hey gentlemen new question...

i read on our forums that our engine temperature gauge is not that accurate due to the "temp filter" readings from the ECU and by the time it starts to rise its likely that you already overheated. so i was looking online for digital aftermarket gauges and found a few good ones, wiring and mounting the gauge is pretty easy. Where would the ideal/best/easiest install for the coolant temp sensor be on a 4.0 SC engine be? i have never installed one before so some information will be greatly appreciated (i will have a friend who is a mechanic help me; i have yet to speak to him about this).

want to install a gauge like those in the attachments

thank you gentlemen

 

I would look into the Real Guage - Google "real gauge jaguar xjr", and you shouold find it. It has no visual impact, works great, and is not too difficult to install (other than crimping incredibly tiny wires, and having to push wire around in tight quarters).

 

Here's the forum tested consensus best aftermarket gauge.


XK8 / XKR / XJ RealGauge - TheJagWrangler

 

I saw comments on other forums about RealGauge. It looks like a great investment but I just took a look at the manual for RealGauge, and in all honesty it seems more work(opening up the cluster) than a aftermarket install just a simple power, ground and sensor; i would like to go this route. Not trying to downgrade RealGauge or anything.

 

Although not as 'safe' in case I forget to connect, I run Torque Pro with a bluetooth adapter on my smartphone.
Added low and high temperature alarm for the coolant, and got a million other readings with it.
Might be an alternative.

 

You may have just convinced me to pull the trigger on that app & adapter, been flirting w/ the idea for a spell now.

Which adapter do you run w/ yours ?

 

The cheapest one I could find on the Taiwanese webshops, ~8 USD.
Not expected, it even came with a free version of Torque Pro, just before I was ready to purchase it on Google Play.
Connecting everything is 1 min work, setting up Torque Pro over the various pages on your phone needs a bit more time.
I downloaded a burl wood structure for the background, with gauges in the Jaguar colour.
I swap background and gauges if I use it on our SLK.

 

Looks sharp ! I found a highly rated BT adaptor on Amazon for 11$ & I have maybe 10$ free credit on Google Play for the app, sounds like a plan !

 

yup yup i use torque app too; this is my adapter from ebay for 10 USD! loll its a slim version with a on/off switch. its a amazing app i check codes n all i always get p1111 i noticed is that normal?

i just wanted more of a permanent approach to monitor coolant temps; because my phone battery is usually low 24/7 loll

i guess once i get it installed ill update this thread on how to install an aftermarket coolant temperature gauge.

 

What temp.s' do you have set, out of curiosity.

Godspeed

 

Torque Pro gives a notice if the coolent temp passes 70 degree during warming up.
I set minimum accordingly, and the high warning at 98.
So far I noticed the temps hovering at max. 85~95 at the tropical conditions here.

 

Can someone please provide me with a coolant flow diagram for the 4.0 SC engine so i can find an ideal spot to tap into one of the coolant hoses, sensor adapters vary from 32mm to 55mm for a 1/8 NPT thread. Thank you.

 

Love that theme for Torque. I'll have to see if I can find that, it would be more likely for me to run it full time if it actually matched. I haven't looked that far.

To the OP, my first thought was going to be to replace one of the center vents with it, mold it in there, but that's more work than the smart gauge and would be out of place by a mile. After that, I got nuttin.

 

Full disclosure: I designed RealGauge and I sell it.

RealGauge on the X308 takes about a hour to install. You do not need to open up the instrument cluster unless you want to add the numerical labels, and if you do, this will take a few minutes more. The instructions seem long because they are very detailed, and do not leave anything to chance.

In my estimation, by the time you wire in the aftermarket gauge, find and pull a wire through the firewall, and modify a hose for the new sensor you will be spending considerably more time installing your proposed coolant gauge.

RealGauge also has the advantage of a preset audible alarm for coolant temperature AND an audible alarm for low oil pressure (yes, even on the X308).

RealGauge has a history feature that also lets you monitor temperature trends if you suspect something in the cooling system is deteriorating.

RealGauge lets you keep the OEM look of the interior of your car.

I also offer full support and guaranteed success of your installation.

Lastly I offer 10% off to forum members if you contact me via PM or on my website before ordering.

Thanks,
Steve

 

RealGauge just works, looks stock. Install is easy, the docs may look overwhelming because they are so thorough. It really is not that hard and solves a difficult problem of just where do you add a gauge to the Jag dash without it looking hokey. I put one in both a 2003 XJR and a 1999 VDP and the install only took a couple of hours each. It's easy to knock it out in on a Saturday.

RealGauge makes the Jaguar gauge operate the way it should have from the factory. It actually moves around properly with driving conditions rather than being an analog idiot light.

-Mike

 

I'll readily admit, I'd freak out for the first week seeing that needle move at ALL, after being so used to not having it operate as such (My 3-series was the same way with how the stock gauge works). But definitely better to have more info than not.

 

No, you really want it to move realistically and you want to be able to trust it. I've learned this from driving on the track. I started with the Jag, but moved quickly to an E36 BMW M3. The stock BMW M3 coolant temp gauge is just like the Jags. It stays right in the middle from coolant at 160F all the way up to 230F. Between 230 and about 234 it goes from the center all the way to pegged and doesn't provide any real warning before the temp reaches 230. 230 is enough to pop the head gasket on the Bimmer. Temp is normal, normal, normal, normal, and then a few seconds later it's in the red. This could easily be missed for minutes on a race track because you are not staring at the gauges.

With a properly operating gauge, you can spot trends. If the engine is full of coolant (and you know this by the coolant level warning) it will not overheat instantaneously. Thus, if I look at the gauge and it is a bit cold or even normal, I know I've got some time before needing to check it again. Instead of the scenario of the last sentences in the above paragraph the temp is normal, a touch above normal, a bit more above normal, warmer than normal, warmer than I'm comfortable with over the span of 5-6 minutes with plenty of time to react.

On the street, if it climbs quickly at a red light in hot weather I know I may want to make sure the electric fans are working. If it never really warms up, it's worth checking if the thermostat has failed open. I've had both of these types of failures happen in different vehicles.

The fixed stock gauge provides a false sense of security in the see no evil sense. Once you learn a proper gauge's normal movement in your car it is a very valuable diagnostic tool for keeping tabs on the cooling system condition. Of course, you need to have some idea of what's going on - the reason the car companies have gone to analog idiot lights is I imagine they got tired of explaining the functioning gauges to clueless customers.

A proper gauge set should include an ammeter (voltmeter does work here in a pinch), oil pressure gauge, and coolant temp gauge. All should move during normal operation. That's and the right way to do it. If I can only have one, it would be the coolant temp gauge. One thing I like about the RealGauge is it has a buzzer for oil pressure - something that needs to be reacted to much faster than coolant.

-Mike

 

Mine will be here Wed.



My youngest son already suspects I'm James Bond lol having access to my car's readings on my phone will likely confirm it in his mind.

 

Oh I definitely know the value of having an accurate reading. It's just been a few years since I've actually had a real reading on the dash, with a needle that has any fluctuation that the first time I see it bob, I'm gonna have to take a breath and remind myself that it's not instantly overheating, but is normal lol. Not that I have any reason to doubt it, it's been rock solid since I picked it up, and I do double check on Torque from time to time. Definitely something on the list to do down the road though.

 

Looking for this now to no avail so far.