Announcing RealGauge! Transform your gauges from "folly" to function
 

After several months of research, development and testing, I am delighted to announce the availability of ‘RealGauge”. This is my answer to the issues raised in the thread “The Folly of the Temperature Gauge” (https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xk8-xkr-17/folly-temperature-gauge-62813/).

This development is testimony to the power of this forum. It was hatched from member ideas and discussion about the deficiencies of the factory gauges and popular demand for a solution. The prototypes and installation manuals were even tested and improved with the hands-on help from several forum members. Special thanks go to members OregonJag for his initial posting and analysis on the subject, Skid Mark for his generous loaner equipment, Sean B for his beta test support on his XJR and especially The Coupe for his initial encouragement and his highly detailed beta test reports on his XK8. And particular thanks to all the forum members who expressed interest or signed up on the waiting list that gave me the confidence to invest in this product.


What follows is a FAQ to answer some of the questions that you may have about the product.

What exactly is RealGauge?
RealGauge is a tiny computer, about 2" (50mm) square that mounts on top of your instrument cluster case, hidden behind the dashboard of your Jaguar 1996 to 2006 XK8 or XKR and 1996-2003 XJ or XJR. It plugs into the instrument cluster and attaches to a few instrument cluster harness wires with reliable, simple to use connectors called Posi-taps without cutting, stripping or soldering any wires.

Attachment 164014

What does RealGauge do?
RealGauge reads the accurate digital coolant temperature information already present in your car at the instrument cluster. It then uses this information to drive the factory coolant gauge in the instrument cluster (which is actually a stepper motor).

Why should I want this?
Once Jaguar's factory cooling gauge reaches about 185 degrees F, the instrument cluster forces the gauge to remain at mid-scale until the temperature reaches approximately 235 to 240 F. This allows virtually no time to react to an approaching overheat condition. Overheating may be extremely damaging to our aluminum engines in a very short matter of time.

RealGauge will let you see normal fluctuations in temperature as you drive, depending on the outside temperature, how fast you are going, the engine speed, the condition of the cooling system, the engine controller switching on the cooling fans, use of heating and AC, etc. RealGauge will give you more time to react to a potential overheating situation.

Additionally, by noticing changes to normal engine temperature patterns, you increase the likelihood that you can have cooling system problems (thermostat, water pumps, radiator, fans, etc.) evaluated and repaired before they become serious, expensive and potentially leave you stranded. This is especially important as our cars get older the chances of a failure in the cooling system increases.

What coolant temperature readings should I expect with RealGauge?
As with the factory gauge you will see the engine warm up from 125 F to about 185 F, which is midscale. The car should then operate most of the time in the range of about 190 F to about 215 F, but higher temperatures may occur at times of idling, high ambient temperatures and high RPMs. If you consistently see higher temperatures or lower temperatures, the cooling system and fans should be investigated.

My XK8/XKR also has the oil pressure gauge...I never see that move either.
The oil pressure gauge is even more 'fake' than the coolant gauge. The XK8 and XKR does not have an oil pressure sensor, it only has a low pressure switch. The factory oil pressure gauge is truly an 'idiot light with a needle', which has only two positions: zero and midscale.

Does RealGauge support the oil pressure gauge?
The RealGauge computer is pre-programmed to support the oil pressure gauge also. To use this feature, you need to purchase the oil pressure option, which includes a high quality oil pressure sensor, adapter, and connection hardware. The oil pressure option is only for XK8s and XKRs that have the 3-gauge cluster instead of navigation. The oil pressure option is not available for XJ vehicles.


What oil pressure readings should I expect with RealGauge?
You will now see normal fluctuations in oil pressure as you drive, depending on the engine temperature, the engine speed, and oil viscosity. Normal fluctuations are quite large, typically from about 10 psi to 75 psi. By noticing changes to normal oil pressure patterns, you increase the likelihood that you can have oil pressure problems evaluated and repaired before they become serious, expensive and potentially leave you stranded.

What kinds of problems will a full functioning oil pressure gauge help predict?
Certainly you may get insight into a variety of oil pump related problems, but it is not uncommon in the Jaguar V8 for bits of material from plastic primary and secondary tensioners and plastic camshaft chain guides to break off and begin to clog the oil sump. This becomes more prevalent with increasing age and miles. All else being equal, a drop in typical pressures could be a clear sign to investigate for these problems before they become serious.

What happens to the factory oil pressure switch when I use the RealGauge oil pressure sensor option?
It remains in the car as a backup, independent low oil pressure warning. A rugged tee adapter is included in the oil pressure option kit to allow both the oil pressure sensor and factory switch to co-exist.

Does RealGauge have an audible alarm feature also?
Yes, RealGauge has an audible alarm tone to alert you as soon as you have a potentially harmful overheat situation or low oil pressure situation. Even on navigation equipped XKs and on XJs without the oil pressure gauge and oil pressure option, RealGauge will use the Jaguar's built in oil pressure switch to audibly alert you immediately of dangerously low oil pressure (in addition to the normal dashboard warning light and message).


