Date:         Mon, 1 Oct 2007 14:07:38 -0300
Reply-To:     David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: VDO Guages not working
In-Reply-To:  <2cb866ef0710010836y2f6d8019m556a0aa8e1a9184e@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Jonathan:

RE: oil pressure gauge reading off the scale....

        Try grounding the gauge wire (near the sender) while the
engine is running (or ign on) and see if the gauge goes to "0" pounds
pressure. If it does, the gauge is working properly. If not the wire
may be discontinuous due to poor crimping. Check the wire for
continuity. The try grounding the gauge terminal directly at the back
of the gauge. If it is still reads off the scale then the gauge is
bad.
        When disconnected the oil pressure gauge reads infinite
resistance (high), the same as when actual oil pressure jumps too
high. Short of being defective, the gauge is telling you that it is
NOT going to ground.
        To check the sender, put a meter on the "G" sender terminal.
Set the meter to the lowest numerical resistance setting  and read it
as the engine is revved. If there is a repeatable change in
resistance that varies with engine rpm, it's working.
        Short of that, then the "G" terminal on the sender may be
broken inside.

Good Luck!
                                                David(dsl82westy)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>So after another full weekend of working on my new van I finally started the
>engine up.  Boston Bob did it right as it started and ran perfectly through
>the first 30 minutes and two oil changes.
>
>A big part of the work this weekend was the wiring and installation of my 3
>vdo guages cht, oil temp and oil pressure.  The oil temp is working fine but
>I have questions about the other two.
>
>First according to my infrared therm. the heads near the intake never went
>above about 200 so was that hot enough for the cht to register?  The needle
>on the cht guage didn't move ever.  I hope to drive the van soon, at what
>temp should the guage register?  Are there ways to test the guage/sender.
>The sender is mounted under the #3 plug.
>
>Second, the oil pressure guage goes to max as soon as the key is turned on,
>(12v goes to the + lead terminal)  Even if the sender wire is disconnected
>it stays pegged.  I have tested the sender wire and it is connected.  It is
>from the Bus Depot wiring kit and is one unbroken wire from the sender to
>the guage.  The sender is the dual output type with two poles one labelled
>"g" the other "wk".  The stock oil light goes out as the van is started and
>appears to be functioning normally.  I have the guage on "G" and the idiot
>light on "WK".
>
>Any help/suggestions with these problems would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jonathan Poole