Your 87 van already has an adequate oil pressure sensing system. If the oil alarm is not = going off your wasser boxer is happy with the amount of oil it has = circulating.

If I could have only one = gauge on a 2.1L wasser boxer I would add a water pressure gauge. Overton's (overtons.com) has one 0-30 psi that is reasonably easy to T into one of = the 7mm water hoses in the engine compartment. Comes with everything you need to = install, it is a standard 2 inch black with white letters even = says engine water on the face. These are normally used for boating = / outboard engines. The water pressure will drop before your = engine has lost much coolant from a minor leak or if you start your engine and = the pressure rises quickly an internal head gasket has sprung a = leak. Nice stuff to know on a water leaker and the quicker the better. Most leaks = on our vans are not the hose bursting but slow drips here and there which the = water pressure gauge will alert you to in plenty of time. I have had only = one hose burst and many many drip failures. After the blown hose I rehosed = my 86. Incidentally this is the only time I have been left by the = side of the road with a vw.

After water = pressure the volt meter gauge is a handy gauge and can also give advance warning and possible a breakdown / dead battery out on the road. With it you = know how your battery and alternator are functioning.

On my 78 westy 2L air cooled = I like both an oil pressure and oil temperature first on the list, then a volt meter. If I had a 1.9L wasser boxer I would install both an oil pressure and water pressure, then a volt meter.

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Thursday, October 14, = 1999 11:54 PM

Subject: VDO gauges

I'm conteplating which VDO gauge I = should get first. Oil pressure or oil temperature gauge. Does anyone have an = opinion which is most important? Can only afford 1 right now. Be nice to know = whats going on way back there in the engine compartment.