Gauges - Post Pics!

[FNGRUVN]

Here's a tach I got at JC Whitney for $40. Works good and fit the space between the steering wheel and the dash(barely). I didn't feel like adapting an OEM tach.

[wildenbeast]

I really liked Dragonfly's gauges but after speaking with him, it was apparent that you can't get those PVC bends anymore without the stamps they now put on them. I went with this $10 pod instead (mounted in a similar location). This pod allows you to adjust the angle of the gauges so that anyone driving the van can see them. The shift lever does not hit the gauges whatsoever. I am going to switch out my boost gauge to one that reads more psi once I break in the engine.

[RevKevin]

So I'm looking at installing some gauges and was looking for some input.

Here's what I'm thinking:
Cyberdyne Digital Oil Pressure
VDO Cylinder Head Temp (I'm air cooled)
VDO Voltmeter, the GTI/Cab style with the Red/Green display

The first two I was going to purchase from eGauges, the Voltmeter I was going to pick up off ebay.

As far as installing them from what I understand there's only room to install two gauges on the heater cover, I don't like the idea of drilling 2 1/8" holes in my dash by the cig lighter.

I'm definitely leaning towards dash mount and like the look of the slightly modified wrx pod:

But it looks like the place doesn't sell that style anymore.

What I was thinking was something like this:

I'm just not sure how well the pod and dash angles will match up and don't want to end up with downward facing gauges.

I was also wondering if some of the air cooled folks have found any creative and easy ways to relocate the Oil Pressure Sender, or since the 10mx1 Adapter hoses are no longer available am I pretty much just stuck getting the foot long 1/8" NPT hose and a bunch of 10mx1 to 1/8" NPT adapters?

Opinions, advice, ideas?

[westyventures]

As installed in the latest customer's m-TDI conversion. My feeling is that gauges should be placed where easily monitored without moving your eyes from the road. The location behind the rear view mirror seems perfect. Not exactly the easiest place to run wire, but wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
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1990 Syncro 16" sunroof Reimo highroof conversion
1990 Westy Multivan 112i automatic
1992 LT31 Karmann Distance Wide 'La Tortuga'
2014 Touareg X TDI

[RevKevin]

[jalopyjockey]

kevin....when i put my oil press sender in i just opened up the hole in the tin a little wider so that it cleared the can......um i found that kona brown is a pretty close match, maybe slightly darker but close enough to look ok, i believe its a rustoleum color and they do make it in the plastic paint i think......my only other suggestion is to run the cht to #1 cyl, puttin it on 3 is a relic left over from when the cooler got in the way.....good luck

[RevKevin]

Unfortunately the Cyberdyne oil pressure sender only comes as a single so I need to rig up a T-fitting for their sender and the idiot light.

[mrbisset]

what are you posters using for oil pressure hose extension to allow for the OP sending unit location to be away from the engine block and fit outside the engine tin cover?

[RevKevin]

There used to be a foot long 10m x 1m thread hose and mounting bracket made by VDO so you could relocate your sender:

[img]http://www.germansupply.com/home/image.php?productid=16240[/img]

Now most of the hoses you find are 1/8" NPT, even the ones marked 10m x 1m.

Egauges.com has one and a pretty decent selection of adapter fittings:

http://www.egauges.com/vdo_indA.asp?PN=CON-016

A few folks have said you can go to your local NAPA or other FLAP and have them whip one up as well.

[mrbisset]

RevKevin,
thanks for the info. So 1/8 NPT fits into the engine block and my VDO sending unit will screw into it also? Cool!

[jackbombay]

My van came a few gauges along the top edge of the windshield, and while you don't have to move your eyes far, you do have to significantly refocus your eyes as the gauges are so close to you. After many hours behind the wheel I found it to be less than ideal. $.02

I mounted mine like this.

Home made from PVC, bondo and spray paint.

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[tencentlife]

[mr_vanagon]

[1621]

Finally took pictures of the Cyberdyne digital voltmeter connected to the auxiliary battery. It's run off a switch on the side of the cabinet (one of the switches just above the Yandina 150 in the picture below). The little button next to the gauge face is for high and low memory recall. When the gauge is switched off, it's simply a black face.

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'85 Westy

[kendalwoolf]

Here are some pictures of my gauges in my 86 1.6td Vanagon. Used a 5 dollar ebay gauge pod and cut it to fit in the ashtray. Used JB weld to attach metal brackets to hold it in place. I like the location and No putting holes in my dash. Check out more pictures of the Vanagon conversion here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kendalwoolf/Vanagon16TurboDieselConversion#

[ThorAlex]

heres mine:

volt meter and rev counter, both gauges and pods are cheep stuff from my local auto supply store but they work fine.

[kpbo]

photos of the gauges in my TDI conversion project:

clock deleted, installed Westach dual sweep EGT / turbo boost gauge:

VDO Vision oil temp and oil pressure gauges:

lighting (sorry for bad pic). I'm planning to convert the rest of lights to blue LEDs as well...

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1987 Syncro Westfalia w/ 'AHU' TDI

[danfromsyr]

Heya Kpbo, that's a NICE tach with the green part, what car is that from? where'd ya get it?
my TD tachs from mid 80s quantums & jettas don't have the grrn bit on the 2-2.5k portion.

also slick install on the EEGT/Boost gauge,
I was going to put a digital EGT there but I wasn't sure there's the back spacing with the master cylinder there.

Also Here's a WAVE from Syracuse,
our Empire State VW camping Club p[asses thru Ithaca alot in the summer & Fall www.empirevwcamping.org
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[kpbo]

Thanks neighbor!

The tach is just a stock Vanagon tach with a photo overlay laminated to the face. On the TDI-conversion Yahoo group site, there are various digital image files of tach faces that folks have generously shared, along with instructions on how to modify your tach to receive the signal from the ECU. The only thing I did different was to photoshop a "D" on the fuel pump symbol
I'm not all that happy with how it currently looks--you might have noticed that the overlay is peeling away from guage face at the bottom... too bad the tach is such a PITA to get to.

And yes--the fit behind the clock space is tight. I grafted on a square piece of PVC (~1/4" thick) to space the gauge 'out' a bit, as well as provide a smooth mounting surface for the bezel.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia w/ 'AHU' TDI

[90Doka_Guy]

A gauge, just not on the dash.