Gauges?

[Gazz]

My car is getting close to completion and we fired it up for the first time since Don was here. The so called oil pressure light really doesn't tell me much so I want to install gauges in the centre of the dash where the speaker grill is. When Bella restored my woodwork I had him make a matching panel just for this purpose. I have decided on a set of chrome rimmed VDO oil pressure, water temp' and volts.

Question - where in a 1989 735i euro M30B35 block do you plug in the oil line from the gauge?

Thanks, Gary.

 

[sfdon]

We usually replace with the dual unit

 

[Gazz]

Thanks mate. I'm sending you a PM.

 

[Drew20]

Hi, when I've seen this on an M30, a dual contact sender unit is put in the stock pressure sender location, rear left corner of cylinder head, as Don says.
I did this mod on an E24 and needed a thread adaptor as the sender (Audi unit) had a different thread. Think there's a bit more room on the E24 engine to do this, but I remember it being tight.
Could you pls post up some pictures / more details of the gauge unit you've had made? I was trial fitting a set of gauges just yesterday, and will fit in the same location

One option here:

VW Gauge Installation

 

[Henrik]

Are the dual units custom made or are they available from VDO or similar?

 

[Drew20]

A while back you could pick them up easily in breakers, any 5 cylinder Audi tended to have gauges and senders. You can buy new from eBay, imagine a VAG dealer and most spares places would stock them also.
I'm not 100% sure on interchangeability, but the link I shared above seems to indicate any VDO 0-5 bar sender will work with any 0-5 bar gauge

 

[Henrik]

Thank´s Drew!
BTW it seems like VDO only make gauges in Psi and Fahrenheit? Only solution for Bar and Celsius seems to be buying used ones.

 

[Markos]

Thank´s Drew!
BTW it seems like VDO only make gauges in Psi and Fahrenheit? Only solution for Bar and Celsius seems to be buying used ones.

I noticed that also. Opel had some nice gauges if you want to find some with nice chrome.

I had my gauges made in Bar and Celsius. I also added icons (uploaded to vendor) for the gauges instead of text. I wanted everything to match my German cockpit, so I used VDO style icons instead of German text. I also had the air fuel gauge set to lambda instead of a gasoline stoic.

The gauges are nice but VDO faces are still much nicer. At driving distances, the gauges look normal but at 6” away you can see that they are digitally printed.
www.speedhut.com. They had a sale that ended today. Expect another sale around early July or end of September.

Radio just for staging. Low priority but the radio will be euro frequency.

 

[deQuincey]

Thank´s Drew!
BTW it seems like VDO only make gauges in Psi and Fahrenheit? Only solution for Bar and Celsius seems to be buying used ones.

i really doubt this is true,
i did this gauges issue and first time used the vdo, available in bar and celsius
then i thought the vdo looked incorrect for the purpose, they even had diode light
so i bought most perfect motometer, full availability made in germany

see here

new integrated console for gauges and radio

well, after doing this in the central console area: i realized that two different base plates one for gauges, and other for the radio, using different materials, ...makes no sense so i am now designing and making an integrated piece: it has a slight bump in the middle, a sort of...

www.e9coupe.com

 

[Drew20]

Thank´s Drew!
BTW it seems like VDO only make gauges in Psi and Fahrenheit? Only solution for Bar and Celsius seems to be buying used ones.

I think this is a market specific thing. In Europe VDO do bar and Celsius, but in the US perhaps they only do psi and F. Certainly all the VDO gauges I have seen the UK are "metric"

 

[Henrik]

To find a white needle in a period correct gauge (chrome bezel) is a challenge. I don´t have the nerve to remove the bezel and glas to paint the needle.
Regarding the oil switch sender, has anyone tried to delete the "idiot light" sender and used the WK plug on the sender as a source for the "idiot light"? This set up will also delete the adapter. The only thing needed will be a threaded bushing straight into the head.

 

[Markos]

To find a white needle in a period correct gauge (chrome bezel) is a challenge. I don´t have the nerve to remove the bezel and glas to paint the needle.

I suppose we both should have clarified. I was specifically looking for a white needle and a silver cone, and they are very hard to find. I don’t like the centers on my speedhut gauges but all other criteria are met. If you want an AFR gaige, nothing will match exactly unless custom.

The opel gauges have an orange needle but are otherwise a great fit for the e9. The best that I found. You can remove the bezel the same way we remove the bezel on the BMW gauges.

I also wanted my gauge needles centered. You have to look at mercedes and VW if you want those features, but the font is a little dated.

Opel:

These Opel gauges are rear mount like the BMW cluster. So a little less chrome in your face.

Mercedes 190SL:

 

[Honolulu]

+1 on breaker yard sourcing for gages although I suspect this option is decreasingly available. I tore into a VW (audi?) for a set when I had my 2002tii and they worked, fit and looked just fine. One thing that may catch you out is finding out how low your hot oil pressure is, versus how high your cold oil pressure is.

 

[matthewp]

Hi Gazz, I too used a VDO oil pressure gauge.I had the needle painted white and used the dual unit adaptor.works well.
cheers Matthew

 

[Gazz]

What is the range for oil pressure, water temp', oil temp' and volts? For water temp I would think 120C is high enough and the same for oil. If temps are in this range then it's time to pull over or stop doing donuts. Oil pressure - as long as there is pressure I suppose? Volts - well electricity is a mystery to me anyway, so whatever.

 

[Stevehose]

VDO Series 1 is a good match for our VDO's in car.

 

[Gazz]

VDO series 1 ordered and on the way. Thanks Steve.

 

[Arde]

Analog gauges are beautiful. I have never seen the Air Fuel Ratio gauge option that Markos shows (Lambda gauge) and for a carb'ed car it is probably the most useful one.
A body roll gauge would be awesome and have an airplane feel to it.
Electrical, I suspect current is more relevant than voltage to anticipate issues. Coolant temp, well there should be one at the bottom of the radiator and another at the thermostat I guess.

 

[Markos]

Analog gauges are beautiful. I have never seen the Air Fuel Ratio gauge option that Markos shows (Lambda gauge) and for a carb'ed car it is probably the most useful one.

You forgot the body oxidation gauge. Most critical!

Lambda vs AFR (not really “versus”, just explained):

 

[Arde]

Well I had the rust gauge, but the sender rusted away.

Another great analog gauge would be a countdown gauge displaying seconds remaining before a traffic light change.

You forgot the body oxidation gauge. Most critical!