My new VDO Gauges

[Henny 0]

if you order the part from VAG you'll get the same VDO sender, just with an extra VW stamp on it and a 30% markup on the price... ;) :roll:

 

That looks like the correct sender to me on the VDO site anyway... 8)

[MikeVR6 0]

Update, gauges are now in and wired up.

As Henny said, the wiring is as follows..

 

G. Druck = Pressure

15 = ignition live

31 = earth

58 = lighting

 

Took the earth and lighting from the ashtray feed.

Spliced into the ignition wire for the voltmeter feed.

 

The interior light from a Mk3 Golf has a proper multiplug for the back of the gauges. Free from your local scrappies ;)

 

I've run a wire for the pressure sender through the bulkhead where the bonnet release cable goes.

 

Fitting the sender looks like a nightmare, the radiator and fans are in the way. So I'll get my mechanic to do it.

 

Can't stop fiddling with switches watching how much power they use! :lol:

Heated seats seem the most hungry!

[tonytiger 0]

Very useful info there MikeVR6. I noticed it looks a bit tight for space for fitting the sender too - not that I need to worry at the moment seeing as I don't have a sender yet :(

 

BTW, glad you got your lights sorted in the end.

[KARMANN 0]

Fantasic that these can atill be bought.

 

Im having stupid day today,could some1 please in a nice simple easy to read format tell me everything i need to do this where to get them from and how much.

 

Cheers guys

 

Fraser

[tonytiger 0]

if you order the part from VAG you'll get the same VDO sender, just with an extra VW stamp on it and a 30% markup on the price... ;) :roll:

 

Well, I ordered the sender from VAGParts (part number T11 919 081) and it turned up this morning. It does appear to be the right item. It's stamped with VDO (can't remember if it's got the VW stamp on it) and states 0.5+/- 0.15 bar for the warning contact, and 10bar for the pressure contact. Only thing I'm not sure of yet is if it's definitely the right size thread (though don't see why it won't be) - I'll have a better look when I get home again tonight.

 

Anyway, it cost £22 delivered, so if you can actually get a local dealer to order it then it should be even cheaper - and that's less than half the price of anywhere else I found :!:

[Neil VR6 0]

I have that guage panel in MikeVR6's post, the simple one with 2 holes. I have a volt meter and a boost guage in mine. Any 52mm gauge will fit into them. It's in an older type interior. It's a bit flimsy and to be honest a nicely shaped bit of MDF trimmed in something would look just as good!

[KARMANN 0]

Im still confused as to all the parts i need to do this-any chance of a list of parts,price and where from? Its for the VR

 

Cheers guys

 

Fraser

[slot 0]

Just fitted these to mine , using the said part's !

But when i turn the ing on the bar gauge goes upto full , as the volt's side show's just over 12v , any idea's ?? :(

(Bar not connected in engine bay , as waiting for the sender)

[MikeVR6 0]

Don't fret!

It works on the resistance from the sender.

So without a sender connected, it reads off the scale.

 

I replied to your PM before reading this.

[slot 0]

:) Thank's mate that's put my mind at rest :thumb right:

 

Dave

[G60 DK 0]

Hi guys...

 

I can tell you that in Germany the VDO's are also no longer avaible, haven't been for over 2 years...

 

I got a set as well and want to build it in to the "old dash". With a bit of cutting in the old dash it fits more or less, though there's no room for the ashtrey and the lighter.... Cutting in the VDO plastic shell might be a solution, but would be sorry to do so!

 

So could really need a few tips from people that have actually got it fit!!

 

Greets Søren, Denmark

[HiAsAKite 0]

My pressure sender arrived this morning from streetstyleandpower.com... its bigger then I expected! Just need to sort the wiring out now, and then I'm ready to go!

[G60 DK 0]

HiAsAKite; VR6 og G60?

 

Greets Denmark

[slot 0]

I think he , has a VR6 pal :)

 

Speaking of which . . . :) how much was your sender unit HiAsAKite :)

[HiAsAKite 0]

VR6

 

Think it was £41 in total with delivery, VAT etc..

Its the 150PSI two pin one

[tonytiger 0]

Finally installed the gauge unit and sender this weekend. 8)

 

To install the sender, I removed the driver side headlight to gain access to the top of the oil filter housing.

I was unable to remove the old oil pressure switch with a spanner though, so ended up going to Halfords and buying a 24mm deep socket. Was then able to remove the switch easily with the socket and a reasonably long extension.

