Adam and listees: I had one of those gauges on my old 79 loaf, and I did the
spark plug ring deal, but didn't like it at all.  The Sensor ring spun
around during plug torquing and you had to remove the sparkplug washer so
the plug stayed the same distance from the piston as the other 3 cylinders.
YOu are correct about the boss on the #3 head, it doesn't give an accurate
reading at all.

My choice was to use a custom made washer that held the sensor up against
the exhaust manifold  nut on the #3 cylinder and route the pigtail conector
out of the shroud.   That is probably a hotter reading than at the plug, but
I don't remember the gauge(of questionable accuracy to begin with according
to Gene Berg) ever getting over 450 degrees even climbing the Cumberland
pass to Sewanee TN in the dead of summer with a rack full of kayaks on top
of it.  What it does do is give you a much quicker reading(as opposed to the
oil temp gauge) when  loads change or fuel becomes scarce etc.  Even the
wind direction affects it.  If you substitute A/B/C/D/E forthe numbers on
the gauge, you quickly develop a range of normal readings rather than get
your underwear in awad over some number that sounds too high.  BTW,  my
engine had a huge external oil cooler on it and  dual 2 barrel  Weber
44IDF's with head porting and a mild cam from FAT.   Prolly not a fair
comparison to a heavier vanagon with the stock FI on it as far as temps go.

My oil temp never got over 210 and I boiled water  and stuck the dipstick
gauge in the pot behind the rear bumper and the gauge read right on 100
degrees C.
----- Original Message -----
From: "puzerewski" <puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 11:04 AM
Subject: Correct placement of cylinder head temp sender

> my 81 AIRCOOLED has a cylinder head temp gauge installed by the PO.
>
> The sender is screwed into the head by the number 3 cylinder and the wire
> that comes from it goes to the gauge up front.  Looks right, but generally
> shows 150-175 degrees.....reading about the senders at THE Bus Boys site,
it
> seems that they say something about a sender theat attached to the spark
> plug, and that 350 - 375 degrees is normal temp range.
>
> I have fiddled with the timing on the car in the past, and noticed a
slight
> change in the gauge, but no where near 350 degrees.
>
> Any thoughts, and or could someone take a pic of their set up on their
> motor?
>
>
> Adam Puzerewski
> 81 westy
> 74 beetle
>
> Vanagon Partsmobiles