VDO gauges wiring help needed

Hi all

Hope everyone is well and staying safe.

What with all the free time I suddenly find myself with, I'm trying to fix some of the niggly issues my mk1 cab has!

First up, it's got a nice set of proper VDO gauges… but sadly the oil temp and pressure gauges dont work.



I whipped the lot out and found in the rats nest of wires that both wires that would go to the relevant senders went nowhere, so that explains that.

Figured I may as well start from scratch and make the loom up properly, soldered and wrapped in proper cloth loom tape rather than the twisted together bare wire abomination that the previous owner kindly left me. But that leaves me with a few questions if anyone can help…

Best live feed for them - assume ignition switch live, correct?

Where do the oil pressure and oil temp gauges get their feeds from? Some kind of sender? My MK1 is a none GTI so doesnt have an MFA therefore I'm stumped as to where they will go as my assumption is no MFA means no factory senders, right?

And finally since I'm doing the work I may as well renew the bulbs, anyone know what kind to do for? My old eyes cant make put the markings on the existing bulbs but they look like this:



Thanks all!

These perhaps:
https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/N0177512-capless-bulb-12v-1-2w-dashboard-switches.html

I would go LED personally.

By the way, when I can't read something small, I take a pic with my phone and zoom in on the pic.

The oil pressure sender/low pressure sender for the Gauge is a "Can" that screws on to the passenger side of the head where the low pressure switch is.



The oil temp sender is on the oil filter flange and is Black single pinned.



The Oil pressure switch is usually about 65 USD for a good one.  Don't go cheap they don't work.

 

Many thanks for your help both!

Vaguely on topic…

I am also thinking of adding gauges. I was going to get a used set with loom.

Can I just get a new set (cheaper) and build the loom myself?

Sure you can build your own loom…..
Just be sure that you use solder and heat shrink on the connections to make it, that is Crimp connectors are fine, but solder and heat shrink them are for-ever with no niggly bad crimps.

Guess so, rather than using the plugs on the back of the gauges insulated spade connectors would serve the same purpose?

Not sure about the light loom though, the bulb holders look pretty specific bit I'm sure you could get around using generic bulb holders as long as they sat in the spaces and stayed in situ?

Anyone know how much my set is worth out of interest, Including the consol and both looms ready to drop in? Without senders assuming my car doesnt have any, the sleet is preventing me from looking right now!!!

Does this mean I dont have either sender I need?

Ta

I've been looking on eBay and they go from £60-£150. I guess £90 is average. None as nice as yours.

Consoles go for £50-£75

This is the asking price. No idea if anyone gets a buyer.

Why, are you selling?

Richarddarrenb said

Does this mean I dont have either sender I need?

Ta

You have the low oil pressure when over 2k rpm, that is the white one on the oil filter flange, the hex bung cover in the middle can be removed and the oil temp sender would go there.

The side of the head has the low oil pressure switch only, not the low pressure switch/oil pressure sender can.  So yes, you are missing both senders.

I was toying with the idea TBH, if I have to fork out for senders and stuff depending on how much all that ends up being I might part with them as I'm not that precious about them and the money could be put to better use. Will look into senders cost and see.

Thank you Briano, I'll have a look at sourcing the 2 I need then.

Best place to buy in your opinion?

Oil pressure/oil gauge sender can @ 65 USD.  Oil Temp sender about no more than 10USD.

Any good? Notice they do an 80 and 150psi version, would I go 80?

Thanks!

Also this the right oil temp? I assume I'd need a wiring plug for the top?

80 would suffice, but the ones that I use for the oil temp are black banded.

Hi to the OP.

If you want I can scan the VDO fitting instructions for the Voltmeter and Oil Pressure gauges - I have the original documents. PM your email address and I can send if you like.

I also have the VDO Oil Temp gauge but not the instructions. I'm going to fit a temp sensor to the Oil Sump - replaces the sump plug - as I have an MFA - but tired of looking at a VDO clock that shows zero all the time - previous owner never bothered to wire up correctly and it's been like this now for 20+ years  

   

Hi

Thanks for the reply but I managed to get these wired in correctly and working fine 🙂

Sourced both senders from heritage vw via ebay.

I'm sure someone would make use of the wiring diagrams though, maybe see if a moderator cant save them somewhere as a sticky?