mechanical gauge install

[steve_k]

Well here goes with another gauge installation Q.

got myself a set of 52mm gauges & I'm putting them in front of the ash tray in the centre console.

I've got a voltmeter gauge, oil temp gauge & a oil pressure gauge.
now I now about wiring in the volt gauge, & I'm thinking of drilling/tapping a spare sump plug for the oil temp gauge sensor but I'm stuck with how to wire in the oil pressure gauge with it being mechanical.

I was thinking of buying a "sandwich plate" that sit's between the oil filter & it's housing to mount the sensor's for both the pressure gauge & the temp gauge.

now, would this work?? If not does anybody have any better idea's??
I've had a look at the wiki & thats for VDO Digital gauges not mechanical.

any help & ideas's would be gratefully received.

[BenHar]

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... VDO_gauges

Ben

[steve_k]

Cheers for that Ben

I know that's for Digital gauges & mine are mechanical but do you think the installation process would be the same??

[Brianmoooore]

You still use a tee piece behind the existing oil pressure switch, whether the pressure gauge is electric or purely mechanical.
You do realise that the more gauges you have, the more paranoid you will become!

[steve_k]

You still use a tee piece behind the existing oil pressure switch, whether the pressure gauge is electric or purely mechanical.
You do realise that the more gauges you have, the more paranoid you will become!

thanks for that Brian

had extra gauges in most car's I've had so the sport's not going to any different.

As for being paraniod, well it does hurt from time to time lol.

right back to the wiki giude to find out which T piece I need.

[daimlerman]

This is the set-up that I used,tee piece and sump plug adaptor both came from Demon Tweaks.

It's an M12 thread,and the fine pitch one's are required.

[steve_k]

Cheers for that malc

look's like I'll be on the demon tweeks site later then lol.

[daimlerman]

Just checked up,you need an M12 1.5 pitch thread,be aware that Demon Tweaks sent me three M12 1.25 one's packed as 1.5's! They were very good about it,swapping and re-funding postage charges and so on. Point is,unless you put your pitch gauge on the bloody thread,you may,just,try forcing the wrong thread in and bugger the sump....

[steve_k]

Once again thanks malc.

look's like it's going to be the end of the week before I can order the T piece & other bit's so I mite aswell get on with mounting the gauges in the car.

[Grrrmachine]

The T-piece codes are in the Wiki too! And you can get them on eBay as well as demontweeks.

[steve_k]

The T-piece codes are in the Wiki too! And you can get them on eBay as well as demontweeks.

thanks grrrmachine. Off to eBay I go.
got any links to them on the bay??

[Grrrmachine]

Ebay's useless for me because the postage is cripplingly expensive so no, sorry. But it's not THAT hard to copy the part numbers from the Wiki to the eBay search engine, surely...

[steve_k]

Ebay's useless for me because the postage is cripplingly expensive so no, sorry. But it's not THAT hard to copy the part numbers from the Wiki to the eBay search engine, surely...

no worries dude just me being lazy lol.
right then off to the wiki & then eBay.

[steve_k]

Right thought I'd better update this.

got the gauges mounted in the car now (at last) & I've got the T-piece from demontweeks & I was wondering if it would be possible to use the fitting kit for VDO mechanical gauges thats on the demontweeks site??

I only ask I've lost the oil pressure fitting kit that came with my gauges (equus from ratsport).

can't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to use that kit but o would like a bit of conformation thats all.

so................can I use it??

[steve_k]

Anybody??

[steve_k]

evening folks,

right, to the point in hand.

Got all three gauges in & working (with no significant blood loss) .
now because i'm taking the car down the "fast road, odd track day" route & also maybe fitting a m20b26 (see "full fat m20b25" thread)
i'm looking at fitting a gearbox oil temp gauge. Now what I would like to know is would it be possible to use a spare mechanical oil temp gauge i've got or would I need to use an electric one??

has anyone else done this? Just seems a bit daft to fit an oil temp gauge for the engine & not one for the gear box.

so if anyone has done this what did you use & how did you go about it??

T.I.A

[maxfield]

Never heard of anyone using an oil temp gauge for their gearbox. No point IMO.

[steve_k]

Never heard of anyone using an oil temp gauge for their gearbox. No point IMO.

why not? My cousin had one on his R34 skyline to keep an eye on the gearbox oil temp so he knew when it was upto temp (same time as engine oil temp) so he knew he could "have a play" (his words) so to speak.

also saw an E36 M3 evo at cadwell park (road & track spec car) that had that & one for the diff oil temp.

just got one sitting around & thought about it.

[steve_k]

Afternoon folk's.

thought i'd better update this.

been having a play with different materials to use to mount the gauges in the centre console & after a while i've decided to use a section of steel plate (baking tray, cost 80p from morrisons, bargin & it's black aswell)

will try & get a few pics up in a few days time when i've got it all cut to shape & size & cleaned up.

wish me luck lol.

[e301988325i]

I've only heard of Gbox and diff temp sensors on high power race stuff. And well, an R34 would have them, what don't they have?