Torq-Line® Performance
Monitoring Systems
- Take Control of Power and Economy
- You're the Captain of the Cabin with all the important functions within your sight
- Custom fit for all popular tow vehicles
Other than keeping the vehicle between the lines on the road, being able to monitor a vehicle's vital systems may be the most important task a driver can perform. Accurate gauges, and the knowledge to interpret the information they provide, are paramount to maximum performance and service of today's sophisticated RV's and tow vehicles.
Precise instrumentation is the lifeline to the mechanical happenings of your vehicle. And Torq-Line® instrument systems can keep you informed as to vital system functions.
We have gone to extremes to ensure that LighTruck Torq-Line® instrument systems are the ultimate in the industry. Searching out the finest aircraft quality gauges available, we have crafted a mounting system designed for clean, easy installation and superb fit.
Turned at precisely the right angle to the driver, Torq-Line® instruments are easy to read with an "eyebrow" contour to the top of the mounting to prevent the LighTruck gauges from reflecting on the windshield at night. We also use a heavy thickness material housing for a lifetime of service without warping or cracking. In short, you can depend on and be proud of Torq-Line® instrument systems.
Towing
Let's look at a typical towing situation. You purchased a one-ton tow vehicle and had it outfitted with a fifth wheel to tow your "home on wheels." Essentially, you have the same drivetrain as the guy driving his pick-up like a car to and from work. That's why, after the initial vehicle purchase, you start modifying it to get it up to the task. And while you can make it work, you put your vehicle to the test in cross-country driving with your "home" in tow.
With a Diesel?
Diesel engines are wonderful in the right applications. But how do you know if you are getting the peak performance designed into your diesel engine?... With proper instrumentation!
With proper instrumentation, you'll know if your fuel injection is providing the right mixture or if the turbo is delivering the correct boost necessary for the performance the factory specified. Both are very important functions of a turbo diesel. But what's included in proper instrumentation and what does it tell you?
Back to Top
Pyrometer
For anyone driving a diesel rig, a pyrometer should be the first instrument considered. A pyrometer is used in a diesel application to measure the temperature of the exhaust at a specific point in the exhaust system. By monitoring this temperature, we can measure the vital signs of engine operation.
The most critical component of a diesel engine is the fuel injection pump. The fuel injection pump controls the timing, fuel mixture and tuning functions. Exhaust temperature is the best way to monitor the fuel injection pump. Pyrometer readings allow the operator to constantly monitor the engines "safe zone" of operation. By establishing high and low ranges for your particular vehicle combination, you can tow with complete confidence. Without this information, you are only guessing that the engine is making its peak power or delivering maximum fuel efficiency.
Turbocharged?
Turbocharged diesels are becoming more popular all the time. Turbochargers enable an engine to produce substantially more power than a naturally aspirated engine by forcing more air into the combustion chamber. And all of this is accomplished without any substantial loss of fuel efficiency. Yet, due to the compression of air created by turbochargers, some engine functions become more critical. As more air is forced into the combustion chamber, the fuel mixture has to be enriched to keep the engine from running too lean.
The manufacturers of your vehicle pay close attention to all the functions going on as turbo boost occurs. Your turbocharged engine is designed to operate at certain boost levels to provide you with optimum performance and economy. A turbo boost gauge will let you know if you're operating in this "proper range". You'll also be able to determine if you are having a malfunction so you can head off damage to your turbo by having it serviced at the first sign of a malfunction.
How important is vacuum?
In a gas engine, engine vacuum is your measuring stick for engine efficiency For decades, vacuum gauges have been used to improve driving habits by those who know how to use them. They have even been offered as optional equipment on new cars from Detroit, marked in "green zones" for the driver to use as a guide for how hard to push down on the gas pedal. The rule of thumb is, the more vacuum your engine is pulling, the better. By being able to monitor the vacuum, you can adjust the throttle pressure you keep on the gas to significantly improve mileage and performance. And you might be amazed at the benefit you'll realize in towing applications as the vacuum gauge will enable you to better utilize your gearing. With the popularity of auxiliary gearboxes in the last decade, drivers now have up to ten gear ratios available. Just select one that gives the highest reading on the vacuum gauge (within the engine rpm range, of course) and the results on your fuel usage will be surprising.
Back to Top
Engine Speed as an Indicator
Virtually all of us are familiar with the tachometer. It has been used for what seems to be forever to keep engines in their best power ranges in racing applications. The "tach" is also an absolute necessity to keep your engine from over-revving, or in racing terms, red lining. Although important for all engines, the tachometer is more critical for diesel engines. Diesels are typically low speed, high torque animals. For many years, truck drivers relied more on their tachometer than the speedometer to ensure they shifted at the correct engine speed (not vehicle speed) to get the most from the engine design. And since gas engines and diesels operate in very different rpm ranges, it's pretty foolish to rely on the sound of the engine for shift points. The tachometer is one of the most basic instrument necessities for operating your vehicle within the ranges it was designed to perform.
Fluid temperatures
All internal combustion engines have a "sweet zone" of operational temperature where the components are designed to perform at their best. Critical in both gas and diesel engines, this is the temperature range at which all of the operating systems of the vehicle are designed and engineered to provide the most efficiency and extended service life. Not exceeding these temperatures, especially for long periods, is crucial to the life of these components.
Transmission fluid temperatures are critical. Unlike radiator fluids which cool quickly, automatic transmission fluid can heat up rapidly and take a long period to cool down. The fluid serves three purposes in the transmission. It acts as a hydraulic fluid, it cools, and it lubricates the internal moving parts. Insufficient transmission cooling can cause premature wear or complete transmission failure. By periodically eyeing your transmission fluid temperature gauge, and knowing what your "high" should be, you will be able to recognize a problem developing before it becomes critical.
Back to Top
Torq-Line® Performance Monitoring Systems
