Gauges

[Bugger]

I am installing some new gauges in my bug. The fuel gauge doesn't work, so I ordered a new one and I ordered a tach, but have space for one more 2 1/16th inch gauge in my setup. All I will have including the gauges I have ordered are speedo, fuel and tach. I am using VDO ****pit white gauges. My choices are oil temp, oil pressure, or volts.

[freekazoid]

Well I might say that oil temp or pressure is better than volts. I would probably do temp, its a crucial condition of how the car is performing and you can actually gauge pressure from temp readings if you know what range temp if normal on the gauge. If the temp gets to high you know your going to be loosing pressure. Or you could use the pressure gauge and have a warning light hooked up to a gene burg dip stick temp sender. Thats actually what I'm doing. I got a temp and pressure gauge but decided to not use them right now. I'm just hooking up three led's aside from my tach/speedo/fuel. One for turn signal, one for gen/alt light and the other for the oil pressure warning. The oil pressure warning light will have duel functionality because you can hook it up with the temp dipstick so that the light flashes when oil is passed a point or stays on when pressure drops.

[Bugger]

I like the idea of using warning lights, I think I will go with oil temp and eventually hook up a warning light for oil pressure.

[Bugger]

Okay, I found out more on this subject. The stock bug cluster has a warning light for low oil pressure and low volts, which are supposedly pretty good according to gene berg. He says that the aftermarket temp sensors are no good, what is your experiance with them? Also I am having a hard time posting pics, I shrink them with a program and can't get them below 100kb. I want to post some pics of the installation of the gauges in the custom panels that I made.

[freekazoid]

Okay, I found out more on this subject. The stock bug cluster has a warning light for low oil pressure and low volts, which are supposedly pretty good according to gene berg. He says that the aftermarket temp sensors are no good, what is your experiance with them? Also I am having a hard time posting pics, I shrink them with a program and can't get them below 100kb. I want to post some pics of the installation of the gauges in the custom panels that I made.

I don't have any first hand experience with the aftermarket temp sensors, I've basically been in the same boat as you for the past few months on trying to decide my gauge configuration. But yes those stock warning lights are exactly what i'm using just with led's. I've read a decent amount on here and other forums about how the temp senors can be slow to react and to really get a real reliable oil temp you basiclly need to tap the case. I'm using VDO gauges and I know there is a connector that allows you to connect a pressure and temp senor to the stock pressure switch, but same problem of slow and not very accurate readings. Then again I think if you take the time to learn how the gauges function (what their typical readings are) with your engine you can learn how to spot out warning signs. I wish I knew this stuff before i got all excited and bought more gauges and senders than i'm now planning on using. BTW I have a VDO temp sender 323 064D that replaces the oil pressure relief plug for what is probably one of the better places to get a temp reading without tapping the case. I'm not going to be using it or the gauge either, so please take the sender off my hands if your looking for one.

I've never tried posting pics on this forums, shouldn't be too hard. Maybe sign up for a pic hosting service like photobucket and link the pics from there.

[Bugger]

Thanks for the reply, maybe i will just make a new panel that will fit my seatbelt/brake light instead of another gauge for now.

[NO_H2O]

Look into the dual gauges from Westach. You can get an oil temp/press in one 2 1/16 unit. http://www.westach.com/gauge_images/2DC3.gif
They also have quad gauges from 2 1/4 to 3 1/8.
http://www.westach.com/gauge_images/3AQ4-41KV.gif

[Bugger]

Well it looks like I will get a voltmeter for the other gauge, all of the gauges are now wired up with one exception, the tach's sender is not wired up. The reason I havn't wired it up is I was wondering if there was a place up front where it could be wired up since there is a large black wire connected to the negative terminal of the ignition coil that looks like it goes to the front. If it can't be wired up in the front, how do you all get wires from the front to the back?

[freekazoid]

I thought the tach was supposed to connect to terminal 1, which is the negative terminal. Not terminal 15 which has the black wire that leads to the front which is actually bringing juice from the ignition switch.

