Author Topic: Coolant temp gauge installed  (Read 2584 times)

Witt

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Coolant temp gauge installed
« on: July 18, 2010, 21:44:44 »
Just thought I share my experience, hope this will help others:
Step by step guide to install the coolant temp gauge and sender assembly.
Remove left lower knee bolster and electrical harness bracket, disconnect harness plug going to centre gauge panel.
Reach under dash, small hands are an asset, remove knurled knob, ground wire terminal and U-shaped bracket from back of tach. (U-bracket can be left in the area)
Disconnect tach cable from motor, to get some slag, push or pull tach out far enough to disconnect cable and bulbholders from back of tach. remove tach.
Unfasten oil line on top of oil filter housing, to get some slag, unscrew oil line behind gauge, remove knurled knob and U-shaped bracket. My Coolant line to the gauge was broken, otherwise just snip it and leave the disconnecting an installing the new "bulb / sender, to the very last to avoid losing to much coolant. I coiled the excess line carefully and strapped it loosely out of the way.
Push / pull center gauge out, carefully feeding wiring harness through.
THIS IS WHERE I RAN INTO A SNAG: the bottom of the chrome bezel interfeared with and left scratches on top of the steering column. I ended up removing the chrome bezel at this point. ( carefull, that stuff is flimsy...) I wanted to install a new one anyway so I just pried it off. Upon installation I had the same clearance problem, use your own judgement!? The3 scratches where fixed with some black touch up paint.
Following the instruction on the technical forum I changed the gauge and all the light bulbs. ( they are the same as  older aircooled VW instrument light bulbs)
INSTALLATION IS THE REVERSE OF REMOVAL.....famous last words. Don't forget  to hook up the oil line, both ends !!Remmember to slip the ground wire terminal on the stud before installing the knurled knob. the center gauge has the ground wire in the harness however.
I also removed the speedo in the same manner as the tach and installed all new rubber seals behind the gauges. 
Hope I did not forget anything, but I am happy to answer any question you may have.
CHEERS !
WITT !