Date:         Tue, 05 Nov 1996 16:43:51 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "R.D. Robertson" <rdr@arn.net>
Subject:      Custom-made sump plate for '72 - '83 engines, threaded for VDO oil temp sender 

All,

I explained to Danny, at Danny's Volks Stuff, a local VW 
mail-order parts house, the oil leak problem I was having 
with my '79 Bus.  It has a 9/16" hole drilled in the stock 
oil sump plate, for the VDO oil temp sender, which was was 
seeping oil at a slow but constant rate.  I hate *all* oil 
leaks, they make my ride look low-rent and eventually make 
a nasty mess on the driveway, which inevitably gets tracked 
into the house.

Danny volunteered to make a billet aluminum sump plate with 
a threaded hole to accomodate the VDO oil sump temperature 
sender for me.

It took until Sunday for him to have enough peace and quiet 
to turn it down on the lathe, thread the hole, etc.

It's really too pretty to put on the engine, but I did that 
last night anyway, while changing oil/filter to 10w30/BOSCH 
for the winter (it gets bitterly COLD here and in the 
nearby Rockies).

It doesn't leak a drop. He machined it from a solid piece 
of aircraft aluminum, so it's thicker and much stronger 
than the stock sump plate.  It still uses the stock O-ring 
for sealing.  Because the sump plate's considerably thicker 
than stock, I had to use two longer (20mm) M6 bolts to 
mount it.  I used a new copper crush washer between the 
sender and sump plate.

I took pictures of it, front and back, which I'll make 
available as UU-encoded .JPG files to whoever wants them as 
soon as I develop the B&W negatives and scan them in.

Danny'd have to make a dozen or more of the sump plates at 
one time to be able to make any $$ for his efforts.

Danny & I have worked out a deal where he'll do engine 
rebuilding, etc., in exchange for my advertising services 
(see latest DB&HVWs & VW Trends for his ads), so he didn't 
charge me anything.  And, (shameless plug) here's his 
address:

Danny's Volks Stuff
1024 W 6th
Amarillo TX  79101
(806) 372-2812

If enough folks order this item, he'll probably make you 
one.

Roy