OK, so if I have an over temperature or a low oil pressure condition, how do I shut the alarm off?
Simply depress the trip button at the end of the blinker stalk for 1.5 seconds and the alarm will be silenced.


What if I do not like the idea at all of an audible alarm in my car at all?
Simple instructions are included to permanently disable the alarm, if desired, during installation.

What is the RealGauge 'History' feature?
'History' is a feature where the peak temperature and minimum oil pressure are recorded during each engine run for each of the last 60 engine runs.

'History Replay' is invoked by pressing the trip button on the blinker stalk for 4 seconds with the ignition on and the engine off.

The History feature is useful for finding patterns which may indicate slowly degrading operation of the cooling system or the engine oiling system. History data is maintained in non-volatile memory even if the car battery is disconnected.

How hard is RealGauge to install?
Installing RealGauge module alone is just a little more difficult that replacing light bulbs in your instrument cluster. Very detailed instructions are provided and support is available. On XJs and navigation equipped XK’s this is the only procedure needed.

Installing the oil pressure option also requires you to access the area next to the oil filter, so you need to jack up the front end and work under the car for a few minutes with some wrenches to install the oil pressure sensor and adapter. The oil pressure option also requires running a cable through the firewall…this procedure is described in detail in the instructions and accessories are included in the kit to simplify the process.

If you do not care to do the work yourself, many mechanics will do it for you as long as you provide the instructions supplied with the kit. If you live near Washington DC, I also do a limited number of installations for local forum members.

The coolant and oil pressure scales are not labeled...how do I know what the readings are?
You have some choices.

Some will prefer to leave the gauges as is without labels and keep the car looking 100% original. If this is the case, you can just remember the needle behavior under different driving conditions and keep an eye out for changes from that the norm.

You also may want to remember that the coolant temperature scale starts at 125 F and ends at 245 F, and each minor tick mark is 15 degrees F, and each major tick mark is 30 F. This means quarter scale is 155 F, midscale is 185 F, 3/4 scale is 215 F.

The oil pressure scale range is 0 - 100 psi. Minor tick marks are 12.5 psi and major tick marks are 25 psi. Quarter scale is 25 psi, half scale is 50 psi and 3/4 scale is 75 psi.

Adhesive plastic number labels in factory correct fonts along with instructions for application are included with the kit. You can add some, all or none of the labels...this is your choice.
The labels are not backlit.

If there is sufficient demand, backlit overlay replacements may be available in the future as an option, but it was determined that they would add too much to the price of the kit, making it out of reach for some, and complicate installation for something only a few may desire.

I have navigation in my car. How do I get an oil pressure gauge?
If you want to keep your navigation, you will need to add an aftermarket oil pressure gauge and sensor if you want to monitor oil pressure. There are many of these in the automotive aftermarket. If you decide to add an aftermarket oil pressure gauge to a navigation equipped vehicle, do not order the oil pressure option for RealGauge.

If instead you choose to remove the obsolete navigation system you can add the Jaguar XK's 3-gauge cluster and replace the wood bezel. Www.TheJagWrangler.com offers the wiring harness you will also need. Cars converted to the 3-gauge cluster using TheJagWrangler harness are fully compatible with RealGauge.

Will RealGauge affect my warranty?
Installation of any aftermarket equipment might affect your warranty, if you have one. Check your policy.


What does RealGauge cost?
The RealGauge computer and installation kit, which supports the coolant temperature gauge alone is priced at $129.95.

Attachment 164015


The oil pressure option for RealGauge needed to support the oil temperature gauge includes a quality oil pressure sensor and installation kit and is priced at $149.95. Both kits need to be purchased to support both coolant temperature and oil pressure gauge together.

Attachment 164016

Are there any discounts?
Yes, Jaguarforum members get a significant discount:

**RealGauge coolant gauge upgrade is $99.95 (reg $129.95)

**RealGauge Coolant plus oil pressure gauge upgrade is $239.95 (reg. $279.95)


Please PM me or contact me on my website below for the discount password.

People with modified engines will find this particularly useful..... Well done.... You will get interest on the XKEC forum

Two thumbs up!
 

Very well done Wrangler. That's the kind of engineering I like to see.
I might have to talk you out of one of these .. P-)
Mike
With this kind of results I wonder what else I could write about...

That's fantastic! Well done!

Excellent. I will add it to the list, once I have recovered from paying for a refurbished gear box.

One thing though, is it possible to get temperature lables in celcius? For those of us who where brought up in Euros?

It wierd in the UK, when we talk of a persons weight, distance/speed or summer temps we think in stones (14lb), miles and F. But for everything else we calculate in kg, metre and C.

This was because in the 1970's the UK agreed to go metric (its illegal to sell anything in lb and oz) but never followed it through. So we do have to buy petrol in litres. For our american cousins its at £1.317/litre at the moment, So at todays exchange rate thats $(us) 7.77/gallon(US).

