Cylinder Pressure Monitoring

[TooMuch03]

With all the build threads that are going on around here and all the people talking about live tuning their truck in the future, I got to thinking. There are several people pushing the limits of stock connecting rods, and I plan to be at that point in the near future. If a person could monitor the cylinder pressure as the truck is being live tunes to make sure there aren't any spikes or excessively high pressures, they would theoretically be able to get more power out of the engine without damaging the rods, right?

Do any of the common tuners have the capability to monitor cylinder pressures, or does anyone know of someone who does? I understand the equipment is quite expensive...

 

[NathannialD]

Tadd did this years ago fwiw.

 

[Josh@DirtyDiesels]

interesting. sub'd for more info

 

[PSDEng]

I believe swamps does it on their engine dyno. Or at least I know they have in the past.

 

[TooMuch03]

Swamps does but I was told only for people who invest in their company by purchasing their products. Since they have such a large selection of 6.0 parts (note the sarcasm) that pretty much leaves any of us out.

 

[Pizza pig]

sure, but it it worth it? Maybe maybe not, youre going to need individual monitoring devices set up on each cylinder, its going to be a lot of work to do.

 

[colinmitchell111]

opcorn:

 

[colinmitchell111]

Don't beat up on me too much this may be really stupid but could a glow plug be pulled and some sort of gauge be hooked up through that hole? What kind of psi is in there?

 

[07powerstroke91]

^that's the same thing i was thinking

 

[Pizza pig]

use egt sensors to see what kind of temp each cylinder is putting out, not a pressure sensor. Usually one would tap the exhaust manifold on each cylinder.

 

[colinmitchell111]

Well with good tunning and all the injectors are the same wouldn't the egt's be the same on all cylinders? So do egt's go hand in hand with cylinder pressure? I figured the actual psi is what breaks rods and blows head gaskets and the egt's melt parts.

 

[POWER-STRUCK]

piezoelectric sensor

 

[TooMuch03]

piezoelectric sensor

Yup, There are several places that make monitors using piezoelectric sensors for temporary or permanent use, but obviously they are pretty expensive.

Does Elite own or have access to some equipment like that?

 

[Fast-6.0]

We have a cylinder pressure sensor for 6.0L and 6.4L. I originally used it to make sure my peak cylinder pressure was a certain amount after TDC. I plan to do this soon with the 6.4 also.