Product review: Aircraft Spruce EGT Thermocouple

[speedy]

I am ready to buy an EGT gauge.  I like the sound of the 10-01478 thermocouple from Aircraft Spruce but I need to find a way to wire it to a VDO cockpit gauge in the front of my van, which is ~15ft away.

Aircraft Spruce does sell a 15ft extension cable (10-01481) but the nice lady told me that it specifically says that it will NOT work with the VDO cockpit gauge!  Wonder why?

Jake, what kind of cable did you use to connect the thermocouple to your VDO gauge?

Thanks,

-Dave

[Hillshy]

Do you know if it's a UK only item and can it be bought on their american website? Do you have a part number?

firstly sorry for the late reply, really late! but better late then never i hope :lol:

i cant find the bill or the orginal bag, so i cant supply you with a part no?

http://www.airworlduk.com
he is somehow linked to airspruce,so i should think the extention cables are available via airspruce.


this is what i plan to use,before i add the extention, i'm going to get the gauge up and running, with the standard length- take some measurements. Add the extention and see how the gauge reacts.

ext cable
gauge
total length

Another thing to note, been reading old posts in relation to crimping v soldering, crimping seems to be the best way forward for a whole host of reasons.

[speedy]

i am a bit rookie...
can someone please give the the part numbers or links to what i need for a complete setup?
i dont like very much the gauges i saw on theyr site...can i buy other and link it to theyr probes?

thank you

Google the string "K Thermocouple" and you will find lots of information.  I already did this and from reading it is my current understanding that ANY K type gauge should work with ANY K-type thermocouple.   The only question in my mind is the wiring between the gauge and the thermocouple.

-Dave

[big specht]

So what is best gauge to get?? I know there is alot of options but what is everybodys experances???

[speedy]

I got my thermocouple installed - details and pictures at the bottom of this page:

http://motorheads.net/vw/turbobus/page3.html

Thanks Jake and fatmobile for your posts on this subject which saved me lots of time, money and anguish.

I do have one question though - the probe slides in and out of the fitting easily.  How am I supposed to keep the probe from falling out, and won't it leak exhaust gasses?  Or does it just get plugged up with carbon?  Should I fasten it to the manifold with a stainless ziptie?  Bend the tip inside the manifold?  Something else?

Thanks,

-Dave

[Vincent Waldon]

Hey Speedy.... totally enjoying reading about your bus retrofit btw.

My EGT probe slides in and out as well... doesn't seem right to me since it's under pressure but thats the way it came.  I would have expected something that crimps in place given the pipe fittings.... hmmmm.

I'm planning to seal it in with muffler cement and back the cement up with a stainless steel pipe clamp... (unfortunately) I'm post-turbo so I can just clamp around the downpipe.  You might be able to use heavy wire wrapped around the initial part of the fitting where it screws into the manifold.

I can tell you're the kinda guy who likes doing the job right from your pictures so this might be a bit hokey... perhaps someone else has a more robust idea.  If it starts to leak it will sure be a pain once the manifold is bolted back on !!


Vince

[speedy]

Thanks Vincent.  I'm still not sure what to do about it.  A SS ziptie sounded good at first but I don't want any part of the thermocouple except the tip contacting hot surfaces.  Once it's installed I will see if I can ziptie it to something else nearby that is not hot.

-Dave

[Jimmy Diesel Junior]

Hi all. I have the same probe setup and i'm also concerned that the probe seems very loose inside the fitting and it will surely leak gasses. I'm sure that there is a simple solution but i just can't think of one  :roll:  Anyone have any ideas???

[745 turbogreasel]

You can allways drill the NPT fitting for a setscrew.
thats how my AutoMeter probe is held in.
Don't overtighten.

[Vincent Waldon]

And seal the gap with muffler cement...

[stewardc]

Does anyone know of a nice digital readout that will work with this thermocouple?

[jimfoo]

I don't have that thermocouple, but mine came with a compression fitting, like the kind that crimps against a copper pipe. A nut with an inside taper, a metal ferrel that is thinner towards the ends, and the fitting which also has a taper inside.  As the nut tightens, it sort of crimps the ferrel around the thermocouple. I did have to tighten it fairly tight before it started grabbing. If yours are the same type, you may just need to crank down harder.

[Black Smokin' Diesel]

Does anyone know of a nice digital readout that will work with this thermocouple?

http://www.dakotadigital.com has a few digital gauges. Not sure about them being compatible so you might want to ask them.

[speedy]

I don't have that thermocouple, but mine came with a compression fitting, like the kind that crimps against a copper pipe. A nut with an inside taper, a metal ferrel that is thinner towards the ends, and the fitting which also has a taper inside.  As the nut tightens, it sort of crimps the ferrel around the thermocouple. I did have to tighten it fairly tight before it started grabbing. If yours are the same type, you may just need to crank down harder.

You are a genius!  I bet that is the way it is supposed to work, but... mine does not have the washer (ferrel).  There's a slight possibility I may have overlooked it in the plastic bag it came in, if that's the case I'm screwed because I tossed the plastic bag a few weeks ago.  I suppose I will call Aircraft Spruce again and see if they can verify that it is supposed to be a compression fitting.  Maybe I can find the washer at Elliots.

Thanks,

-Dave

[jtanguay]

hehe so much trouble from one simple part... when installing my suspension system i overlooked the box contents and had to rush around to find some nuts at canadian tire that i left at my house... finally found em! i'll get around to putting the right ones on sometime...  :lol: