I was asked about which CHT gauge to get and thought that I had posted this info about the Micro1000 over here some time ago. Apparently not. So here's my preferred CHT setup because it has an original looking appearance, it's temperature compenstated, and the sensor and wiring is QUALITY stuff. The temperature compensation is important because the crappy VDO setup (and other cheapies) will read 1° off for every 1° above or below 70° inside your car. The VDO wiring can also lead to erroneous readings due to how the thermocouple works and what are called 'cold-junctions'.

CHT Gauge

This is the Micro 1000 gauge as mentioned. It ranges from 0-600 degree F or 0-300 degrees C. The top row of numbers is F, the bottom row is C. It's got two thumbscrews on the back for the collar that will hold the gauge in the dash (or wherever). It comes with a bulb assembly included for night visibility (I forgot to take a picture of that). The back has a + and a - connection for the wire extension. You want the 2" version.





Sender
You will need to buy the appropriate probe/sender for your application. A standard Type IV spark plug is 14 mm. The smaller plugs that Len is using is a 12 mm motorcycle spark plug. I can't vouch for which sender should be used for this application. The sender only comes with about 12" of wire. You will need to purchase an extension lead (see below). The sender comes with a section of heat shrink tubing to protect the screw connections between the sender and the extension leads. The section of wire close to the heat source is protected by a braided wire exterior. This is a very nice feature.






Extension Leads
You will need to purchase either the 7' or the 15' CHT extension lead (make sure you don't accidentally get the EGT leads). These are special wires. You can not use normal copper wire to extend the wires. The wires come pre-crimped with the appropriate connections. So it's a simple plug in installation. I purchased the 15' kit for my 914 as I suspect the 7' is too short, unless you're doing something unique.



This is the link to buy the whole setup.

And part numbers:
Guage: 10-01425
Sender: 10-00823
Extension: 10-01443

despite being sick, you are not crazy ...you did post about it in the past(though not as thorough):

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...mp;hl=cht+gauge

Cool...er... hot

I don't see the sender for 12mm, I see 10, 14 and 18mm...or is the 10mm a typo?

This is the one you used on my car...

My biggest problem with the VDO is the lousy connecters and wiring. I wonder if the connecters and wiring for this gauge will work with my VDO gauge? Probably not compatible. Thanks for this post Mark.
Cheers, Elliot

No, there is no 12mm sender. But you can use the 14mm sender. The ring connector on the bottom isn't an electrical transfer component, it's just a heat transfer component, so it can be crimped/cut/modified to work. Similarly a 10mm connector could be opened up carefully (grind don't drill).


Not compatible. Sorry, but nothing about the VDO setup is good.

I have used the same one for years now and love it.

Apparently you can get 12mm but it's a bit of a PITA,
Does anyone else need a 12mm sender? maybe we could do a group buy, not to get a discount, just to make it worth their trouble and maybe hurry delivery along.

If I did open up a 10mm I'd like to know they have enough meat on them to do this before I order. Messing with the the 14mm to make it fit a 12mm doesn't sound very appealing to me.

This is what I found on the samba:


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=421635

Here you go!

Here's mine (pardon the crappy iphone pic).

This works fine in the console but is better suited to the A pillar IMO.

An invaluable gauge that's short money...replace your broken clock with something useful! I think this gauge is a requirement if you've performed any modifications to your engine.

Click to view attachment

So is the gauge smaller than other 52mnemonic gauges?

This totally jogged my memory. Westach is about 1.5m from my shop...

It's a standard 52mm gauge. If you're replacing your clock in a stock center console, you'll need to get creative to fit it into the 60mm hole. I used black gorilla tape. I think Rich Towle found a piece of PVC pipe at home depot that had the perfect ID and OD.

Yup, you can get black PVC and make an adapter that works great.

Just installed a Micro 1000 CHT. Works fine but cannot read at night because of the weak lighting. Any suggestions to make this brighter ?

But very bright in an A/C which it is made for. White panel lights always blinded the shit out of me at night.

Do we need more wattage ?

I think I could live with a few degrees of fluctuation due to ambient - for one thing you are sort of already able to make a guess about how it is changing from your own built in sensory system and make compensations in your head. On the other hand there is build quality. I thought I had fixed my VDO oil pressure gauge by replacing the sender, but am I really supposed to have to tap the gauge to bring the needle up to position? I almost pulled the engine based on a crappy (can I say that here?) oil pressure gauge.

"A few degrees of fluctuation due to ambient" would be about 90 right now where I am, and at the north end of acceptable - that would be very concerning. I like that correct calibration can be expected from aircraft quality gauges. VDO is not what they used to be. If they ever really were...

Great looking console ....

That'd work. You might able to change the bulb out for a higher wattage, or there may be an LED version that would work. I haven't played with this, so you're on your own.

There's a plastic diffuser in front of the bulb that blocks larger or longer bulbs. Wondering whether anyone has removed this piece of plastic and installed a good working light.

Just to add a little update.

I ordered one of these setups that McMark identified and there is now a 12mm CHT probe available as an option.

I am ditching my old DashDaq seqtup now that the Joe and the electromotive has my engine running so well.

John

I'm very happy with the Micro 1000 dual needle setup that reads CHT on #1 and #3 cylinders.

I thought about getting that one.

I think there is some benefit to seeing a cylinder on each side of the engine.



John

A year later and I just got around to notching the heads to allow the CHT sensor to sit flat. It is possible to install the sensor without the notch but it is a bitch to get the plugs in and out and it tears up the sensors. I'm using the Micro 1000 dual CHT gauge from Aircraft Spruce.
So now my engine is out and tranny on the way to Dr Evil for overhaul I decided to fix a few things.
To cover the plug hole, I found a plastic plug in my junk box that fits perfectly in the spark plug hole. I used the sensor to mark the head with a sharpie. Using a Dremel, I started by cutting as much as possible with a round cutoff wheel and finished with a spherical burr cutter about 1/8" diameter. I stopped every minute or so and vacuumed up the chips to keep it as clean as possible. Below are pics of the finished notch and with the plug installed. The entire job took about 1/2 hour to notch #1, 3, & 4 plug areas (had a senior moment and did 4 thinking it was 3).
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Now I see this....................

How do you like the pillar mount for the gauges? I have 4 gauges to make room for, was thinking about doing this, but not sure. Do you have other pics?

Being out of the air-cooled world for so long, at what point of reading the gauge would one start to sweat it before praying not to have an overheated motor?

Have you thought of adding a redline or marker for danger zone?

http://www.914world.com/specs/JakeRabyHeadTemps.php

Thanks!