So as an engineer I work in metric, but we mix it up in real life. Ill still say "as the temp was in the 70's (F) I took the Jag for a 50 mile run with the top down, got to 60mph in 6.7 seconds, not bad for a car that weighs 1705kg, but it does have 290 bhp and 393 N m (newton metre) of torque"

Go figure!

As one of the beta testers for this product, I can tell you that Steve has done an excellent job with it. For those of us who love these cars, and want REAL information on their operation, it's great to be able to look at the coolant temp and oil pressure gauges and have them provide accurate, real-time readings.

Once installed, the product is invisible. You will see no wires, components, nothing. Everything appears as stock. The only difference you will see is the actual and useful operation of the needles in the coolant temp and oil pressure gauges. Perfect.

Steve's kits as delivered are also first-rate. The instructions are clear, well-written and well-illustrated. He provides all of the little "extras" you might need, such as zip-ties and alcohol swabs. He's thought of everything.

I've been running the coolant temp option of RealGauge for about a month, and the oil pressure option for about a week. Both are flawless. No codes, no problems.

I highly recommend this little bag of goodies. And thanks to Steve for putting together such useful upgrades for these beautiful cars.


:icon_toast:

.

Kudos Steve! I am looking forward to this modification.

It certainly would have helped if Jaguar would have had real readings from day one. I had a fairly new 99 Sapphire and Ivory XK8 that that just wouldn't start (a bit of an embarrassment as it was beautifully parked in the porte cochere of the then new and very crowded Venetian in Las Vegas). It was flatbedded to Gaudin and they said it had overheated! There was never any instrumentational or physical evidence to that fact when I was driving it so either the valet blew it up or ??? Oh well we received a free night at the hotel because of it, thanks Jaguar roadside assistance/trip protection.

Nice job Steve. I've sent you a note via your website to be included on the "I wanna get one list" whenever they're available. I'm not as concerned about oil pressure but it would be nice to have advance warning with the alarm since there's no gauge on mine.

Sounds like something I would want. Could you shed some light on how easy/difficult the installation is (time to install? wires need to be cut? etc.).

Thanks,

Doug

Doug-

I can tell you that in my case, I needed about 90 minutes for the coolant option, and about 2 hours for the oil pressure option. But I work slow, and try to clean everything I come across.

Steve's instructions on the wiring changes are very good. There are no "cuts," but for the coolant temp option you'll be "tapping" into a few wires, and for the oil pressure option you'll be moving a few wires from an existing connector to a new one provided by Steve. All quite easy, really.

WOO-HOO! This is AWESOME! Can't wait!

One suggestion for you, White: Add an item in your FAQ regarding the payment methods you accept.

John

Thanks for the great reception guys!
 

:icon_beerchug:

I am all ears!

Yes, I will offer celcius labels for temperature and bar labels for pressure in the appropriate countires or on request.

The only thing I can add the The Coupe's answer is that I use color coded wires that match the vehicle to minimize the chance of wiring errors. Everything I design is also 'hardened' so that if an error is made during installation, it is unlikely that the unit or the vehicle will suffer any damage.

Also, sometime next week I plan to post the instruction manuals on my website if you want to review them first.

I will either send a Paypal invoice or give you a Paypal link. You can of course pay through Paypal if you have an account. If you do not have an account you can pay with a credit card without being a Paypal member (Paypal is just used as the secure credit card processor). If you are adverse to online transactions, other arrangements can be made.

Fabulous idea and follow through here. Two big thumbs up.

Please do email me when they are available. My direct email is nicefishtanks@gmail.com

:)

They used to. My early production X300 Sovereign scared the life out of, me. I bought it to replace a written off later model (that had the psudo guages) and on the way home I came off the motorway (freeway) and was sat at idle and noticed the oil pressure guage was just above the red, but no warning light.

I went straight to my specialist who told me that from 1995 Jag had changed them all to the psudo reading (by adding a kit) as most drivers paniced when the oil pressure dropped near 25% or 75%.

I will definitely be getting this mod.

I was blissfully ignorant that these gauges gave psudo readings, now every time I look at them, I am a little dissapointed. An that is not how I want to enjoy my car!

Is there something about a 1995 XJ/XJR that disqualifies it?

I have a lot of admiration for you guys who can (and will) science out and engineer these things :-)

Cheers
DD

The RealGauge module will work for the XK X100 chassis and the XJ X308 chassis, which share the same instrument cluster.

I believe the '95 is X305 and has a different cluster. If you could forward me the schematic page of the car's instrument cluster connection diagram I might be able to preliminarily assess the feasibility of making a version to support that unit.

Oh, Ok...thanks.

Yes, different cluster entirely.

The "X308" begins with 1998 model year (in USA model year terms)

Cheers
DD

Hey Steve-

How about the voltage gauge? Is that one linear at all, or does it give us a Polly-anna story like the others?