Gauges - What to do? · Aussieveedubbers

Craig S · 2011-11-07T08:25:43+00:00

Hi All, I'm about to get a new engine put in, so it's time to have a few more gauges than standard. I have an L Bug, so eventually I'm going to do some mods to the plastic dash to make them all fit better, but for the time being it will be a bodge job. So basically I'm not cutting metal, or going for a classic look. Realistically it's a GL lite. The plan is: * Speedo * Fuel * Tacho * Oil Pressure * Oil Temp Whilst it makes a certain amount of sense to keep the standard speedo/fuel guage, my speedo still tends to wave at me, even though it's been properly lubed. I've been wondering what other options there are to measure the speed (perhaps electronically). I need to move the speedo down anyway, because I can't see what speed I'm doing because of the smaller diameter steering wheel. 🤓 Any brands / series that are recommended? Are VDO any good any more? Any suppliers you'd recommend? Any other gauges I should have? Thanks in anticipation for the hints and tips! Craig

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 26 Nov 2011, 8:54 pm

#874384

That temp sender in the pic is 1/8 BSP

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Craig S Wolfsburg Wizard

635 posts · joined May 2008 · 26 Nov 2011, 9:05 pm

#874387

@ vwo60

Sorry, I'm getting confused I've been looking at so many. The Stack Speedo (not the dash cluster) requires the setup procedure over a set distance. I'll have to have another look at the VDO gauge setup. Thanks for pointing it out.

@ matberry

Clearly I'm pretty bad at measuring stuff! 😊 I pulled out my dodgy caliper and had a quick go. Whilst I don't disagree with you, I'll have to have another look to figure out what I've done wrong.

Thanks for the help.

Craig

1969 Beetle - June
1974 L Bug - Gwendolyn
2002 Bora V6 4Motion - Anita

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 · 26 Nov 2011, 9:35 pm

#874391

O so many choices, you might need a thread form gauge to check the TPI

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 26 Nov 2011, 9:51 pm

#874395

1/8 BSP and M10x1 are VERY close, you'll need a thread gauge to prove the difference. And remember, there's 1/8 27 and 1/8 28(by memory) which are extremely similar, not to mention that 1/8 NPT also close. 🙂
Best way to confirm may be to cross reference from the sender part #.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

vwo60 Veteran Volks Folk

2,036 posts · joined Feb 2007 · 27 Nov 2011, 8:05 am

#874444

1/8' BSPT has a TPI of 28 and a OD of .383"- 55 degree thread angle.
1/8" NPT has a TPI of 27 and a OD of .373"- 60 degree thread angle.
10MM x 1 MM pitch, OD is 9.35 MM- 60 degree thread angle

Craig S Wolfsburg Wizard

635 posts · joined May 2008 · 27 Nov 2011, 8:27 pm

#874520

For those of you bored with with my gauge quest, look away now 🥷

Thread gauge. Heck, I don't know I could justify buying one for the entire one use it will get in its life!!

There are some beautiful gauges out there, often for beautiful prices. Some of the ordinary Stack gauges still have programmable warning lights, and the entire gauge will flash at you if the reading continues to climb/fall (obviously depending on the type of gauge).

Whilst the set of VDO gauges looks like a reasonable price, I still run into the problem of having to redo my entire dash (being an L Bug) to squeeze them all in, and I still need to be watching the various things to notice a problem. That's why I like the Stack cluster, it alerts me when there is a problem.

With the VDO calibration, I take it that the best way to do it would be "Manual calibration with a known value" from the linked PDF:

http://www.egauges.com/pdf/vdo/0-515-012-051.pdf

Would that mean that it would be the number of wheel revolutions per km? Would that then be able to use the stock speedo cable?

In my ebay adventures I've found some neat little motorbike digital speedo/tachos with the speedo running off a reed switch and magnet.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Acewell-3150-Speedo-Computer-Dash-Tacho-Fuel-Gauge-Trip-/330375280322?pt=AU_Motorcycle_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4cebe6b6c2

They are also quite cheap. Not sure they're a good solution though.

One last dumb question, gauges come with different scales, but what would be appropriate?
Oil temp up 120 degrees?
Oil Pressure up to 0 to 80 psi?

As always, thanks for the guidance. 🙂

1969 Beetle - June
1974 L Bug - Gwendolyn
2002 Bora V6 4Motion - Anita

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 27 Nov 2011, 10:31 pm

#874549

Hi Craig

With my Spa speedo speedo I just put in the pulses per revolution and the tyre diameter and it worked out spot on, but I varied it just a little to make it read 1 or 2 ks fast.

That bike speedo looks OK as long as you can read it OK.

To me the 2 most important gauges on the street are speedo and oil pressure, oil temp only needs a glance now and again and the fuel level even less. You will never get all your gauges in the gauges in the ideal spot.

Steve

SuperOwen Fahrvergnugen

868 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 28 Nov 2011, 6:48 am

#874566

http://www.s3performance.com.au/speedometers-c-1_25.html

There's also a unit that looks like a motec dash available locally، about 300 ?from memory, ill keep looking for the link

SuperOwen Fahrvergnugen

868 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 28 Nov 2011, 6:54 am

#874568

http://www.dan-moto.com/danmoto-180-digital-cockpit-product-389.html?zenid=4oq40bq8vetprln44h0qflh9p5