Oil Temp Gauge Worth Having?

[bsairhead]

[WhirledTraveller]

IMHO in a type 4 engine CHT is the important number for whether you're pushing the engine too hard.

Type 1 engine Oil temp is more important.

Also the convenient spot for oil temp on the taco plate is not very useful since it gets a lot of cooling air. You'll see one temp on the highway then as soon as you slow down it shoots up 20 degrees.

That said I run all the gauges... oil temp, oil pressure, CHT, tach, volts, and AFR. When you've seen how much work goes into a rebuild every bit of info seems like cheap insurance.
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1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.

[SteelersBus]

They're good and bad.

Good because they showed me how to drive my Bus. How to help the engine run cooler. Not to hold the pedal down for the entire drive. And to downshift on hills.

Bad because then you just stare at them the whole time you drive!!

I took mine off years ago. The Bus will tell me if something's wrong.

In the 18 years I've owned the Bus that I drive now, the stock oil gauge(red light) has told me the two times I've overheated. Both times, I have pulled over immediately and then had the Bus towed home. Both times, I then just gave a complete tune up and oil change. And kept on cruisin with no issues.

A lot of people like gadgets. So, it's really your personal preference.
_________________
Volkswagen Locksmith
25 yrs experience
Keys by Code, Locks & Keys Supplied,
Key all your Locks to one Key.
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Granny Grose's Buses 19
May 30 - June 2, 2024
Millmont, PA
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333391253346965/

70 Campmobile, 70 Sedan, 71 SO-69 Westy, & 74 Westy

[NASkeet]

[71whitewesty]

I don’t run any gauges either, just the stock red light. I make sure it’s tuned right and I change the oil and adjust the valves every 3k. Stock 1600. I put lots of miles on them and drive them everywhere fully loaded. I like to keep it simple and I never even think about oil pressure or temp ( I mean sometimes I’m curious about the temps cresting a mt pass), i don’t stop to cool it down or anything and I just don’t worry about it. Over 100k between the two buses in the last 12 years.

Ps, I do have AAA Plus!
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[richparker]

I have a universal case and my sender is machined into the T3 dipstick block off plate.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Rider_Surfboards]

Strictly speaking, gauges are not essential, but I have found them invaluable for trending and diagnosing issues. Currently I am running Dakota Digital oil pressure, oil temp, cylinder head temp, voltmeter, and ambient air temp.
I used to run VDOs, but found that the Dakotas are much more responsive and easier to glance at--no interpretation/guesswork needed. They also have a wiring option to dim the gauges when the headlights come on. Very handy.

The gauges can be found here: https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/category_id=262/mode=cat/cat262.htm

As you can see, the temp gauges are all fairly consistent--CHT has a much wider range and therefore a greater variability in the reading (+- 10F according to the manual). I have it mounted underneath the #3 spark plug. Ideally you would have the head tapped for the reading, but I have noticed great consistency in trending using this location:

The far left is oil pressure, which was blinking due to it being at 0.0 PSI (bus was not running--red oil light is also on ). Each gauge can be preset to blink at a minimum and/or maximum value, which is great to grab your attention in the event something goes amiss. I would highly recommend going with a sender and idiot light separately. The combination senders are wildly inaccurate and I've gone through 2 of them. The single sender is much more reliable and you get the added bonus of running a stock idiot light-- located across from it here: (The gauge to the right is fuel pressure.)

Unfortunately the 42 Draft Designs relocation bracket is NLA.

Next up is oil temp. Most of these are mounted into the taco plate--toward the right of the picture. I ran this setup previously, but I have mine in the pressure relief plug--look for the red electrical connector. This gives a reading after the oil has circulated the engine--before reaching the oil filter and cooler--so you are reading a hotter temp. There is also a better flow of oil in this location. NOTE: this is for a Type IV engine.

The adapter for the pressure relief port can be found here: https://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C31%2D115%2D431%2D400

Voltmeter is pretty straightforward. It helped me diagnose a weak battery situation at startup, which turned into an easy fix.

I use the ambient air temp as a kind of zero for all the other gauges--it's also nice to know the temp outside. I mounted this right up underneath the passenger floor behind the bumper for easy access and airflow.

Ratwell has a good write up on gauges here: https://ratwell.com/technical/VDOGauges.html

I realize this is all a bit overkill, but I enjoy my setup. Nothing can replace your intuition when you feel something isn't running right, but I have found the extra little bit of information they provide to be both educating and reassuring. As for constantly reading the gauges and missing the pretty view outside, that's on you--it is not an inherent quality of the gauges themselves.

Good luck with your decision. I'm happy to answer whatever else I can.

