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Posted by: malcolm2 Jan 11 2012, 10:10 PM

I am usually good to measure twice and cut once. Not sure why I messed this one up.

I have spent much time and a few dollars rebuilding this engine, so I wanted to be able to monitor it. Nothing too fancy or expensive, just some VDO gauges. I guess it is a little late now, but let me ask. Where can I put an oil pressure sensor that is 3 times as tall and twice as round as the OEM idiot light sender?

The distributor gets in the way damn it. I can get it installed, but I lose some range of motion for the distributor. Then there's the cooling tin issue. My engine is assembled so, if the answer is to drill and tap somewhere else, that option is out.

Somewhere online I saw an aluminum block that mounts to the oil filter attachment, then the oil filter screws into that. That block has 3 or 4 tapped holes to mount stuff. Where did I see that? And would it give me decent pressure?

What can I do?

Clark

Picture of the VDO monster


And the OEM version

Posted by: 76-914 Jan 11 2012, 10:12 PM

Grease gun hose or paint gun hose in between.

Posted by: kg6dxn Jan 11 2012, 10:29 PM

1/8th NPT will fit the 10mm thread pretty well (same pitch). You need an extension. As mentioned above, use the greese gun hose or braided paint ball gun hose.

Posted by: Valy Jan 11 2012, 10:57 PM

This might be your cheapest option:
http://www.harborfreight.com/engine-oil-pressure-test-kit-98949.html

It contains all the connectors you might need and the hose.

Posted by: malcolm2 Jan 11 2012, 11:12 PM

So the hose does not affect the reading? I like the idea of the braided hose. Might be a bit stronger and more reliable.

Thanks for the input, I feel better about my screw up.

Clark

Posted by: arkitect Jan 11 2012, 11:56 PM

Clark,
Where did you mount your VDO guages? Any picts?

Dave

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Jan 12 2012, 12:18 AM

Grease gun hose works great, and it's good to about 2000 PSI, more than you'll ever need. You'll have to buy a 1/8 NPT female/female coupler to join the hose to the sender, and you MUST ground the sender for it to work. Mount the sender to the fan shroud.

The Cap'n

Posted by: Elliot Cannon Jan 12 2012, 01:05 AM

Here's mine.


Attached image(s)

Posted by: Cevan Jan 12 2012, 06:54 AM

I used a paintball hose. They come in different lengths. I made a bracket that attached to one of the case perimeter bolts. That way, I didn't need to use a separate groound wire.

Posted by: malcolm2 Jan 12 2012, 09:04 AM

The engine is almost done, but the car, especially the interior is a long way from being put back together. I drove a 914 with the center console, and I did not have much foot room, so I am not going to install the full OEM console. My initial thought is to use the VDO 3-gauge bracket under the dash somehow.

Posted by: malcolm2 Jan 12 2012, 09:09 AM

I like the fan mount Idea, cause I think with the L-jet, I am going to have lots of stuff on the top of the engine. Question for you. Your 2 wires run in opposite directions. 1 connection on the sender is for a gauge and 1 is for a light, both are on the dash. I guess 1 wire is the ground wire back to the engine?

How about the grommet to seal the hole. Is there a Grommets-R-Us type place that would have lots and lots to choose from?

Thanks for the input.

Clark

Posted by: 76-914 Jan 12 2012, 09:20 AM

Harbor Freight has a small ass't box for < $6

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Jan 12 2012, 09:23 AM

You can be pretty sure that box-o-grommets doesn't include anything remotely resembling anything that would fit the hole in the tin designed to accommodate the oil pressure switch ..............

The Cap'n

Posted by: malcolm2 Jan 12 2012, 06:46 PM

Are you running without flaps or T-stat? And it looks like port from the fan to the charcoal canister has been plugged.

Posted by: jsayre914 Apr 4 2012, 12:50 PM

Bumping an old thread with a request

Can I get a close up picture of the hose where it threads into the dual sender.

Please