Fitting Oil Pressure and Turbo Boost Gauges

Having rebuilt my engine I'm going to fit some gauges to help keep an eye on it.
First off I want an oil pressure and boost gauge.
I've been googling the fittings and what I've found is that the oil pressure sensor in to the filter housing is M10x1
can anyone confirm that?
I've Googled the b'Jesus out of the 'drain plug' on the back of the inlet manifold and nobody seems to know the thread. I've tentatively tried some taps in it. M11 x 1.5 was too slack. M12 x 1.75 seemed a bit tight, but I didn't want to force it!
I've emailed Demon Tweeks, told them the VDO gauges I would like to buy from them and asked about the pipe, sender for the oil and fittings for my engine. They replied saying they didn't hold listings for the fittings and so couldn't help! They went on to say they did sell fittings and T pieces and if I let them know the fitting sizes they would quote me.
One thread I found had the poster saying he asked Demon Tweeks what it was and they sold him the right fitting. Didn't say what size it was though!
Can anyone confirm the oil pressure thread size and if anyone knows the thread in the back of the inlet manifold I'll be over the moon.
I could buy a set of those little thread gauges.

Hi Al2O3

From memory the oil pressure kit I purchased, I had to use the M10 x 1 mm adaptor. Altho perhaps others can verify. I had the same problem searching for the size to make sure I purchased the right kit.

Are you sure the pipe fitting in the manifold is not an imperial fitting.


EDIT: I assume it is item 2, maybe it is worth searching on that.
http://www.allbrit.de/UNI.cfm?PAGE=748807&SPRACHE=EN

Cheers

@Al2O3

I like the final comment on this post.
http://forum.difflock.com/viewtopic.php?t=16946&sid=731dc54c476f7b162e66bfa2481e9dd6


Cheers

Also,

How about giving Sturox a shout?

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-ro...he-rear-of-inlet-manifold-help-please.240525/

Cheers

Might be a non standard thread. Maybe 12x1.5 or something. Instead of putting in the hole hold the tap onto the thread of the plugs then you don't damage the threads in the hole! Should marry like crocodile teeth together no gaps if right size it doesn't wiggle. We get some right odd threads on old switchgear. Need a butt tap if the bungs short though
Are you gana fit a EGT guage too? I'm debating whether to put one of those in or a volt meter or something for the spare gap since I'm not using the clock

AFAIK, inlet plenum is tapped M12 x 1.5 - I.E. M12 fine. its the same size as the banjo bolts into the fuel filter housing - and since I had one of these - this is what I used

The three gauges I have are EGT, Boost, and ATF temp (auto) - EGT is wonderful thing, because you can see the engine cool to normal temp before switching off, and ease off the loud pedal when it's all getting a bit too warm.....

Thread gauges always worth having

neilly said:

Hi Al2O3

From memory the oil pressure kit I purchased, I had to use the M10 x 1 mm adaptor. Altho perhaps others can verify. I had the same problem searching for the size to make sure I purchased the right kit.

Are you sure the pipe fitting in the manifold is not an imperial fitting.


EDIT: I assume it is item 2, maybe it is worth searching on that.
http://www.allbrit.de/UNI.cfm?PAGE=748807&SPRACHE=EN

Cheers

Click to expand...

Cheers, neilly. I looked at that and found the thread from Difflock! Appreciate you looking. You're a much better googler than I am!

I'd just finished sending a PM to StuRox when Disco1BFG replied. Cheers D1 I'll email Demon Tweeks when I get back after this weekend. TBH I thought they would have been more helpful.

Thanks all!

Oh Alex, I've not thought about putting an EGT gauge in!

I dunno if it's worth doing I don't much how tweeked the engine was before got paranoid I'll melt it haha

Mines not tweeked, so not worried. If I'd tweeked it I would be paranoid anorl.

I'm not 100% on how I'd know if it has been. I haven't cos like you say paranoia factor but I don't know it hasn't been in past hmm

I fitted a VDO oil pressure sender on mine, it has two outputs, one for oil pressure light and one for the gauge. The size of the sender meant that it wouldn't fit in the oil pressure switch location as it was too wide. I ended up machining an straight adaptor about 30mm long so the sender would stand further out from the oil filter housing. Will try and get a picky a bit later so you can see what I mean, just something to be aware of depending what sender you go for.

Here you go, red bit is the extension I machined and fits where the oil pressure switch was, the blue shows the area of the sender that fouls on the casing if you don't have the extension.

Cheers @Kwakerman
I just got back late on Sunday and have been really busy this week at work. Just getting around to emailing Demon Tweeks again tonight. Then saw your picture! Do they sell a number of senders cos I do not have the facility to turn an extension piece. The guy answering my emails is not very helpful, so I'm not looking forward to asking if they have one for a 300Tdi. In fact, he has already told me he did not know what the thread was and so won't know which sender, will he?

@Al2O3

Have you seen this , there are a few of them.
http://www.mattlewisracing.co.uk/product.php/1496/29/gauge_adaptor___matt_lewis_racing

Cheers

Or, you could try good old Dingocroft.
http://www.dingocroft.co.uk/acatalog/Gauges.html


Cheers

neilly said:

@Al2O3

Have you seen this , there are a few of them.
http://www.mattlewisracing.co.uk/product.php/1496/29/gauge_adaptor___matt_lewis_racing

Cheers

Click to expand...

You know when I said you were better than me at Googling? You are Google, aren't you!

I would say boost gauge is a waste of time as it either doing nowt or at max boost.

lynall said:

I would say boost gauge is a waste of time as it either doing nowt or at max boost.

Click to expand...

Not really. It's the one guage I use the most. You would be surprised how little throttle makes the turbo boosting and how small that boost can be.
I use mine for the 1st 2 miles or so to make sure I have no boost at all until things start warming up, ditto cooling down.
When on the motorway it's more economical to run at slight boost (about 10 psi) and when towing it's quite easy to get full boost all the time (19psi) and that's not going to be good for Egt etc.

lynall said:

I would say boost gauge is a waste of time as it either doing nowt or at max boost.

Click to expand...

Not really - If you drive it like you stole it, that might apply - but used with EGT, paying attention to boost is good way to maximise progress and minimise fuel use. And, as @gazman says, its excellent practice to cool the engine down sensibly before shutdown - and clearly ragging the bum off it, and then just walking away is not sensible!

Al2O3 said:

Cheers @Kwakerman
I just got back late on Sunday and have been really busy this week at work. Just getting around to emailing Demon Tweeks again tonight. Then saw your picture! Do they sell a number of senders cos I do not have the facility to turn an extension piece. The guy answering my emails is not very helpful, so I'm not looking forward to asking if they have one for a 300Tdi. In fact, he has already told me he did not know what the thread was and so won't know which sender, will he?

Click to expand...

I wasn't particularly fussed with the extension pieces in the other links, no real guarantee where the hole in the side would end up so may need to pack it out with copper seals to get it in the right position to get the switch in without it fouling something. The one I have is a VDO combined pressure sender and pressure switch (hence two terminals) with a 10mm thread like this, but I'm pretty sure it was a lot cheaper (with a little bit of research, that was just the first listing I found)