 

Installing the new dual-pole sender was very easy (though I didn't realise it had a tapered self sealing thread so thought there was something wrong to start with), and just tightens in with a spanner.

 

Once installed, I ran a new wire (2.5mm) from the sender round the passenger side of the engine bay and through the bulkhead (and also re-connected the original warning switch wire). I then managed to do all the interior electrics with only the ashtray and passenger side under-dash shelf removed.

 

If you can't find (or can't be bothered, as in my case) a s/h connector to fit the back of the gauge unit then you can order the bits from the stealer.

 

The connector itself (4 Pin Flat Connector) is part number 1J0 972 704, and you then need some wires to push into it. The wires come with the metal ends on so you just push them into the connector. Note, the wires have the connectors at both ends and as they are about a foot long you can just get 2 wires and cut them in half (though I didn't know that when I ordered them). I used 2.5mm wires which are part number 000 979 225, but 1mm may be okay (part number 000 979 133).

 

Thanks to Henny and MikeVR6 for stating which pins are for what, the gauge worked okay first time.

 

I'm assuming that the sender I've used is compatible as the pressure gauge readings are within the scale.

 

However, I'm not sure what 'normal' values should be. :?

From cold - it shows about 4 bar at idle, up to 8 bar under fairly gentle acceleration.

Fully warmed up (during / after motorway journey) - 1.5 bar at idle, 4 bar at 60mph, 5 bar at 80mph, 5.5 to 6 bar under hard acceleration. Is this a litte low?

 

Also, what is the other oil pressure switch for? What does/doesn't happen if the oil is above/below this pressure?

[slot 0]

Great info tony , just need to do mine now ! :)

[Henny 0]

The oil switch will cause the buzzer to activate on the dash and/or the oil warning lamp to light if it's not correct, but I'm not too sure which pressure switch is which on the VR6... :|

[MikeVR6 0]

That's Grrrrreat Tony! :)

 

Did your alternator not get in the way with the headlight out?

 

I'm going to have a go at mine sometime in the next week.

[tonytiger 0]

MikeVR6, I didn't find the alternator position to be a problem - okay it may have been a little easier if it wasn't there, but I still found there was enough room to work by sticking my arm through hole where the headlight goes.

 

Installing the sender shouldn't take long at all - under 30 minutes if all goes well. However, it took me hours from start to finish as

a) I couldn't get the third, recessed screw out of the headlight - messed on for hours but in the end I gave in and ended up breaking half that fixing point off the headlight, and

b) I messed on for a while trying to remove the old pressure switch with a spanner after soaking it with WD40, when I should have just gone straight to halfords for that deep 24mm socket (cost £6)

 

It really was very straight forward.

[HiAsAKite 0]

Which of the two pressure senders did you replace with the dual pole sender.. the 0.2 bar one or 4.4 bar one (yellow or blue wire)?

 

Thanks,

 

Al

[tonytiger 0]

HiAsAKite, it's the 0.3 bar one (which is the blue/black wire according to the Bentley manual) as the dual pole sender warning contact is rated at 0.5 bar.

[HiAsAKite 0]

Sorry.. I meant 0,3 bar ;) Thanks, which of the poles on the dual pole sender do you connect the existing blu/black wire ?

 

EDIT: I didn't know the warning switch on the dual pole was 0.5 bar... I only knew that the range of the sender was up to 150 PSI

[tonytiger 0]

On the sender I used (and I expect they're all the same) one of the terminals is marked WK (german for warning contact) - connect the orignal wire to this. The other terminal is marked G (german for sensor).

 

Looking at the Bentley manual again last night, I think it said the original 0.3bar switch has brown insulation and the other one has black insulation (as I was wondering how to tell if the wires were connected to the right switches in the first place).

[davidwort 0]

On the sender I used (and I expect they're all the same) one of the terminals is marked WK (german for warning contact) - connect the orignal wire to this. The other terminal is marked G (german for sensor).

 

Looking at the Bentley manual again last night, I think it said the original 0.3bar switch has brown insulation and the other one has black insulation (as I was wondering how to tell if the wires were connected to the right switches in the first place).

 

If they're wrong you'll get either a warning buzzer at idle (warning low oil pressure as soon as you turn the engine on) or a warning at 3000rpm ish - low pressure at normal running speed, at least that's how the 4 cylinder cars pressure senders work.

 

David.