PART 3: FORD F-350 UPGRADE BASICS

BY JACOB WHITE

Before upping the horsepower under the hood, it’s important to add additional monitoring for the engine to increase longevity. The Edge Insight CTS2 is easy to install and will monitor just about everything we want including EGTs, transmission temps, boost, injection control pressure, and engine oil temperature.

In order to watch the EGTs while towing, the Edge Insight will need an external sensor added into the exhaust stream. On the 7.3L Power Stroke, the easiest place to add one is in the end of the driver’s side exhaust manifold. You’ve got ample room to get a drill up there and tap it to the 1/8 NPT threads for the supplied thread in bung for the pyrometer sensor.

Well, Project OBSessed—our remake of an old-body-style Ford—is finally taking shape as we convert this worn-out truck with 220,000 miles into a little nicer of a driver and tow rig using some of today’s improved technology. In Part 1 of the build, we removed outdated exterior accessories and installed new headlights, turn signals, chrome light bezels and a grille shell. In Part 2, we focused on the interior by adding a new dash bezel, replacement door hinge pins, door sill scuff plates, and a touchscreen double DIN stereo with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay.

MONITORING

Here in Part 3 of the build, we’ll begin by focusing on engine monitoring. In any diesel pickup, a key to longevity and durability is watching what the engine and drivetrain are doing. In the early days of diesel, when the 7.3L Power Stroke was new, analog gauges on the pillar were the thing. A pyrometer transmission temperature and a boost gauge was the common upgrade for monitoring, but as technology has advanced, so has data acquisition. The CTS2 Insight monitor from Edge Products has been one of the most popular monitoring devices on the market for years and for good reason. The easy to read, color touchscreen installs quickly with no real wiring required. With the addition of the EAS system, we can monitor exhaust gas temperatures, charge air temperatures, boost, trans temp, injection control pressure, HPOP duty cycle, engine oil temp, and battery voltage. It even adds a back-up camera. All of these things can be important when towing heavy over long grades or trying to back this monster into a tight parking spot at the grocery store.