Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:54:09 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Oil Filler Mods/Question on a 2.1
In-Reply-To: <E1JDMd3-0004af-6o@elasmtp-curtail.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Well, the oil filler tube is metal right ?
Plan ole sheet metal is very easy to work with.
Why would you not just braze a brass fitting into the side of the oil filler
tube, right near the bottom, like an inch from the bottom, and screw your
temp sensor into that part ????
Sure seems obvious to me. You only modify one part, the rest stays stock. No
muss no fuss.
You wouldn't want to change oil fill location the oil tower, unless you just
love opening the engine cover every time you want to add a little oil just
to see your shiny engine. Seems to be making things way more complicated
and less convenient.
Here's a super simple way to tell what the real oil level is. With the
right amount of oil in the engine, insert something, like a coat hanger
wire, down the filler tube till it touches oil, and figure out from that
what the oil level is. I believe the bottom inch or so of the oil filler
tube has oil in it for sure.
If the oil is full, and you undo that tube, oil sure will be flowing
right out.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Max Wellhouse
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 8:21 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Oil Filler Mods/Question on a 2.1
Getting ready to do the Ken Lewis modification that moves the oil
temp VDO aftermarket sender from the drain plug to the oil filler
hole by making a block off plate for the sendr to screw into. By
getting a Type 1 aftermarket tower from Clauds's buggies or Empi, I
can fill the oil from the old generator tower localtion as the unit
still has a 1/2" breather nipple to go to the air system.
My question is: Last night I was removing the oil fill tube pipe and
proceeded to stick my finger down the hole and didn't feel a lot of
drop before I hit the bottom of the crankcase and that got me to wondering.
1. If the engine holds almost 5 qt.of oil when full, if had removed
the oil filler pipe with the correct amount of oil in the crankcase
and the vehicle level, would any oil have run out the hole in the
block? I'm not math whiz on calculating volume etc. but looking at
the space available for the oil in the sump, I would think that the
oil would come up above this hole.
2. If the oil level is above this hole in the block, then wouldn't
climbing semi-steep hills send oil up the filler tube since there's
no baffle(at least on my van?
3. If he level is under the hole in the block, how would the new
location for the temp sender get an accurate reading if it was rarely
if ever immersed in the sump oil?
I'm kinda in Ken's line of thinking that having the sending unit
double as the drain plug becomes a little "exposed" down there and if
the cost for moving the temp sender to the rear of the motor is
simply having to open the hatch to add oil, then I think it's worth it.
Any feedback form the group would be welcome!!
DM&FS