CGT oil pressure sender stuff

[Ken]

Hi List!

Hmm.  I'm less optimistic that the VDO oil pressure sender is a direct replacement for the stock one.  However, it does look like it can be used if one is willing to alter/lower the warning light threshold.  Or, there maybe a way to retain most of the functionality, while actually raising the low pressure warning threshold.

Okay, so the stock oil pressure gauge sender 035 919 561A has a range of 1-5 bar.  That corresponds to the VDO 360-006 gauges range of 80psi.

However, the warning light threshold for the stock sender is at 1.8 bar.  Since this is below the upper range shown by the gauge, I assume this means that if the pressure is below that, it will trigger the warning light (if the rpms are above 2k?).

The warning light threshold for the VDO sender is listed as 7 psi, or 0.482633 bar.  Which means the warning light won't come on unless the pressure goes below about 0.5 bar(?).

I'm wondering if I swap things around somehow, using a different combination of the pressure "switches", along with the VDO gauge sender, can I retain the same warning functions as the stock configuration does, or close?

For example, replace the 0.3 bar switch with a 1.8 bar switch, put the wire from the warning switch portion of the gauge sender onto that switch, and then put the wire that normally goes from the 0.3 bar switch to the warning switch portion of the VDO sender.  The idea being that I would still have a 1.8 bar 2k+ rpm warning, and I would raise the other warning threshold from 0.3 bar to about 0.5 bar.  This would be erring on the side of safety, as the low oil pressure warning (the one that isn't rpm-reference) would actually be more conservative with a higher threshold.

One question I'd have to answer is if at idle, the oil pressure is always above 0.5 bar, which I'm sure it is.  Another question is if this would even work.

Also, does my '86 Coupe GT have "three" sensors, or just "two"?  Including the gauge sender, that is.  Is it the gauge sender/warning light, plus "two" more?  If so, where's the one that's not right below the gauge one?

Please feel free to comment or correct me.

Of course, the irony is that my warning light problem might not even be the gauge sender.  But I'm still curious about this as it would be nice to find a cheaper alternative than the over-priced stock sender.

Later,

Ken

Misc. info:

The Parts Connection's webpages lists the following senders and switchs for an '86 Coupe GT:

056 919 081C
   OIL PRESSURE SWITCH-0.3 BAR-LIGHT BROWN
      81-87     COUPE
      82-83     QUATTRO - Thru Vin: 85-D-900050

056 919 081E
   OIL PRESSURE SWITCH-1.8 BAR-WHITE
      81-87     COUPE
      83-87     QUATTRO - From Vin: 85-D-900051

035 919 561A
   OIL PRESSURE GAUGE SENDER-2 Pin-0-5/1.8Bar
      82-87     COUPE

Some links, which may not have accurate or applicable information:

http://www.audifans.com/archives/1995/02/msg00084.html
http://members.aol.com/bmwbavaria/tech.htm
http://igdc.com/ejfluhr/audi/Tech/OilLightDiagnosis.html