Date:         Mon, 29 Aug 1994 10:51:37 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Gerald Skerbitz <gsker@lenti>
Subject:      fuel injection/gauges

Date:         Mon, 29 Aug 94 10:36:08 CDT
>From: "J. Walker" <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>

=========================================================================
Date:         
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         
Subject:      Re: fuel injection/gauges

On Mon, 29 Aug 94 10:23:34 CDT WOODRUT said:
>again at the 600 mile service.  I don't want to wait that long!  Any other
>suggestions on what to look for?

check all the electrical connections. it's very likely he messed up one and
the computer is NOT getting the info it needs. check the thermo-time gizmo
(up kinda under the intake manifold). if it goes bad, the computer never
knows that the engine is cold. that's the gizmo that controls the cold-start
valve (the '5th' injector, up in the intake manifold 'box'). if you can't
find any loose air connections, i'd bet on an electrical one ... especially
since he removed the connections to take the engine out.

>Also - I want to install oil temp/head temp gauges.  The mechanic told me they
>aren't very accurate on air cooled VW's.  Guess that means I'll have to install
>'em myself.  Is this a do-able job for a newbie?  Any advice on references re
>install or the best sources for quality gauges (I see a big price difference
>between J.C. Whitney and Bus Boys)?

oil temp is really easy on that engine. do an oil change and before you fill
it back up, swap the 'inspection' plate (that other round plate on the bottom
of the engine, kinda over to the right rear of the engine) for the one with
the little hole for the gauge sender. you'll need, of course, to have a new
big rubber o-ring (it's pink, of all things!), and the sender and the new
plate ready BEFORE you change the oil. ;)  the only problem after than is
running the wire up front. i made little clips that fit under the sheet metal
screws on the engine bottom ... just little strips of metal that i folded
around the wire and drilled a hole through both ends of the strip ... to keep
the wire from hanging down. worked pretty good.

head temp should be really easy. i never did that one, but don't you just
put it under a bolt/screw that's already there on the cylinder head? you
should be able to get to it from under the bus.

for sources? well, i'd go with VDO, but that's cause i'm old and prejudiced.
but they have all the parts for your bus and it should be a lot easier to
install them than some K-Mart brand. most any source of vdo would be ok, but
some of them are much cheaper than others.

joel