Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:55:25 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: 2.1 L Oil filler tube needed
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well designed gauge panels are set up so most gauges read roughly in the
same area when things are fine.
Anything odd sticks right out.
for sure, the mind has to interpret a digital reading in #'s as to value,
or how far out of normal range things are, where the need on an analogue
doesn't even take any thinking to see at a glance it's about where it
belongs.
perfect example...it's not that hard to be going 60 in a vanagon with an
auto trans in 2nd gear accidently.
the engine sounds and feels about the same whether in 2nd or 3rd ..
I was driving along one time, talking with my passenger ..
noticed the tach reading rather high out of the corner of my eye ..
'hmmm ......4,800 rpm ...why is that reading so high ? '....
then 'oh crap, I'm in second gear !".
if that had been a digital readout , it wouldn't have been so obvious.
speaking of indications hidden behind the steering wheel in vanagons..
the brake warning light sure is small and off to the side, and partially
hidden by the steering wheel.
Very easy to miss if it's on.
on the next van up, the Eurovan , that same waring light is about one inch
square, pretty bright, and square in the middle of the main part of the dash
...lke right in the middle just ahead of the shift lever ..pretty ahrd to
miss there, when it's on.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karl Wolz" <wolzphoto@q.com>
To: "'Scott Daniel - Turbovans'" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>;
<vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 8:31 PM
Subject: RE: 2.1 L Oil filler tube needed
> Studies have shown that an analogue gauge is more quickly readable my
> most,
> if not all, folks. You get accustomed to the position of the needle,
> rather
> than having to read a number and then translate what that number means.
> Sounds picky, but losing concentration for a few hundredths of a second at
> just the wrong time can be dangerous.
>
> That said, at 6', 0"s, I can't see the top quarter of the speedo since the
> steering wheel is in the way. Makes the digital gauges sound like a
> possible good thing.
>
> Karl Wolz
>
> |-----Original Message-----
> |From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of
> |Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> |Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:51 PM
> |To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> |Subject: Re: 2.1 L Oil filler tube needed
> |
> |hi.
> |I have not heard that VDO gauges may not be that accurate.
> |
> |I'm sure Dokata digital stuff is fine.
> |I can tell you I would rather have an anologue gauge I can just glance at
> |and know what it means without thought , than any thing with a digital
> |readout.
> |
> |digital readout for radio stations, fine. Makes total sense.
> |but for things like speed, OP, and oil temp ..and coolant temp ,
> |I'm not real big on digital readout.
> |
> |actually I frickin' hate digital stuff, like push a button and wait and
> see
> |if the volume changes, or if the thing comes on, or goes off.
> |
> |give me a goold ole KNOB to turn or an analogue gauge to read, any day.
> |with some exceptions.
> |
> |
> |
> |----- Original Message -----
> |From: "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
> |To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> |Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:48 AM
> |Subject: Re: 2.1 L Oil filler tube needed
> |
> |
> |> Scott, the sender that feeds my VDO oil pressure gauge also feeds the
> |> dynamic oil pressure monitoring lamp. I have two senders, one for low
> |rpm
> |> and one for high rpm, per stock, but one of them also feeds the gauge.
> |> BTW, I have read (and someone on here also made this claim) that VDO
> |> gauges are only so-so in accuracy, particular the oil temperature
> gauges.
> |> If I do decide to install an air type, coil oil cooler, I probably will
> |> get an oil thermometer, but perhaps from this source:
> |>
> |> http://www.dakotadigital.com/
> |>
> |> Don't KNOW if it's is better than VDO, but some folks who claim to know
> |> seem to think so. Perhaps you have some insight into this.
> |>
> |> DMc
> |>
> |> ---- Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> |>> hi,
> |>> you mean how to install the guages ?
> |>>
> |>> pretty basic,
> |>> bit unusual, compared to most engines, taping into the oil sender
> |>> location
> |>> between the push rod tubes under the left cylinder head on a
> waterboxer
> |>> engine.
> |>> I have two metal line set ups ...one is a steel brake line with
> |fittings.
> |>> Need to come out with a pipe or line to mount senders to. Going to
> have
> |>> at
> |>> least the old OP Switch, and a pressure sender, ..a golf ball size
> gizmo
> |>> to
> |>> talk to an electric oil press. gauge..so need to accomdate at least
> two
> |>> sensors there ...old OP sw. and new guage sender.
> |>>
> |>> I have used a grease gun hose to tap into the oil switch location
> before
> |>> as
> |>> well. Worked well for years actually.
> |>>
> |>> for an oil temp ....I might weld a boss into the bottom of the oil
> |filler
> |>> tube, and sender screws into that. Easy to fab in metal pipe like
> that.
> |>> Might not be 'the perfect or ideal' ' temp sender location, but it's a
> |>> nice
> |>> way to tap into the sump oil without doing anything too weird to the
> |>> engine.
> |>> Rather not tap into the case , not yet anyway.
> |>> ( There are ones you can buy that are just a dipstick..
> |>> so you have a dipstick with a wire coming off it....kinda of an
> |>> air-cooled
> |>> Bug thing, but I don't like that idea.)
> |>>
> |>> check out the VDO guages on egauges.com
> |>>
> |>>
> |>>
> |>>
> |>> ----- Original Message -----
> |>> From: "Rocket J Squirrel" <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
> |>> To: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
> |>> Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> |>> Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 3:36 PM
> |>> Subject: Re: 2.1 L Oil filler tube needed
> |>>
> |>>
> |>> >
> |>> >
> |>> > On Sat, 2010-08-28 at 14:26 -0700, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> |>> >> being able to monitor oil temp and pressure .....knowing those are
> |>> >> within
> |>> >> reasonable limits, would reduce the stressful feeling of pushing
> the
> |>> >> poor
> |>> >> thing up long hot hills, if those #'s stay in a good range.
> |>> >
> |>> > Scott -- I, too, would like to know how my 1.9 is doing on them
> long,
> |>> > hot, lonely hills. Any chance we can get you to post a how-to for
> the
> |>> > oil pressure and temp monitoring setup? Something the simpler of us
> |>> > could follow?
> |>> >
> |>> >
> |>> > --
> |>> > Rocky J Squirrel
> |>> >
> |>> >
> |>> >
> |>
> |> --
> |> David McNeely
>
| 
