Often various members talk about concerns about damage to motors, especially if turbo-ing a n/a.
I have a JD tractor that was turboed about 20 years ago. It was done properly, new valves/oil pump/pistons/ bigger oil cooler etc. It had a EGT gauge on it & you could see the temp rise when it was working. The gauge eventually vibrated to pieces. I was quoted over $100 for a replacement gauge.
A friend suggested a cheap Chinese on on ebay. After a bit of drama they let me bid on it ( they had a block on bids from Australia).
I got it for a few $$.
Has any one had any experience with these?
If it turns out to be any good, I will let every one know. They have a number of them as buy it now for a shade over $20. This is the item number on ebay.

180593379978

Foot note;
While I realize that our site is sponsored by the buyparts, I dont believe that this is in competition with them. I am more interested in finding out if any one has used one.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

I'm curious too. I haven't used one or seen one before. If the gauge only goes up to 1200f, it seems a little low. I think the one on my Bluebird goes up to 1500-1600?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Look again - it goes up to 1200°C (=2192°F). That's more than enough. Actually, prospective Mercedes turbo buyers would be more interested in a lower range with more resolution at the lower end. The VDO gauge in my '87 300D Turbo (W124, OM603) goes up to 1650°F but rarely exceeds half of that. On the eBay gauge, that would leave the pointer at about 450°C. That is, however, a very good price and certainly better than nothing.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

I agree with Kerry, 1200F is a bit low for the upper threshold. The gauge should tell you more than just the normal operating range, plus gauges are usually most accurate near half-scale, not as much so at full-scale. I'd have no problem seeing mine hit 1200F but I'd want to know it's accurate there.

Maybe a post-turbo gauge wouldn't need as much range?

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Well it arrived the other day.

Its a Dragon Gauge brand. Lots of Chinese writing on the box. They have a range of gauges.
The pick up has stainless braided cable, looks well made.
The gauge is a plastic cased type with a dark glass so it can only be read when the ignition is on so that there is power to the LEDs that light it. It looks quite robust. It has a range of 1200C (not F) so when things get hot you will be looking at mid range temps, that is good as that is where this type of gauge has the most accuracy.
I am very happy with it, especially at the price.
It gave what looks like the correct reading when I connected it to the existing sensor that one of my tractors has. It gave the same reading when I used its own pick up.

I will probably buy a second one as I have another application for it.

So any one who is using a turbo diesel under significant load for extended periods, like we do with earth moving gear or has a turbo diesel in a high load road haul application or has put a turbo on a N/A, may like to consider one of these.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

That is a very good price - and all nice analogue electrics too - weird shipping exclusions - it excludes China too (where it is shipped from).

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

There was an exclusion on Australia as well. I contacted them & they exempted me because I am such a nice person, yes I can turn on the charm!
The one I got was on auction. I was the only bidder. The buy it now ones are cheap enough though.
You dont need one unless you are up to no good with that motor of yours !!

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Layback40, what is the thread pitch of the probe? Pics show 2 sensors. How do you mount the one that looks like a cup? So it's good quality? I thought everthing made in China is cheap and crap?

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

OK after looking at the pix a little closer, that cup thing must be a lamp holder!

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Thanks for the info on the gauge! I just sent an email to the seller to find out which probe they use.

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Your TACH may have a loose connection...I was wondering why your mechanic would be dead one minute then flopping around the next... PanzerSD

i am inspired. i will replace my windsheild... with an intercooler. swedishK

Its just a standard taper thread.
I scanned it for some one the other day.
You should be able to work it out from this. It fitted in where the other probe I had was.

The quality is as good as many of the other gauges i have got from the performance parts places. The next cheapest I could find was like 3X the price.
I am using it in a much tougher environment than in a car.

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__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Probably 1/8 NPT. I'd like something smaller like 10-32 but they are much less common. For the price can't be too pickey ha? I may buy one.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Bought the chinese one on ebay also. worked for about 10 minutes then failed. The sending unit is still good, connected another gauge to it and it reads just fine, so the gauge itself is what failed.

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1977 240D turbo

I wouldn't buy anything but ISSPRO for gauges. VDO is nice but the visibility is crap.

ISSPRO on outsides, VD in the center.

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