MPG Gauge/Change-up Indicator...again

Hi

Sorry to bring all this up again but I've just spent ages reading through all
the old posts about the MPG gauge and change-up indicator in an attempt
to get mine working again, as this has now become my lifetime's ambition.

I have purchased a new reverse light switch from GSF and the mini-loom which makes the whole thing work (cheers Crazyquiff). I know from
Lhasa's post that a couple of the pins need to be relocated on the block connector for the GSF switch to worksucessfully on a Mk1.

That's where I'm at now but from the old posts I have worked out that there should be some vacuum pipe coming from the back of the clocks (looks like the pipe missing on mine) and connecting to somewhere in the engine bay, but I do not know where.

Is it the inlet manifold, just below where the vacuum pipe from the distributor connects?

If so, should the pipe bass through a small grommet about 6-8 inches to the right (if you were stood at the front of the car) of where the clutch cable goes through the bulkhead?

Also, in the old posts there is mention of a relay (no.4) that is sometimes purposely removed to stop the change up indicator working, I need someone to tell me which relay is no.4 when I look at the fusebox/relays to see if it is there, as I am stupid    . The old posts contain links to other posts which may contain this info but they are links to the old campain register site so they don't work, is it possible that these could be brought back from the dead?

Is there anything else that I have missed that would prevent the gauge and change-up indicator from working?

Thanks, toad

Toad, you're a brave man  

I've managed to get most of my MFA functions working (when previously none did), so maybe some of the following will be helpful.

Gearchange indicator - I'm not sure which relay operates the indicator, but what I found was that on the back of the dashboard a two pin plug had been pulled out if its socket, just underneath the snail-shell shaped econometer vacuum chamber (black plastic thing with concentric and radial ribs). I had to undo the screws holding the vacuum chamber on in order to reinsert the plug, but once I had - bingo - the light lighted.

The vacuum pipe attaches to this this snail shaped thing to operate the econometer needle.

vacuum pipe - it is taken off from the intake manifold, from the same location as the central  takeoff for the distributor (?). if you look at this picture in the gallery section;

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=2&cat=0&pos=12

You'll see a curved white pipe (very thin) that leaves the manifold at right angles to the central takeoff and curves up (in the picture) goes over the air intake and through the engine bay bulkhead just under the heater cover.

This is where mine had melted through as a result of a leaking exhaust (bless it). :roll:

I reconnected mine using black rubber tubing to bridge the break in the line, and to connect it to the back of the dash. I don't think the type of tubing you use for reconnecting it is critical - provided it's airtight. I didin't get the impression that the vacuum was strong enough to collapse rubber tubing.

Of course if you've got a colour co-ordinated engine bay/battery cover/air intake/sparkplugs/underpants thing going on then this may be a golden opportunity to spend months browsing through catalogues, websites and shops for that rubber tube in exactly the right shade of puce  :wink:

Thanks mate, much appreciated.

Gearchange indicator - I now know the location of the relay on the board so I have acheived something.

Is it possible to check if the 2 pin plug for the gearchange indicator is there without taking the dash or clocks out? I was hoping to get at it by removing the lower dash panel and the heater tube.

Vacuum pipe - this is where I'm struggling mainly, the only vac pipe on my engine goes from the dizzy vac unit and connects to the inlet manifold at the rear (near the idle adjustment screw).
  
Is that the 'Central Takeoff'? you're referring to?

There doesn't appear to be anymore pipes, any other possible vacuum outlets are blanked off. From what your suggesting and from what I can work out from the picture, the pipe for the econometer goes from somewhere near the front of the inlet manifold and straight
through the bulkhead underneath the coil, would I be right?

Cheers so far

i think this is the route the vaccuum pipes take



pic of Walts motor  

Awesome, that?s what I needed (nice clean engine bay that), I thank thee muchly

Looks like the pipe does go straight from that white thing ( is that the ?central takeoff? then?)  straight to the back of the clocks then, it?s definitely missing on mine.

Need to find somewhere that sells vac pipe now then!

Yep, that's the place and the route.

I wouldn't sweat trying to find "vacuum pipe". You could use clear tubing (as used for windscreen washer) or black rubber tubing (as used for most fuel related things).

You should be able to connect the tubing to the back of the clocks with the dash left in, provided your tubing is not too tight a fit.

As far as reconnecting the electrical plug in the back, I'm afraid you absolutely have to take the dash out. It's not that difficult really, you just have to be patient when extracting it from behind the steering wheel.

The reason you have to take it out is that the plug is held in place by the vacuum chamber - so you can't push it back in without undoing the screws that hold the chamber on. Of course - you may find that once you've reconnected the vacuum pipe it all works fine  

Bonne chance


AliCabrio

Excellent, but I'm going to have to correct myself here, I hadn't looked on the car yeasterday

I actually do have a vac pipe connected to that white thing, but it goes down to the pressure control regulator down near the dipstick tube!?

So now I need to know where that pipe should really start from ,as it can't be the white valve thing  :dontknow:

doh!  
 i looked at my setup earlier and found my vacuum pipes are wrong!
my ones go from the dash board to the back of the throttle body and the other goes from the front of the manifold to the dizzy!
maybe thats why my cars been reving too high when it starts up? :dontknow:

if youve got a vacuum coming off the WUR (pressure regulator) like this:


then i guess it would go like this:


there are two vacuum attachments on the pipe infront of the manifold      (the yellow central takeoff thingy), one is usually blocked up with a little cap or a screw.
do you have a pipe coming off the dizzy?

Steve

Hmmm - curiouser and curiouser

My vacuum pipe (for MFA econometer) is taken from the side of the white junction as Moreno's picture shows, only the pipe ran straight over the top of the manifold to the hole in the bulkhead and then to the dash.

Not sure about the other pipes.

I am very sure that the haynes manual is no help at all when it comes to MFA pipes - they didn't go near it but said "refer to dealer". Which ain't much help.

Ali

Had another look on the car

my pipe from the dizzy goes to one of the connectors on the throttle body,
the other, as you say is blanked off.

My 'white thing' on closer inspection is actually broken, the little pipe outlet nearest to the front of the car has snapped off and has been capped off with some silicone sealer or something similar, the one about a inch further back goes to the regulator.

The car does run ok though

New 'white thing' (what's the proper name, vac valve?) needed then, anyone?

well a partial success, I got a relay and vacuum valve and have just fitted them.

The needle is now working correctly when in fifth  

but the change-up light still doesn't work, nevermind. I just can't get my thinking cap on at the moment due to a killer hangover thanks to the kaiser cheifs last night.

My change up light never worked. I changed the relay with no joy. Then when I was going through bits to sell at Gaydon (the White Caddy with Ifor Williams top was me) I found a spare wotsit switch. This wotsit switch sits in the vacuum pipe next to the dizzy and is connected to two wires. Low and behold now have blinking yellow light that annoys me!

It has some sort of screw adjustment presumably to trigger at what engine load the light is triggered. Also presumably you can check all the electrics down stream of the this switch by jumpering the wires and going for a drive? If the change up light works you have a duff switch, if still no joy its may be the relay or the cluster it self?

that'll be it then, there's no switch in my pipe it's just a standard bit of vacuum pipe, I'll have to try and get one and give it another try

Cheers