This could have save my trashed ST motor why arent they stock

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A

Allen Reynolds

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Aug 9, 2003
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http://enginewatchdog.com/tm2.html



THis is a simple to install audible alarm that can be installed in a few minutes by anyone with half a brain. Why arent they stock on all vehicles. no one constantly watches their gauges. I have never blown a boat motor and i have owned plenty. They have audible alarms as stock. I blew a head/motor because i didnt notice my water pump went out and temp was pegged till it was too late on the interstate going 75 pulling a trailer. I have saved many overheated motors by catching it and shutting down... But not this time. ST is trashed because its 600 bills to pull the motor because of the dang timing chaine set up. UHG!!! Cant just pull the heads in the truck and resurface them and replace head gasket. My next ride will have this or a version installed before I roll out of the yard.:banghead: this one will be at the scrap yard after i pull off the new set of $600 tires I put on last week. Gees ...Rant over, Po-man out!
 
WOW! What timing with your helpful post. Literally, last week I was thinking about my leaking thermostat housing and how I need to get it changed so badly because I fear a sneaky overheat to the point of disaster. I have all the parts ready for when spring comes around.



I was saying to myself, I sure wish auto manufacturers would include an audible overheat alarm on the temp sensor unit. I shudder thinking sometimes when I let the women in the family use my ST and if it ever overheated they would be sure to drive it another 100 miles to the nearest Mall - then call to say "Something is wrong with the ST and I barely made it to the Mall parking lot."



I bookmarked this priceless gem and it's on my future purchase list.
 
If you look closely at the ad on their website, all of the prices are in Australian Dollars? A US dollar is worth about 10% more than the AU dollar so the prices are a little cheaper...but shipping from Australia might be a deal breaker??



The other issues is that they made the engine watch dog way more complex than it needs to be?



A simple set of good aftermarket gauges would be sufficient, and some come with warning lights (no buzzers). I also think it is something that could be made a lot cheaper if it could be plugged into the OBDII diagnostic port and simply buzz and flash an LED.



Many of the things that the Engine Watch Dog does are available on my UltraGauge, and it only cost $60 and simply plugs into the OBDII port.



...Rich



 


FAIL on the WARNING lights. Unless they were flashing neon letters 12" tall and spelled out 'SALE' or '50% OFF' my girls would say they never noticed anything. It gots-to-be an annoying loud and startling buzzer. I'm brainstorming now to run a long coolant loop through the driver seat cushion and in the event of overheat their hot backside would force them to pull over.



Can't be that much for shipping for a small item like that. It does seem a bit pricey though!
 
Yep Top is right Richard the whole idea is to make it sound off. I don't believe anyone would go further than pulling off the road with an alarm. I never killed one of my boats when the water pump went out or got a ice bag stuck over the water intake while under way. Its only a 10 buck buzzer on an outboard. Gees. I don't need any other functions but right now I would have paid 3 times this things cost to have had it. I like the fact that you can just pull a thermostat housing bolt and put the sensor ring under it.:btddhorse: thanks for letting me rant I'm still sick to my stomach.
 
That's good to know that there's no alarm. I know all semi trucks have loud annoying alarms for all the gauges including water temp. Also, semi trucks don't have fuses, they have circuit breakers like a house. I wish ford would get rid of fuses and have circuit breakers.
 
Many vehicles have an alert sound, but it's more of a Chime that signals when there is a "Check Gauge" alert, but the signal is often not heard or ignored.



I know that some people don't read their instruments so this Engine Watch Dog is just another expensive gauge that people will ignore! The only benefit is the louder alarm...which is really all that is needed. And who needs all that crap hanging down from under the dash?



I still think a simpler and cheaper device that could plug into the OBDII port and have LEDs for Temp and Oil Pressure with a loud Alarm...perhaps even sending a signal to shut down the engine would be far better.



There are similar alarm devices on the market that are much cheaper, but most are for Marine applications and do not connect to the OBDII port.



...Rich
 
Well If anyone finds a very basic simple sound only alarm easy to hook up for temp please let me know I will NEVER run a vehicle again without such a devive. even this one with all its bells and whisles is useless to me except the loud alert. maybe I should build just that, very basic temp buzzer, easy hook up hidden under dash. get a patten and show up on shark tank for some money.
 
po-man,

They make them for Marine engines, so I guess they could be adapted to work on a car engine?



I only worked on two marine engines...a marine version of a Buick V8 in a 21 foot ski boat and an inline 4 cylinder engine in a 40 ft sailing yacht.



....Rich
 
l1tech,

That's the problem...If you don't watch your gauges (and many people don't), you will probably not see the Check Gauge light?



That's why it would be better to have a loud buzzer or alarm that cannot be ignored. When most people hear a chime or dinging sound, they immediately start to look at their instruments to see what is causing the alert....the problem is that many people do not hear the little chime or dinging sound over the road noise. If the engine needs to be shut down because of temperature or oil pressure issues, it should be an alert loud enough to be heard on not confused with the Door Ajar, or Seat Belt chime....perhaps accompanied by a "Shut Engine Off" warning light.



...Rich
 
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I drive a 2010 International straight truck for work. Check engine light is yellow for minor stuff. For slightly more serious stuff, the light flashes and a loud buzzer sounds. For serious issues, the light turns red and engine power is reduced. When it's red and flashing, it means pull over and stop NOW!! Once it's red and flashing, it will cut power off in a very short time. The buzzer is loud and irritating - definitely gets your attention!
 
I bet Manufacturers wanted to do this many years ago but Dealers protested because they wouldn't have enough work replacing motors.



I wouldn't mind a mini digital personal recording device hooked up to the speakers with a default volume setting (LOUD). My recording would go something like this; "Stop the F*****g truck NOW!!!"
 

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