-- Kevin
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1979 Bus Weekender -- Gertrude McBus

[aeromech]

That's some good stuff there Rider. I like the firewall tree. Looks like you could add a mechanical gauge to the tree
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[babysnakes]

[raygreenwood]

Looks nice!....however.....take the pressure gauges out of the engine compartment.

Unless you specifically shopped for by class.....a hot environment pressure gauge.....virtually all pressure gauges have a max temp range of 150°F.

Getting repeatedly hot and cooling down....even if its after shut down from heat soak......is the fastest way to guarantee a bourdon tube style pressure gauge becomes highly inaccurate.

Ray

[babysnakes]

[Rider_Surfboards]

[raygreenwood]

I suppose......I should actually post some links to some gauges that are good for this location so it actually helps people!

A couple of notes to understand what the issues are:

1. A vibration resistant gauge.....which is also good to have in this location....is NOT just a liquid/glycerin filled gauge.....but that takes care of a lot of it......but a very high vibratikn gauge has a second link between the bourdon tube and a gear driven dial.

2. The heat resistent gauge has tbis same type of dial drive.....which acts as an expansion joint between the end of the bourdon tube and the dial. A lot of them also have a difgersnt material making up the bourdon tube.....usually stainless or inconel......that have a much lower expansion rate and fatigue rate.

So....the problem with that.....less expansion of tbe bourdon tube....means that to have a wide scale range....like 0 to 600 psi.....with a lot of increments.....you need a gear inside with higher drive ratio. So, wide range gauges like that may be less accurate.....unless you spend $$$.
So the heat resistent gauges that are not as expensive tend to have shorter dial ranges.....like 0-30 or 0-60 or 0-100.

I will see what I can find and post some links. Ray

[NASkeet]

[aeromech]

Gauges are essential and I’ll tell you why.

Like others, I always took good care of the maintenance on my 1971 bus with 2007cc engine. Oil changed, valves adjustments, points, timing

So, the wife’s parents, their friends, and us jumped into my bus for a day trip to Puerto Nuevo for lobster. We were about 10 miles north of Rosario Beach and headed south on the coastal toll road doing about 60. I scanned my gauges and saw that my oil pressure needle was fluctuating. I said we needed to pull over. There’s a cliff on one side and a guard rail. Not much room. I popped out and once I got back to the engine I could see oil pouring from the valve covers. I would have fried my engine within another 5 minutes.

I did a repair using RTV, added some oil, and high tailed it to Rosario and an auto parts store. My repair held so I bought more oil.

The lobster was great and we made it home safely. The next day I went back to my local auto parts store and told them about their fancy rubber gaskets they had sold me. Only buy the cork ones.

I’m a believer in engine instrumentation
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[raygreenwood]

[NASkeet]

[Oil Phil-M]

My oil temp gauge story involved the oil cooler flap pivot hinge breaking and thus the cooling flap was no longer forcefully directing air over the cooler. Mid summer road trip with no problems except an OT gauge moving into the nuclear meltdown zone. Would never had know something was not right without the gauge. I use the taco plate because it was the simplist but it does have its issues. Temps do initially rise after highway runs when air cooling is reduced. Also notice wet roads aid in surface cooling and thus temp readings will be lower.

Regarding the oil pressure sensor I have tried 3 methods with my dual pole VDO sensor:

1. The stalk method where the sensor(s) are connected via a solid extension. The stress on the connection piece from the weight of the sensor(s) cracked at the threads in the block. Fortunately I was on my way to a bike ride so had alternate transport to get to the shop to get replacement parts. Then it was a fix on the side of the highway which is never a comfortable thing.

2. Enlarging tin opening so the sensor screws directly into the block. When the engine was out i created a larger opening in the tin before I knew there was supposed a rubber piece for the stock sensor that existed to prevent cooling air from bleeding out. Worked good until one day the sensor went kaput. Pretty sure the red light was the caused by the sensor but without anything else to go on parked on the side of the road again. Repair required the rear fan housing to be partially remove to be able to get to unthread the sensor. Big time consuming knuckle scraping PITA

3. Use of a steel braided hose to a junction box which has the VDO sensor, the factory sensor and a small mechanical OP gauge. I didnt know about the temp issue with gauges either but so far the gauge has remained accurate. By far this is the best method. The stock cooling boot is retained, flexible hose relieves stress points, access to the sensors is a breeze, plus if the VDO gauge goes kaput again between the the mechanical gauge and stock sensor can still drive the vehicle.

You can never have too many wires running from front to back. I thought I had everything covered but now I want to put a fuel pump / coil kill switch up front so I'm threading yet another wire along the length of the frame.

[OB Bus]

[raygreenwood]