[Bugger]

You are right, I just realized that (I have the whole black negative thing in my head I need to shake that notion). I have everything else wired up on the gauges besides that one wire, and will find some creative way to get the wires from the front to the back. The gauges do look great though, I am quite pleased with my choice.

[beetle1303]

First of all getting a workshop manual is very useful. I got the Heynes one and im really satisfied.
Second, in order to have proper readings on ur gauges you will need to run seperate cables from each sender to the coresponding gauges (i assume that u went this way...). Very important is to run the extra cables in a way that they will remain away from the battery in order to minimize noise (means intefierence, but can be heard some times like a whizling/hissing noise).

About senders. i used an oil temp and oil press from the autogauge range of autometer. I got the gauges fried due to a mistake on insulating them against the dash (1303 stripped)and they short cirquited...
can remember which of the two came witha a cross piece with one male and three female threads. male in the case and on one female i got the warning light with its stock sender, on the other the temp and on the last the press sender. everything was working fine until the short...

About the wiring. I drilled a hole on the engine's firewall and run the 3 from there to the left side, under the rear seat, below the carpets, to the inside of the heater channel and got them behind the vertical carpet that is on the inside of the driver's fender well (LHD).

One thing the u can do to minimize cables is to run a common earth cable. But remember that the earth is as important as a positive or a live ( sender) cable

If you want search for my ride in the members rides section of the main screen. I think that the senders are visible

Chris

[Bugger]

Thanks, I actually just finished wiring it. I went where the factory wires go, but under the seat instead of following there impossible routing I also went under the carpet behind the seat in the rear and I drilled a .5 inch hole in the firewall and put a grommet in it. Works great! I am going to get the bug registered tommorrow so I can drive it, since I just got it up and running good enough to drive it as a dd today. What does a bug redline at? it is completly stock except for the pertonox ignitor, coil and wires.

[wrenchnride247]

Stock 1600 DP (engine codes AF,AJ,AS) redlines at 4200 rpm making 46-48 hp.

[Bugger]

Thanks, how do I find out which model my engine is? Sorry for the newbie questions, this is obviously my first bug. It seems to redline higher than that, like when I am accellerating just for it to feel and sound like time to shift without pushing it i go to like 5k rpm. I will take it easier I guess, Also my tach. seems shaky at higher rpms, like above 5k what could I do to fix this?

[freekazoid]

Type 1 engine number is stamped on the crankcase under the generator support facing the rear. The chassis number is on a plate in the front compartment and stamped on the access panel to the tunnel underneath the rear seat.

[wrenchnride247]

Thanks, how do I find out which model my engine is? Sorry for the newbie questions, this is obviously my first bug. It seems to redline higher than that, like when I am accellerating just for it to feel and sound like time to shift without pushing it i go to like 5k rpm. I will take it easier I guess, Also my tach. seems shaky at higher rpms, like above 5k what could I do to fix this?
Don't worry, factory HP and TQ numbers stop there (this is an average), but the engine will rev higher... it just doesn't make any more power.

To cancel the noise (shaky tach) you need to put a resistor ( don't remember the OHM right now) inline on your ground wire.

[Bugger]

on the ground to the tach, not the sender wire?

[Bugger]

Okay I found the shaky gauge answer. A diode needs to be connected to the signal lead if you have points of pertonox type ignition. So the signal wire that goes from the coil to the back of the tach needs this diode. The diode is #1n4005 from radio shack or other supplier it needs to go with the silver band towards the tach in the wire. Hopefully that works, I will try it tommorrow and let you know.

[Bugger]

The diode worked wonders, it smoothed it out, and now the tach says I actually do redline close to 4000 rpm which is good.

[freekazoid]

I'll probably have to pick up one of those myself, thanks.

[freekazoid]

PM'd ya Bugger about what model vdo fuel gauge your using.

[65Cabby]

I've used one of these multi digital guages in the past, they have the advantage of memory so you can always see what was your highest temp.
http://www.spa-uk.co.uk/productpics/DG201.jpg
They come in black too.