Evening all , sorry for this again , but now I am getting onto the stages of planning my dash / control panel . It's either going to be made from steel or I'll make a fibreglass mould and make it .

My problem is I have read toooo much and confused myself more than I did any good . I intend to re use the Vw Speedo with unbuilt fuel gauge ,  but this is where it gets "fun"

1) I am having a custom fuel tank made and no doubt a new fuel sender , after reading the problems regarding calibrating a non VW fuel sender to genuine Fuel gauge , is it worth binning off the connection to the original gauge and just fitting a stand alone fuel gauge designed to work with the new sender ?

2) oil pressure .... I am just guessing but I take it it is a simple on / off function , ie no ability to actually have a measure / gauged dial .... I've googled and seen all sorts of setups but I assume if it is a gauged type set up , then it needs a pressure line / feed to engine casing , not just electrical . I have read in the god book the sensor triggers at between 2 and 6 psi , so I guess it has the ability to read pressures not just activate at X psi .

3) Oil temp , again , the beetle I stripped did not have an oil temp gauge , just a fault / warning light . Is it "easy" to fit an actual gauge , variable so I can see the temps , not just be warned of a problem .

4) how hard is it to get hold of a part wiring loom for the steering column . Ie the plastic plug that connects to the steering wheel boss , as stupidly I scrapped it when I scrapped the beetle , and  now could do with about a foot plus of the wiring look ... typical and short sighted of me but now don't want to buy a complete loom to throw away 90% of it !

Sorry for the list but I am trying to not end up with multiple threads . Thanks in advance . Sam

And also .... Do beetles even have rev counters as a standard , ie from factory ?

Cheers

Fuel gauge wise a type 3 variant speedo is just a speedo then you can fit everything else after market.
Oil pressure and temp easiest to fit a T piece in the oil light switch position for the senders is easiest or fit a t3 cooler instead of the beetle one as that has a switch hole in then you have 2 x 10mm switch holes.

Or fit a digital dash that will have it all on.

Wiring plugs are hard to find and guess you have the wiper switch on the beetle column so you need the 2 plugs.

If you decide on gauges as opposed to just the warning lights oil pressure is easy, fit a T piece and put the sender next to the pressure light switch.

Temperature there are a couple of choices, I started by drilling and tapping the sump plug and fitting the sender there, but it looked too vulnerable so went for a dipstick sender. I had to cut it down to fit and resolder the wires.

To be honest they mostly just give you something else to worry about added to all the extra odd noises you hear in a buggy that you wouldn't be able to hear in a beetle

Cheers Snoop and Doon .   , I won't be using the wipers as I won't be having a screen , so that part for he stalk assembly will be redundant and will be stripping the arm off . Worst case I can just cut back the plug and extend the cables and make my own harness .

I did consider an electrical Speedo and using a digital conversion kit that fits onto the end of the Speedo cable and is then wired to the dash . Which would also save me having a custom Speedo cable made up as I will need one approx 2 foot longer than factory . I don't mind using the original Speedo and just not having the fuel gauge functional , it's a minor detail and not something that would overly bother me as I could just removed the fuel gauge and put a blanking plate in its place .

So if I fit a Tee and then put temp and pressure sensors in b , are these electrical from sensor to dash display , this is the bit I am struggling with , ie , will it give me functioning dial / increments opposed to on off functions . Sorry for the dumb questions but I am completely lost with electricals .

Hi Sam


I have fitted  number of these gadgets now.

They basically connect any fuel sender to any gauge. Great bit of kit.

https://spiyda.com/gauge-electronics/the-gauge-wizard.html

Thanks
Chad

So if I fit a Tee and then put temp and pressure sensors in b , are these electrical from sensor to dash display , this is the bit I am struggling with , ie , will it give me functioning dial / increments opposed to on off functions . Sorry for the dumb questions but I am completely lost with electricals .

The pressure light is on/off, if it comes on when you're driving worry
Temp guage of a T would be useless as there would be no flow over it, the sensor needs to be in the oil.
Pressure sensor (and temp sensors) for gauges are simply variable resistance and should ideally be the correct ones for the gauges, but in reality of your gauge registers a certain.number what really matters is of it changes drastically

You can get mechanical pressure gauges with a çopper tube sensor to gauge. I've only used them on front engine cars as the pipe is out of harm's way with a nice coil to absorb engine movement under the bonnet. On a rear engine it should work ok but I'd rather not have a long pipe full of hot pressurised oil running all that way

That makes sense , I just need info like this in lamen terms as it's all new and I get myself confused to easily .

