[Vwdiesel] VDO temp senders (long rant)

[Roger Brown]

Shawn Wright wrote:
> I'm still battling with my assortment of VDO senders, trying to get something that 
> works as it should. I'm really quite pissed that I spent good money on VDO stuff 
> expecting that it should fit like OEM, but it doesn't!
> 
> I am trying to do the following:
> 
> -oil pressure gauge off head, using VDO dual sender with warning light contact (#360 
> 006D). It says that it is M10x1 threads, but they are tapered, even though there is a 
> sealing surface for a crush washer just like the OEM sender. But with the taper, I can 
> only get maybe 2/3 way in with moderate force.
> 
> -Then I want to use a VDO M10x1 brass T (#240-850) on the oil filter flange so I can 
> use stock high pressure switch along with a VDO 300F temp sender (#310-012). But 
> the temp sender is too long to fit in the T without bottoming out (even though it is sold 
> to work with this T fitting) , and this time the threads are straight M10x1, so it must 
> bottom out to seal. But when this happens, it will interferes with the other sender on 
> the T (the OEM one) which must also bottom out to seal! So I can space each 
> sender out with 3-4 copper washers, and hope it doesn't leak. And the make matters 
> worse, the male T threads are yet again tapered, so they won't fit nice and flush as 
> they should on the filter flange or head. 
> 
> Does VDO make a 250F oil temp gauge? If so, I could just use the stock 250F/125C 
> coolant temp sender that fits nicely. I don't like the idea of fudging oil senders that 
> could later leak, and certainly didn't expect this kind of junk from VDO - I thought they 
> were supposed to be good.
> 
> Sorry for the rant, but if I wanted fudged together gauge senders, I would have just 
> bought them from the local Chevy shop and saved a pile of money and headache! 
> So don't assume if you order all the "right" stuff from VDO, that it will fit...

I had no problem with either the dual output pressure sender or the oil temp sender on my 1.9D engine (both VDO senders from 
egauges.com).  They both screwed in and sealed right up.

I suppose you could hit the tapered threads with an M10x1.0 tap and see if you can make them seat farther.

-- 
    Roger