PPE A - Pillar Pod and Gauges - On the Face of It
WITH 24-HOUR CABLE NEWS SHOWS AND THE INTERNET, WE ARE definitely living in the information age, and there is no reason not to include your truck in there too. That is why the placing of gauges into the A-pillar pod has become so popular. The A-pillar is the perfect place for these gauges because not only are they in the driver's line of sight, but they don't have to take up any space below the dash (not that there is much of that these days).
| Knowing what your diesel engine is doing at all times is easy thanks to the PPE gauges (pyrometer, turbo boost, and fuel rail pressure) and new triple-gauge A-pillar mount.
Unlike some other installs such as suspension and turbo swaps, installing gauges and an A-pillar pod is something that those at home can do for themselves. As long as the owner has a modicum of mechanical and wiring skills, adding gauges is a simple task that will give much-needed information as to what the engine is doing.
The usual suspects on the gauge front are exhaust gas temperature and boost pressure, but Pacific Performance Engineering (PPE) also offers a fuel rail pressure gauge for the common-rail engine found in Chevy Duramax diesels. That isn't surprising, as the folks at PPE are specialists on the Duramax engine (they recently installed one into a very clean '72 Chevy C10), and have pretty much everything that a Duramax owner could want. And as PPE offers some killer engine mods for the Duramax, they also have what they call their dual fueler pump and high-performance fuel rail for those who want to add a boost of fuel to their Chevy.
PPE has been known for their high-performance and racing parts for diesel-equipped vehicles since 1994. We say diesel-equipped vehicles because they not only have trick parts for trucks-they also are one of the premier outlets for those with diesel-powered boats. They offer everything, including turbo kits, electronics, and fuel and transmission upgrades, but they even have trick suspensions, brakes, and gauges for the diesel enthusiast.
We were on hand as the PPE mechanics installed one of PPE's new triple gauge A-pillar mount and gauge packages. PPE also offers a twin gauge pillar, but as the old saying goes, if two is good, three must be better. And when one is talking about keeping an eye on your engine's operational parameters, then more is always better. Being pros, the PPE crew had the install done in a matter of hours, but those doing this at home should plan on it taking 3-4 hours. However, it is 3-4 hours of work that will give you the confidence in knowing what your engine is up to at all times. And as with life, knowing what is going on can sometimes be the difference between joy and sorrow.
