Oil temp sensor wire Options

[Nate]

Hello everyone,

I know there have been several threads in the past about this and they all seem to say the same thing. Something along the lines of, "oil temp wire runs along front of engine, up through the tins and plugs in to a connection near the oil cooler." I'm thinking I'm missing something totally obvious but I can't, for the life of me, find where the oil temp sensor plugs in.

I've looked at these two wiring diagrams but they don't show anywhere for the oil temp sensor.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1292.photobucket.com-17807-1414647709.1.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1292.photobucket.com-17807-1414647709.2.jpg)

Can anyone help me?! This damn thing is driving me mad.

[Markl]

It's installed in a plate (AKA taco plate) on the bottom of the engine case, driver's side front. The sensor itself is somewhat hidden, with the female? spade connector facing the front of the car.

The green/black wire does run across the bottom to a hole under the battery, where it connects to a wire exiting the main harness.

Nothing to do with the relay board.

Not all cars had temp sensors installed - they came with center consoles and late '75 and '76 cars with a temp gauge in the gas/brake light gauge.

[cary]

What he said ...............
It's right beside the Hell hole. Single wire clear plastic connector with a male blade inside.

[Nate]

Thanks guys. I had been looking at the ecu and relay harnesses the whole time. Found it finally. I'm pretty sure I would have found it much earlier if someone hadn't cut the wire with about an inch left sticking out of the loom...

[era vulgaris]

Is the wire for the temp sensor a feature of all 914 looms, or was it only added to cars that came with a temp gauge from the factory?

I picked up a combo gauge with temp and the taco plate/sensor assembly a while back. I've been meaning to add it to my car but haven't gotten around to it yet. If there's already wiring in place, it'll be nice not to have to run new wires.

[Dave_Darling]

It should be in all 73+ main wiring harnesses. It probably would have been more expensive for them to have a separate version for cars equipped with the gauge, so the wire should be there in all 73+ cars.

--DD

[malcolm2]

the TACO plate is a series of plates with a hole in the center and the sensor threads in at an angle. there is a cover too that keep the wind off the sensor. on the exposed end of the sensor there is a male connection. the female is on the wire that winds it's way to a green wire that is in the main harness and under the battery.

From there I guess it goes thru the tunnel and may stop there for attachment to a center console gauge in the center console gauge wire harness.

I am working on getting the combo fuel / temp gauge working that goes in the dash, so I assume I will run a wire from there or from the one under the battery to the "G" terminal on the temp part of my gauge.

Google VW TYPE 4TACO PLATE and look for pictures.

Check some of my recent topics. I found a great picture I think Mark or McMark took.... I get them confused. I need to meet these people face to face. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[Mark Henry]

It should be in all 73+ main wiring harnesses. It probably would have been more expensive for them to have a separate version for cars equipped with the gauge, so the wire should be there in all 73+ cars.

--DD

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
For sure on a '74, all of it was there including the console wiring in the cab and the fog light wiring. My car had none of these options but the wiring was all there.

[JeffBowlsby]

it needs to be said that the relay board diagram above does not apply to every year...mosre specifically the wiring that attaches to it varies from year to year.

Re: the oil temp gauge wire:

1970-71 914s include the green/black wire in the ignition harness, which requires a separate wire that goes down to the temp sender at the bottom of the engine. The circuit then routes though the ignition harness to the relay board, then through the chassis harness to the dash gauge area.

1972 914s have no factory provision for an oil temp gauge.

1973-76 cars require the wire from the temp sender to the single wire box connector in the chassis harness under the battery, which routes to a connector daylighting above the center tunnel for the center console gauges, including the oil temp gauge. A separate console gauge harness connects the center console gauges. 1973-76 914s without a center console gauge that have an oil temp gauge in their combo gauge, require an additional single green/black wire from the center console connector to the dash gauge area.

So there are three different single green/black wires - one for the 1970-71, one for the 1973-76 with the center console, and one for the 1973-76 cars without the console, but with a dash combo gauge.

[Nate]

Thanks for the clarity Jeff. Mine is a 73 with the center console with temp gauge. I hooked up the temp sender to the wire in the harness under the battery. No dice though. Gonna have to do a couple tests.