which oil pressure gauge for 2.1

Post by **aarons56** » 07 Sep 2007, 22:58

Hello there
I have a 1990 2.1 with reconditioned vege engine and want to keep an eye on the oil pressure. Is there a recommended gauge and sender kit for this engine?

Many thanks

Website · Post by **syncrosimon** » 08 Sep 2007, 08:33

As far as I am aware there is not a reliable gauge on the market. The problem is that there is not enough room on the engine to fit the much larger pressure gauge sender. This normally just screws in place of the existing warning light one. On the flat four water cooled engines the plumbing gets in the way. I have seen a few kits which have a metal pipe which is screwed into the pressure switch aperture. this then allows the bulkier sender to be mounted elsewhere. I believe these kits are no longer available because of problems with this system due to air locks in that pipe ( which is a dead end ) giving false readings.
I, like you, would be interested in a gauge, but on the other hand it is just another thing to worry about, and so long as the engine has the right amount of oil in it then the pressure is probably good.
Bernd Jaeger offers a water cooled flat four oil cooler kit, it would be very easy to fit this system with a pressure guage, but then why bother, if your engine is stock the oil temp will be fine.
I am a great believer in the fact that Mr VW probably got it right, so why fiddle with it. I love the 2.1 dj engine, and mine is staying stock.

Post by **aarons56** » 09 Sep 2007, 08:50

That seems to make sense. On the oil front, the garage have put in fully synthetic. I used to use 15W 30. Is there likely to be a problem with synthetic?

Post by **toomanytoys** » 09 Sep 2007, 09:58

Synthetic or not... whats the grade? shouldnt be lower than a 10w40 in a nice fresh engine, but what does VEGE require for the warranty....?

Post by **Aidan** » 11 Sep 2007, 17:32

Use mineral 15/40 imho, fancy thin oils seem to cause problems esp with hydraulic tappets. Only use genuine VW (MAN) filter too.
I use a Smiths oil p guage and it's accurate, I was able to check it against a test guage, it was £5 off ebay, just need to remote the sender by using a braided pipe take off on the low oil p switch hole between 3 and 4 and then mounted sender ontop of head using tapped hole below tstat to mount a bent plate with an omega clip to hold the sender. I didn't use a t piece so I no longer have the flashing light pre start, but the guage is pretty quick to register so I don't worry. If you use a t piece you can keep the low pressure switch, though you will then have to run a cable, I pinched the low p sender wire since it wasn't doing anything and simply removed the connector from the dash multiplug and sent it to the new guage.
50plus lb cold, and 30-40 lb hot at 3000rpm, less than 20 at idle.
It's amazing to see the difference temp makes to pressure, a few degrees extra on a climb = a few les lb pressure

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 11 Sep 2007, 19:01

http://www.aumb39.dsl.pipex.com/brickwe ... erhose.htm

I have a couple in stock, one spoken for, more ordered.

Website · Post by **syncrosimon** » 11 Sep 2007, 20:02

Nice one!!

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which oil pressure gauge for 2.1

which oil pressure gauge for 2.1

oil pressure gauge 2.1