Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 15:44:40 -0800
Reply-To: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: oil pres woes... gauge install part 2
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Part 2...... I think I left off with having mounted the oil pressure sender
and the gauge in the dash. Here’s how I hooked it all up, results, and some
questions..
I drove about 30 miles with the newly mounted sender. Had to. Upon getting
back I noted the sender side hose fittings leaked some oil. I tightened it
up more. Hopefully that’s all. The engine tin wasn’t revealing any
tell-tale signs of the hose leaking out of the engine block. It’s a real
time-taker to yank that off again. Plus I’ll have to go out and buy a set
of offset wrenches, since I’m out of options to tighten the hose up. I did
use pipe tape as per other articles on vanagon.com, but I’m curious as to
how the heat affects it. I replaced my makeshift wiring to hold the hose
away from the exhaust with some exhaust strapping. Looks more neat now,but
I still want to insulate the hose with asbestos or asbestos-like material.
Any ideas on this?? Maybe the hose can hold up fine. I’ll see before too
long I guess. I also went out and bought a rubber grommet for the hole I
drilled in the tin. Nicer than electrical tape.
The wiring went simple enough. I don’t like to craw around under the van,
so I thought ahead and ran two wires instead of one, since I could always
use the other for something, someday. Out the speedo grommet, down along
the radiator(not too close now), over the OXS box (drop the spare), along
the wiring, yanked with a clothes hanger across the top of the too-small of
a gas tank, back along the other wiring, through some holes here and there.
up into the engine compartment. Straightforward. Don’t forget wire ties and
eye goggles.
The front seat scene involved a multimeter. I thought the Haynes manual
would work, and it did help, but I used the meter to make sure lest I pop
many a fuse. The only trick really was finding the hot wire from the dash
dimmer. I did want the gauge to dim like all the others. Confirming with
the meter, the wire I wanted was the gray/blue wire in the #3 hole in the
14-pin dash connector. (1984 and who really know for sure with other vans--
use a voltmeter). I wanted to tap an 8A circuit for the gauge’s power, but
the cold was biting and I just tapped into my rear heater fan due to ease.
I’m sure there were much better choices, but.....
When I cranked the beast up, the gauge rose to 60psi or so. This matches
other van owner’s readings. I guess when the van warms up I will find out
the real story with my oil pressure!! Yeah. Considering the stress I
endured during the oil light fiasco of the past couple weeks, I would
encourage everyone to get the gauge. A single LED doesn't’ say much. This
all started because of that #@$!* LED.
Questions for the super knowledgeable: I was concerned mostly with the air
trapped in the sender and hose. I went through some effort to “fill” all
with oil before mounting, and I’m glad the sender fittings leaked some in
the start. Maybe some air was bled out. Would air bubbles remain? Does
this affect anything?? I also thought about the raising (or lowering ) of
the sender unit with respect to the original position. Would mounting the
sender higher reduce the pressure reading? I’m sure it does..... the real
question: Is there a significant pressure reading change?? (Siphoning
effect.....you know... example: when you cut your hand, elevation above the
heart eases bleeding/swelling)
That’s enough eh? If any probs/ insights/ fires occur, I guess I’ll write a
part 3.
ciao for now.. Brian Cochran, 84 westy, Carnation, WA
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