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> From: Max/Joyce Wellhouse <maxjoyce@ipa.net>
> To: VANAGON@GERRY.SDSC.EDU
> Subject: VDO OP Guage install?(long)
> Date: Saturday, November 01, 1997 11:28 PM
>
> Since switching from a 79 breadbox w/238K  to a 90 GL w/106K, I was
hoping
> to transfer my aftermarket VDO guages to the newer engine.  To my
surprise,
> the 2.1 has not one but 2 oil pres. switches and the one uner the 3/4
> cylinder seem to be the only viable location to add the big bulky VDO
> single pole sender.  Needing to keep both switches in the system so the
> computer chip behind the dash doesn't go haywire,  initially I rigged up
a
> rinky dink system w/ 1/8" brass pipe and a T connection but space is
tight
> and the pr tube cover wouldn't fit.  So, I left it off and within two
weeks
> something struck it and cracked(and thankgfully didn't snap it off) the
> assembly.  Originally, I had hooked up the op to check real oil pressure
to
> determine whether  I needed to overhaul the entire motor or just the
leaky
> heads.  Now after the head fix(successful thanks to Boston Bob and my
local
> VW Guru in N. Little Rocxk, Bob Meyers), I wanterd to fit the bulky op
> sender up under there and after much much try and fit and cuss and
remove,
> using a 2" brass 1/8"npt nipple into the block followed by a T w/ 1 male
> and 1 female end on it (not sure of the real name for tis piece) and a
> female end going off 90 degrees for the VW oem switch and spinning the
> threads so it barely tucks under the  #4 intake pr tube.  From there, the
> addition of 2 -45 degree elbows, one a male/female and the other a
> female/female installed one at a time, with the proper angle on each of
> them you can tuck the VDO unit right up under the space between #3 and #4
> intake pr tubes and still have room for the knurled plastic nut to come
off
> for the wire hook up AND still fit the pr tube protector back on w/ not
> forcing.  Stufffing the wire loom was no problem compared to this bit of
> shade tree engineering.  Will probably add the old VDO vaccum guage and
the
> oil temp guage just because I have them and the VDO bezel housing is only
> 15 bucks.  Is there any other location to mount the oil temp sender
besides
> the 14xz1.5 mm thread in the oil drain plug?  Is there a more accurate
> place to take a reading from?  I'm also wondering if the intercooler unit
> that trys to balance oil temp and water temp could be pulled out or
> modified so an external oil cooler could be installed.  I had an awesome
> setup on my breadbox that NEVER let the oil temp get over 200 degrees and
> had a t-stat rthatdidn't open until 165 F.  Enough rambling, but I'd like
> some feedback from the wrench heads out there if I've mortally wounded
the
> Wasserboxer.  Morre on the self teaching course on Vanagon 101 as offered
> by the University of hard knocks.
>
> Bullwinkle(AR)