at a time, as they are on either side of the steering column.

Assuming the gauge probe lines can reach way up to the pillar, it would be a better solution.

It's that or just mount them directly on the dash right in front of me, like I did with the water temp gauge on my F250. Its ugly and puts holes in the dash though.

Has anyone put one of these on a 1985 generation van? I will be adding a water temp gauge, so a 3 pod would be perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018AO48A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pxO.Cb0HME1AR
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,236
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
Nope. Mine was for an OBS truck. When I installed it in my 1985, I modified it like macrobb did in one of his You Tube videos. I cut across the top and bottom until it looked similar to the one in your link. I used a couple of screws to attach it to the pillar. I know that it doesn't look the best, but it still holds my gauges.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
Nope. Mine was for an OBS truck. When I installed it in my 1985, I modified it like macrobb did in one of his You Tube videos. I cut across the top and bottom until it looked similar to the one in your link. I used a couple of screws to attach it to the pillar. I know that it doesn't look the best, but it still holds my gauges.

I don't need a pretty install, but I'd rather not put them on the dash itself. I did in the F250 because I figured water would be the only gauge I would ever add. And so it was. But in this, it already has boost and pryo, just in horrible places. They are in individual standalone tilting pods, so maybe I will just buy a third pod for cheap and just mount those to the pillar.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
This shows why they are impossible to see in normal driving posture, the steering wheel completely blocks them.

You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,236
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
That does suck. Eventually, I plan to run gauges across the bottom of the piece surrounding the instrument cluster. That way, I'll have real gauges close to the factory position. There's no issue with the speedometer since it doesn't work anyway.:Thumbs Up
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
That does suck. Eventually, I plan to run gauges across the bottom of the piece surrounding the instrument cluster. That way, I'll have real gauges close to the factory position. There's no issue with the speedometer since it doesn't work anyway.:Thumbs Up

Mine still works, and is about as accurate as the F250s, so about 3-5mph off at highway speeds, showing faster than traveling. But, that seems to be par for the course. I had a 91 Corolla that was the same way. You would think you were going 65, but GPS would say 60.

I'm unsure I want to try that pillar pod. The pillars on these vans are very vertical, they aren't as slanted as some vehicles. I may just relocate the gauges to the pillar, using the existing tilt pods. Then I can mount them and adjust them in such a way that I can see them. As for the temp gauge. I will probably mount it with the plate mount to the pillar too. I'd rather put holes in the pillar than the dash. I wish I had ordered a third pod like the two existing ones for free shipping from Amazon along with the gauge, but I didn't. Maybe I can find a cheap one on ebay.

This is an option too, but then I'd really have to hack up the dash to cut holes for the sensor lines. The finished result would look nice, though.
https://www.glowshiftdirect.com/universal-triple-gauge-console-dashboard-pod/
 
Last edited:

genscripter

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
584
Reaction score
358
Location
Inglewood, CA
On my 1988 van, I have a triple pillar pod and a triple over head pod.

The overhead one was easy: http://www.nickpisca.com/diesel/fuel-system/new-overhead-gauge-pod/

but the pillar was a PITA. I just went through my old purchases, and I bought a "Universal Triple Gauge A Pillar Pod GS-U3" in 2012. I used a table saw to make clean cuts on the sides to remove excess plastic. And I used a heat gun to reshape the generic pod to conform to the pillar form of my van.

I just went through my images on my website to see if I had a picture of the pillar cluster. Surprisingly I don't. I thought maybe it would be visible at some point in my tumbler/blinker replacement video, but I don't think it is:
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
It does have a good shot of my tach location and aux switches.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
On my 1988 van, I have a triple pillar pod and a triple over head pod.

The overhead one was easy: http://www.nickpisca.com/diesel/fuel-system/new-overhead-gauge-pod/

but the pillar was a PITA. I just went through my old purchases, and I bought a "Universal Triple Gauge A Pillar Pod GS-U3" in 2012. I used a table saw to make clean cuts on the sides to remove excess plastic. And I used a heat gun to reshape the generic pod to conform to the pillar form of my van.

I just went through my images on my website to see if I had a picture of the pillar cluster. Surprisingly I don't. I thought maybe it would be visible at some point in my tumbler/blinker replacement video, but I don't think it is:
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
It does have a good shot of my tach location and aux switches.

Thanks. I could see the pillar just enough in the video. It looks like they point almost directly towards the ceiling, as I figured. How can you see them without leaning forward? Or can you?

You must be registered for see images attach


Oh and I have that same old brake controller, just with a red button instead of blue. :D

The aftermarket tach is nice. My timing cover top has the factory tach port (plugged off) but its too bad you can't use the factory sensor for aftermarket gauges, as far as I understand.
 

genscripter

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Posts
584
Reaction score
358
Location
Inglewood, CA
Thanks. I could see the pillar just enough in the video. It looks like they point almost directly towards the ceiling, as I figured. How can you see them without leaning forward? Or can you?

You must be registered for see images attach


Oh and I have that same old brake controller, just with a red button instead of blue. :D

The aftermarket tach is nice. My timing cover top has the factory tach port (plugged off) but its too bad you can't use the factory sensor for aftermarket gauges, as far as I understand.


They do point up, but not too extreme. I'd say it's about ten degrees upwards from horizontal. I have two digital gauges (IP fuel inlet temp and third fuel tank percentage) and one analog gauge (EGT) and don't have any trouble seeing the readings.

In addition to cutting and heating the pod to fit my criteria, I also added two switches and an indicator light to that pod. I should really do a write-up on my site about that pod. The selector switch allows me to toggle my IP fuel inlet temp to also show me what my GVOD temp is. I even bought a rotary selector dial so that I could put more temp probes (like in the trans, diff, etc) and turn the dial to find their temp with only one gauge. But I've been too busy with the VRV project in my spare time to focus any energy on the extra van projects.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
91,217
Posts
1,128,517
Members
24,045
Latest member
Ramtough01

Members online

Top