Re: [T2] Oil pressure sender, 914 oil temp sender plate and vacuum port

[H Steven Dolan <dworkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 16 Sep 2001, Nigel Anthony Skeet wrote:

> Thanks for your e-mail regarding the oil-temperature gauge sender unit
> thread size being M14 x 1.0mm and its part number.

You are welcome, glad to be able to help.

> Which engine type (1972~79 VW 17/18/2000 Type 2 or 1980~83 VW 2000 Vanagon)
> have you installed it on and what modification if any, had to be made to the
> oil dipstick, to prevent it fouling the sender?

I have a 1980 VW 2000 Vanagon, but I have not installed the plate. I am
waiting for the fall oil change to come around.  When I do, I had intended
to clip 1/2" off the dipstick.  David Schwarze, who gave me the plate,
told me that this had been necessary on Bluto, his 1973 VW bus (stock
1700, AFAIK) but Jake's comments give me hope that I won't have to.  If
anyone would know from experience, it's him.

> For the VW 411LE Variant engine, in my 1973 VW 1600 Type 2, I suspect that
> some shortening of the dipstick would be necessary. I too might be
> interested in obtaining one of these Porsche 914 engine plates, with
> oil-temperature sender fitting boss.

I suspect you may be correct, but listen to Jake, and try your dipstick
before you cut...  you can always cut it *shorter* :-)

> However, I am currently waiting to see whether I can obtain from an
> acquaintance of mine in Great Britain, a 220V AC mains, oil sump heater,
> which replaces the standard plate.

Nigel, you are out of my area of expertise.  Here in Virginia, with lowest
lows in the teens (fahrenheit), I have never had a problem.  I am running
20W-50 all year and oil pressure will spring right up.  In very low temps,
it will spring up to 70psi, but that is not unacceptable to me and it
sinks to ~50 within a minute or two as I let it warm.

A sump heater won't hurt, so if you can find one, go for it, but it is low
on my priority list here.

> Looking at your pictures of the oil-pressure gauge-sender installation,
> without any spacer mast or adapters, I wondered how you screwed it into the
> crankcase, suffiently tightly, to get a leak-free seal and prevent the
> sender unscrewing itself. Did you first have to remove the inlet manifold
> pipes and the large cover-plate, which covers cylinders 3 & 4?
>
> I tried out your method of installation, using some old junk cover plates,
> requiring an enlarged hole of >43mm diameter, but rejected this method in
> favour of the spacer mast and banjo fittings.
>
> The problems I identified, were those of sealing around the hole in the
> cover plate and the inconvenience of removing the inlet manifold and cover
> plate, in order to remove or replace the sender.

Well, yes :-)  First, I cut the cover plate while I was replacing the
engine, so it was out and off anyway.  If I had to do it with the engine
installed, I would have no qualms about cutting the cover plate in place.
I would remove the distributor, stuff a rag in the hole and cover it with
some protective (read: duct tape).  I would leave the old sender in place.
mark the tin for cutting then grind away.  Vacuum up before removing the
stuffing in the distributor hole or the old oil pressure switch.

Second, in so far as tighening it, that is no harder than tighening the
OEM sender, and leakage is as likely as well.  Initially I tightened it
finger tight using the two terminal posts.  When it leaked, I put a
screwdriver between the posts and gave it a *touch* more "hork".  Has not
leaked since.  As usual, all sorts of warnings about screwing steel
threads into an aluminum/magnesium case -- take it slowly, you can always
re-tighten.

Third, sealing the gap is the biggest concern, but still, to my mind,
minor.  The gap is only ~2-3mm.  Since I could not conceive of how I would
get the OEM oil temp sender boot over the pipe and since I only recently
became aware of the existence of such a boot (I have still never seen one
installed :), I think my 3mm gap is far smaller than the 2-4cm gap
(depending on how you measure, radius or diameter) that most people are
running.  I have thought of putting a bead of RTV around the sender to
fill the gap, but am waiting to get a round tuit :-)

                           Steve Dolan

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