Gauges - Which ones if any?

[mattrsa]

Hi Guys

I have just had a new type 4 CU engine built for me van and am planning a pretty long trip in it this summer.

With the big trip I would like to install some guages to keep and eye on things as I don't want this one to blow up like the last one did

What if any do people think I should go for? CHT? Oil pressure?

Thanks in advance

Matt

[kevtherev]

Oil pressure & oil temp
cylinder head temp

[mattrsa]

thanks for the reply.


What a the best ones to go for? VDO?

Matt

[kevtherev]

I use demon tweeks as suplier and Tim gauges.
Up to you really

[neil3965]

I fitted a Dakota Digital CHT gauge last year - expensive, but works brilliantly.

A guide to installing CHT gauges here - http://tinyurl.com/65h53

[orangebooboobearcrew]

Apologies for hikacking the thread but wondered how Neil got on with installing the Dakota Gauge - was it fairly straight forward and where did you run the sender wire from engine to cockpit? Also, was fitting the sender on the no.3 plug easy or not? Which parts did you need to buy - just the guage and the 18th sender wire? Looking at these today - converting from US$ to £ cost is c£96 - does that sound about right...?
Been thinking about fitting one of these for a while following dropping a valve sometime ago...

[neil3965]

Installation was straightforward, but I had the engine out for a rebuild which made fitting the CH sensor a lot easier (fitted to head while head was on bench).

Used a Dremel to cut a slot in the plug surround, then used a dab of JB Weld to fix it in place (in the slot only, not in plug seat). Nipped off the sealing washer on the plug and screwed it in to hold the sensor in place while epoxy cured.

Drilled a small hole in the forward engine tin, next to the brake servo hose, and fitted a rubber grommet, then fed the sensor cable through here - it comes supplied with a protetctive sleeve. It runs forward along the line of the nearside heater cable - used a cheap Rolson cable puller to get it over the petrol tank - then up into the space behind the front grille, then throogh another drilled hole with grommet into the space under the dash.

At the moment I only have a freestanding gauge mount sitting on top of the dash to the left of the instrument panel, cable comes through ashtray opening. Hoping to fit it flush somewhere.

[orangebooboobearcrew]

Nice one Neil - sounds good

[naskeet]

Hi Guys

I have just had a new type 4 CU engine built for me van and am planning a pretty long trip in it this summer.

With the big trip I would like to install some guages to keep and eye on things as I don't want this one to blow up like the last one did

What if any do people think I should go for? CHT? Oil pressure?

Thanks in advance

Matt

My recommendations, for the minimum instrumentation compliment, for a 1980 VW 2000 Type 25, with VW Type 4 style air-cooled engine, would be:

Voltmeter
Oil-pressure gauge
Oil-temperature gauge
Cylinder-head temperature gauge (two gauge-senders; one for each cylinder head)

If you have the time, money and inclination to fit them, I would also suggest:

Ammeter (remote-shunt type)
Inlet-manifold vacuum gauge
Tachometer (i.e. rev counter)

If one can obtain suitable cylinder-head overheat switches, then it would be wise to fit them, on each of the cylinder heads, to quickly alert you to a rapidly developing problem, owing to either engine-running problems (e.g. weak fuel-air mixture, detonation, etc), or complete or partial disablement of the cooling system. Although less susceptible, than the 1950~67 VW 12/1500 VW Type 2 and 1968~79 VW 13/15/1600 VW Type 2 engines, the 1980~83 VW 16/2000 Type 25 "suitcase" engines, with cooling fans driven directly by the crankshaft, are not immune from cooling-system failure.

Owing to cooling-system fan-inlet blockage, James Horsley (see Star Letter, VW Motoring, January 1999, Page 62) and Paul MacCarty (see Transporter Talk, Issue 46, April 2000, Pages 39~40) suffered catastrophic failure, of their VW 1600 Type 2 engines and C. John Hill (see Transporter Talk, Issue 55, October 2001, Pages 27~28), just narrowly managed to avert it.

To quote James's words, "Something had been drawn into the fan and caused the engine to cook itself". Paul reported that, "The engine had died, absolutely" and "The J-cloth was spread neatly over the cooling fan vanes", the cloth having been used earlier to clean the engine bay and left on top of the battery. All too often, I see old rags deliberately left in the engine compartment of people's vans, ready to wipe the oil dipstick! In all of these cases, debris had obstructed the cooling system air-flow, causing the engines to rapidly overheat and sieze.

C. John Hill had noticed that the oil temperature of his 1972 VW 1600 Type 2 engine, had risen rapidly to 120 ºC (approximately 15~20 ºC higher than his normally observed running temperature, for that time of year) and was still rising! Noticing this and the changed engine note, he pulled into a lay-by, where he discoverd that one half of the engine-bay, foam perimeter-seal, had disappeared, which was presumed to have been sucked into the fan housing (a supposition which was later confirmed), where it drastically reduced the effectiveness of the cooling system.

Few people regularly monitor their dashboard gauges, so it is fortuitous, that John noticed the increase in oil temperature, after a rise of only 15~20ºC. A 120 ºC oil-temperature switch, linked to a warning light, plus a flashing light and/or buzzer system, would have been more likely to attract his attention! Hopefully, John's engine did not suffer any ill effects, but one cannot be sure.

In all three cases, the generator (i.e. dynamo or alternator) would still be functioning, being driven by the V-belt, so the ignition warning light would not have illuminated. Only a cylinder-head overheat switch (see Bill Fisher, "How to Hot Rod Volkswagen Engines", HP Books, 1970) & warning device (ideally, both visual & audible), plus possibly a cylinder-head temperature gauge, would have given them early warning of impending doom. Judging from the various tales of woe, which have appeared all too regularly, in Transporter Talk, VW Motoring and other publications, the aforementioned cases, are only the tip of the iceberg!

To read more about the important complementary purposes of various gauges, limit-switches, warning lights, flashing warning lights and other warning devices, refer to the following topic threads:

'How To' & 'Handy Hints' > Retro-fitting supplementary gauges

http://forums.kombiclub.com/showthread.php?t=19396

'How To' & 'Handy Hints' > VW flat-four engine, knock-warning device

http://forums.kombiclub.com/showthread.php?t=20804