I have a 72 1.7 FI. I bought the VDO oil temp guage from PP, but am not real sure how to install. Any references would be much appreciated. Oh yeah, no previous oil temp guage, just idiot light.

Thanks in advance

you'll need a sending unit and a taco-plate to mount it.

i'm not quite sure exactly when the factory added the wire for the oil-temp gauge to the main harness, but i'm fairly positive your '72 doesn't have it. i *think* they started in '73.
meaning, you'll have to run a wire from the unit to the gauge.

Andy

There are basically three common ways of doing this. One is to use a sender that takes the place of the drain plug. This is a common VW part, available from many Bug places. It's adds a bit of hassle to draining your oil, but it's a reasonably quick and painless install. Another is to duplicate the factory method on the later 2.0 engines, which is to buy a "taco plate" (the round black plate on the bottom of the engine off to one side (not the one in the center)), which has a hole for a temp sender. You can also just drill your stock taco plate for the sender, and use a pair of O-rings and a nut to secure it. The last is to make up a tee for your oil pressure switch, and put the oil temp sender on the other arm of the tee.

the gauge typically goes in the console... the sender mounts in a "taco plate" (small round hole with 2 bolts holding the plate on near the front, driver's side) on the bottom of the sump... if that plate is flat, then you will need a taco plate and sensor...

I could be wrong on this, and someone plese chime in if I am wrong, but the oil idiot light is only for pressure... there isn't a temp light, that I've seen... but then again, it's been a damn long time since my car was driven!

QUOTE (tat2dphreak @ Mar 15 2005, 08:29 PM)

...the oil idiot light is only for pressure... there isn't a temp light, that I've seen...

if you have a 914.6 SportoMatic, you have an oil temp overheat light.

elsewise, probably not.

if you *do* have a 914.6 Sport-O-Matic, i'd like to meet you ...

A 72 might actually have the wire in the main wiring harness, and in the engine wiring harness (I think it was)! The temp gauge was evidently a rather uncommon option in 72.

Look for a green wire with a black stripe.

You may need to run a new wire. Not too bad if you tape the wire to a piece of coat-hanger wire and thread it through. I start at the firewall, thread the wire back upward through the main wiring harness "boot", and then eventually I thread the other end of the wire through the hole in the firewall and run it along the main wiring harness.

--DD

I picked up the sending unit when i bought the guage. Lokks like I'm gonna search for a taco. Thanks for the info. A pick of the taco might help, but i think the descriptions are pretty clear.

Damn, the keg just ran dry..... looks like I won't be working on the car till the weekend.

Oh yeah. Green idiot is oil pressure, Red idiot is (head temp?)

QUOTE (Always Looking @ Mar 15 2005, 06:26 PM)

A pick of the taco might help, but i think the descriptions are pretty clear.

taco plate and sender ...

they replace the smaller, round cover plate on the bottom of the engine, drivers side front ...

also, there's a cover for the sender that's not in the pic.
Andy

QUOTE (Always Looking @ Mar 15 2005, 06:29 PM)

Red idiot is (head temp?)

(G) = Generator = Alternator

I've had the 'taco plate' and a sender to install on my '74 for some time now, so this is helpful info. Thank you! A few specific questions on installing the sending unit:

The sending unit holding plate replaces the flat plate that is on the sump now?

Also, I imagine that you need to drain the oil for the removal of the flate plate and installation of the new one (or have it all over you when you remove the plate!)?

Is there a gasket that needs to be replaced, and what is it called?

What's the torque setting?

Answers to any of the above would be helpful.

As always, thanks for the helping hand! javascript:emoticon(':type:')
smilie

QUOTE (ChrisFix @ Mar 15 2005, 07:20 PM)

Is there a gasket that needs to be replaced, and what is it called? What's the torque setting?

yes, the taco plate replaces the same size cover that is on there right now.
there is a red o-ring in there that can be reused. word is that it'll help to lube the o-ring with oil before reinstalling.
and yes, you should drain the oil with the intended drain-plug first, less of a mess

i don't remember the torque settings for the taco plate, but it was not very much.

IMPORTANT: the 2 10mm bolts that hold the plate (and cover) have copper crush washer on them that CAN NOT be reused!

Andy

Thank you for that detail.

One last question (I promise):

Can the bolts holding the existing flat plate be used for the new sending unit plate (same length?

I look forward to getting this gauge working now.

Thanks again...

I believe that the bolts are the same length.

The torque spec on them is, I think, not listed in the manual. So you have to find a list of "for this size thread in this material, use this torque" and assume that is correct. I think the number for M6x1.0 was about 10 lb-ft. The Cap'n knows the right number; I used to say 16 lb-ft and he kept busting my chops for it.

--DD

Where would one find a temp sender to match the original gauge (in dash combo gauge)? The PO of my car put a sender in that pegs at 230'. It drives me nuts.

'75 2.0

They've been NLA for a while. One of the places with a "lost warehouse" might have it, or a "high performance" outlet... Or you can probably pick one up used somewhere.

Or just get a gauge that matches the sender and know that you can actually read the oil temps, instead of "warmer than something" and "cooler than something"....

--DD

Just find an early 911 temp gauge, and buy the sender that matches the part number on that gauge. Search here to find that part number, there have been at least two threads listing it. The 911 temp gauge just bolts right in to the 914 combo gauge.