Author Topic: Oil pressure guage (Read 4195 times)

Powjetta · « **on:** January 08, 2007, 11:22:10 am »

I got the kit from new south with three guages and finally got the last one the oil pressure installed saturday. I put a tee fitting in the oil filter housing to retain the original sensor and install the new sensor. I searched and found the M 10X M 10 tee but it is taper threads not a washer seal like the original sensor. Is there another location or has anyone else dealt with this? I don't need another leak point. BTW the oil pressure seems high at 65 - 70 psi at speed. Thanks

jtanguay · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2007, 07:42:21 pm »

if you're that concerned, just get some teflon tape and wrap it around the threads, it does wonders for sealing much better... i used that on my air conditioning lines and guess what... no leaks 7 months or so later!

i'll be doing the same thing on my car to install the oil gauge. i've read that 3/8" is the same as 10mm (only off by something like 0.002"??)

oh well if that tee doesn't fit from home depot i'll just return it anyways.

Powjetta · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2007, 12:05:48 pm »

I don't know much about the metric thread but the factory sensor I pulled out had a copper washer on it and it threaded like a bolt, down easy and tightened against the copper washer. The tee I got from german supply is VDO and says M10 but has a slight taper on the threads. I didn't want to crank it hard into the aluminum of the filter housing for fear of splitting that. I put some permatex HPF stuff on it and it leaked and I tightened it once.
Last night I pulled the tee off and put the new sensor from VDO in the hole after working on the thread with a file to eliminate the taper. I didn't read the instructions until I had installed everything and it didn't work, but the new sensor will run the warning light as well as the guage. So today I'll check and see if I have any leaks.
So . . . does M 10 threads come with a taper (interferance fit) and straight as my two experiences seem to indicate or is this a case of quality control missing?
BTW the oil people don't recommend teflon tape in this application, the paste is what they want as tape can come loose and get lodged in the worst places.

jtanguay · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2007, 06:21:05 pm »

whenever i install teflon tape i never put the same too close to the inner threads. i doubt that the tape will flake off into the oil... especially when there is pressure pushing on it. i use teflon tape on nearly all connections. works great for me, and like i said it sealed my a/c high pressure lines (true there's o-rings on them, but every bit helps)

fatmobile · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2007, 04:07:59 am »

I think that sender needs to be grounded well and teflon tape could insulate it... the other sealant might as well.

jtanguay · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:39:41 pm »

very true... my gauge is mechanical though... but the sender for the idiot light isnt.. hmm

very good point indeed!

i wasn't going to put teflon tape over all the threads though. i would leave the first couple threads bare so that theres no chance of the tape breaking off into the oil. i think it would be more prone to happening on the removal of the tee fitting. i'll see how it goes though...

Doug · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:54:13 pm »

PowJ, there are both straight threaded pipe as well as taper threaded pipe in metric diameter and pitch as you found out. If they are close then it is a fluke. The copper washer is the giveaway that you have a straight machine thread with the compression of the washer forming the seal. Jamming a taper thread piece in there if it seals will only work once. There are adapters to change back and forth as well as to SAE dimensions. Any supply house worth its salt can give you all the pieces you need. A cheap caliper will take all the guess work out of what you have and what you need.

Powjetta · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2007, 12:06:21 pm »

I have installed the VDO sensor in the hole that the factory sensor came out of, above the filter. I used the copper washer and a file to take the taper off the threads on the new sensor. I filed until the washer fit with forcing it up flush and then installed it with the permatex HPF and it doesn't leak. This sensor came with two terminals and will run the factory warning light as well as the gauge, a fact I didn't pick up until it was installed on a tee and wasn't working. So I am good now but was thrown by the VDO Tee that had the taper on M10 threads. Thanks everyone, my research on this site shows that VW made that filter housing with several different openings and attachments.

Author Topic: Oil pressure guage (Read 4195 times)

Doug