Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

Started installing the gauges this afternoon. The aluminum adapter for the oil feed on the turbo had the threads pull off of the fitting when I was tightening it back up, so I'll have to find something else to use.

The aircraft spruce EGT probe came in the mail yesterday, so I hooked it up to check out how fast it reacts. This thing is fast!!!!! Made a crappy video of it to show the difference from the other one I tried. I hope to install it this weekend.



It showed 53 degrees before putting it in front of the torch and the weather channel showed it was 42 degrees here.



I did hook up the boost gauge the other day and was surprised to see as much as 10psi with the pedal to the floor just before the ip starts cutting fuel. Normal cruising on the highway shows 1 to 3 psi on somewhat level ground at about 70mph with just enough throttle to maintain speed. It climbs to around 5 psi when going up a hill, also on the interstate as above.

I also swapped the injectors from the old 1.6 engine, because they had fairly new nozzles in them and I had pop tested them recently and set the pressures evenly to I think 2000 psi. Power is down a little with these injectors, but the engine seems smoother.

Did it get rid of the skip you were encountering?

The injectors took care of the majority of the skip/misfire that I was having. It is just from a cold start for about a minute. It doesn't do it at idle, but just when revved up some.


I went to my shop this afternoon and found a spare oil feed line from one of the mercedes and cut the end off, and welded on a pipe fitting. Also went to the parts store and got a piece of brake line and a couple of fittings to adapt that to npt. Will bend up the brake line in the morning and install a couple of more gauges. Hoping to have time to drill and tap for the EGT.

I did manage to get the sending units installed for the oil pressure and oil temp this afternoon.

Sometimes the skip during cold start is caused by slightly retarded timing.
I've noticed this skip smoothing out using the cold start lever.

Fatmobile wrote:Sometimes the skip during cold start is caused by slightly retarded timing.
I've noticed this skip smoothing out using the cold start lever.

Does retarded timing equal higher or lower EGT readings?

I haven't been able to test it with the cold start lever because I broke the cable pulling the old motor, and the new one is not here yet. But most of the gauges are in now, so I can start tuning.

I managed to get a lot done on the car today. Started by going ahead and pulling the exhaust manifold and tapping it for the EGT probe.





Installed the manifold, and finished the repair of the oil feel line. Now we have a working EGT gauge.



And wired up the oil pressure, oil temperature, and boost gauges.


Still need to do the voltage and the coolant temperature gauges, move the fuel gauge to the second pod, and tidy up the wiring.

Oh, and I bought this exhaust tip, but didn't have time to put it on yet.

Ansa Silverline TKR4022S Exhaust Tip, Stainless Steel, with Logo, 22-inch, Angle Cut, Resonated, 2.5-inch Inlet, 4-inch Outlet


I also have new springs for the rear, and just ordered the helper springs to go inside them that I have seen mentioned on the forums. Got them from JC Whitney. Superior Industries ride control helper springs, 750-lb. Cap, Mfr. #:14-0490, SKU #:1JA 856343.
Couldn't find the part numbers in the other threads I found, but they did mention that they were the light duty ones. Thought I would post the part number to help out the next guy.

I'm also thinking about ordering new motor mounts. These things must be original, or at least very old. The front one is for sure collapsed and has not been updated to the spaceship looking mount. It is a very similar style to the rear mount....it has the cross bolt.

I always go for the turndown tip, looks like a little black ghost is following me around, keeps it on the ground.

Ya know> taps will usually fit in a 12point socket.

Was there something wrong with the factory water temp gauge?
Extra fuel gauge is for vegy?

The turn down tip would make it harder to put smoke marks on the front of the car that just pulled up too close behind you at the traffic light.

They even make 8 point sockets that fit even better, but I left them at the shop. Cast iron machines pretty easily, and this was a driveway project with limited tools. I never go anywhere without that little wrench, or a small pair of vise grips, small reversible screw driver, 10mm wrench, knife, and led flash light......in my pocket at all times. Saves a lot of walking back and forth to the service truck during the work day when little things need fixed.

I don't like how the factory gauge goes to max whenever the coolant is just a little low and the red light goes to flashing. That would be the time that I really want to know what is going on. It usually happens during Friday afternoon rush hour coming out of Atlanta, when I would really prefer not to pull off the side of the road. Happened twice last summer.

I have been seriously thinking about using the temp gauge for fuel temp just before the ip, or getting one more gauge so I could monitor both fuel and coolant temps.

I've threaded a stock 10M1 temp sensor in a banjo bolt.

Fatmobile wrote:I've threaded a stock 10M1 temp sensor in a banjo bolt.

Do you have a picture of how you did this?

I can't seem to visualize it. Could be that I've worked over 24 of the past 48 hours and it will come to me after some sleep.

Just drilled a hole in the center of the top of the bolt.
tapped it with a normal tap, then used one with the teeth ground off hale way up,.. didn't want to drill/tap down to the holes and make it weak.
I might be able to find an old pic.

Fatmobile wrote:Just drilled a hole in the center of the top of the bolt.
tapped it with a normal tap, then used one with the teeth ground off hale way up,.. didn't want to drill/tap down to the holes and make it weak.
I might be able to find an old pic.

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense. I have a mental picture now.

Have you found any inexpensive temperature gauges that work with the stock sending units?

It started smoking on the way home yesterday. Mostly at low rpm when warmed up.....never at much above idle or when the engine iscold. For example today on the way home it was making a big cloud of smoke when going 50mph in 5th gear, but none that I could see when I shifted to fourth. Fluid levels all look good. I'm thinking I lost a seal in the turbo due to the temporary oil feed I made that didn't have a restriction in it. Meant to make one this week, but work was too busy.

Also, the window regulator on the drivers door jammed up yesterday. At least the window is almost all the way up.

My cold start cable is broken and the replacement is not here yet, but I did move the cold start lever on the pump and the miss during a cold start is gone although power taking off is a little lower.

Projects planned for this weekend:

- install all new motor mounts
- check and adjust injection pump pressure
- advance the timing a little
- buy and install new window regulator if my friend with the worldpac account is at his shop tomorrow.
- buy new head gasket from worldpac
- install new rear springs and helper springs
- make and install oil restriction for turbo
- maybe install a different turbo
- install oil catch can
- install exhaust tip

79 300sd wrote:

Fatmobile wrote:Just drilled a hole in the center of the top of the bolt.
tapped it with a normal tap, then used one with the teeth ground off hale way up,.. didn't want to drill/tap down to the holes and make it weak.
I might be able to find an old pic.

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense. I have a mental picture now.

Have you found any inexpensive temperature gauges that work with the stock sending units?

This was done in a Rabbit,
and since the senders were the same, they shared the gauge.