I did see the mechanical type but was trying to avoid extra pipe runs back and forth .

I was just trying to work out how pressure / temp sensors would communicate a variance of either temp or pressure and not just an on / off function .

I have been using the CBS catalogue to try and get an understanding and see that they do the relevant sensors , albeit in different threads ,  it just trying to figure out how they would function , ie actually fit with the engine area .

I'm not overly concerned with babe ing a pressure / temp gauge but just would be nice to problems before they become big problems .


The dash I am building gives me plenty of space for it , I am just trying to think ahead so I don't end up regretting not doing it later .

VDO gauges Oil pressure, fuel and speedometer electronically calibrated. And lights for ignition, oil, main beam and indicators.

Hi Sam


I have fitted  number of these gadgets now.

They basically connect any fuel sender to any gauge. Great bit of kit.

https://spiyda.com/gauge-electronics/the-gauge-wizard.html


I have fitted several of these also. The Mk11 version is really simple in principle. Instructions are lengthy and may at first read appear off putting. Take a look at my build thread Birth of a buggy and you will find photos and step by step instructions of how to set fuel levels and how to match gauge... Important... will not work with digital device.... Remarkably accurate even with original VW fuel gauge which is truly archaic now...

Cheers for that Chad , I've got that book marked now for when I need to buy all the parts on second fix . Your a star 👍🏻

Hi Sam


I have fitted  number of these gadgets now.

They basically connect any fuel sender to any gauge. Great bit of kit.

https://spiyda.com/gauge-electronics/the-gauge-wizard.html

Thanks
Chad

Hi Paul , thanks for the advice , I was currently debating on either digital or gauges / analogue , and you've just helped me make my mind up nicely .

Hi Sam


I have fitted  number of these gadgets now.

They basically connect any fuel sender to any gauge. Great bit of kit.

https://spiyda.com/gauge-electronics/the-gauge-wizard.html


I have fitted several of these also. The Mk11 version is really simple in principle. Instructions are lengthy and may at first read appear off putting. Take a look at my build thread Birth of a buggy and you will find photos and step by step instructions of how to set fuel levels and how to match gauge... Important... will not work with digital device.... Remarkably accurate even with original VW fuel gauge which is truly archaic now...

Right , so I've spent the last few hours decoding the wiring colours on the steering column . I've been using thjs diagram ....



And with the use of a voltmeter / tester  I've got as far as

Black with white stripe = indicator left
Black with green stripe = indicator right
Black with white & green = indic return

Brown with white stripe = headlight dip
Brown with blue stripe   = headlight dip

Black.                         =windscreen wiper
Green                         =windscreen wiper
Black with yellow stripe = windscreen wiper
Black with white stripe  = windscreen wiper 

I have still to work out the next exacts of which wires so what on the wiper motor , ie speeds

But what is puzzling me is the filling colours

Grey                           =
Grey with black stripe.  =
Grey with brown stripe =

Also , please forgive my ignorance , but is the headlight switch the type that switches main beam on and off by contact , opposed to a solid click forward and backwards ? And switch's on at dash ?

As for the wipers , are they switched on at the dash , then 3 speed control via the stalk ?

It is a 72 stalk , looking at the drawing , it shows a


Also , when you guys say VDO gauges , what does the VDO mean , sorry dumb question .

VDO is a long term manufacturer of gauges....

Wiring... infill colours.... My best advice arrived over decades of wiring and in particular old VW...... Don`t take anything for granted wiring main colours or infill colours. So many change of colouring throughout history. So much on the web that at times is just incorrect... Aftermarket indicator switches etc simply totally different colour wires differing from supplier to supplier....... Keep it simple and have a multimeter at hand... Stick to one circuit at a time. It does all become apparent and above all keep notes drawings of what you find and what any changes you make.  On an original loom VW took main power from battery/starter motor connection directly to the headlight switch and then feed on from there. Again using indicator switch as an example and using a multimeter on continuity work out which wire is the ground and then what each wire does... ie Indicator relay 12v in. Left and right indicator 12 v out to nearside and offside out. Headlight flasher and so on. Don`t make an assumption persevere and double check. Be really careful with aftermarket indicator switches and shorting any of the contacts or a fair bit of money goes up in smoke literally... A few words here but plenty of advice available here on forum....

Check DIN wiring terminal codes these designate the function
https://www.arc-components.com/blog/din-72552-standardisation-definition-guide.html