Has anyone here ever added a VDO or other premium quality electric oil pressure guage with accompaning switch to their vehicles? Mechanical ones are also available. But, woe to those whose oil pressure lines were to either sever or come loose.
It’s been nearly impossible to get a complete matching set, except from Australia itself where the shipping alone would likely cost as much as the set itself.
I once found a set from a Dutch on-line shop, weeks ago. But, haven’t been able to find it again.
Individual switches are listed with having 10 mm x 1 mm pitch threads which is half true. The pitch is indeed 1 mm. But the thread itself is tapered, so tht no gasket ring is needed. it’s possible to tap the block to accept a srtaight 10 mm switch. But that would mean introducing metal shavings into exactly where they aren’t needed.
If any part number’s available, it would be easy enough to match one up. I’ve seen very inexpensive presumably VDO switches sold through Amazon and eBay. But at those prices, I’m guessing, they’re the usual cheap imitations
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I have fit them before, and will probably do it again soon on my Copen.
Perhaps you found them at my local motorsport store: https://www.biesheuvel.nl/nl/automotive/autometers-toebehoren/vdo/meters
They ship to Germany, free above 100 euros too 
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This looks like the correct switch: VDO Druksensor 0-5 Bar – M10 x 1 (biesheuvel.nl) They claim that the switch’s thread is tapered. The price is right. However, the meter itself is offered for two different prices for the same meter. Or is the expensive one superior enough to justify its more than double price?:
VDO Cockpit International Motoroliedruk 5Bar 52mm 12V (biesheuvel.nl)
VDO SingleViu Motoroliedruk 5Bar Zwart 52mm (biesheuvel.nl)
I always just use generic switches in the sandwich plate. As long as the measured min and max are the same no worries.
Those meters are from a different line, but both should do the trick.
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The only difference between both guages is in the anti-condensating double glass featured in the expensive version. I initially thought that, for that price, the complementary to that meter’s switch was included as a package.
Appearantly, the only pressure switches offered are the following: Zoekresultaten voor: ‘drukschakelaar’ (biesheuvel.nl)
Who then would wish to buy only a meter? Wouldn’t it make more sense to sell the entire system as a package?
I’ve just found an official VDO guide on various guages of theirs. For anyone planning on installing any of their products, I’d suggest either downloading their pdf or, at least, copy whatever’s usefull, before they pull the link: https://www.laltraranda.it/sites/default/files/documenti/7743_product_manual_vdo_cockpit_vision_international1.pdf
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I don’t yet know at what pressure your original swiches start activating your warning lights. For ED 10s and ED 20s, they’re set for 0.3 bar. I can’t imagine, there would be any reason for using different settings on all other Daihatsu engines.
I’m still debating on whether to order a passing switch with a built-in warning lamp connection or one without. If there isn’t any great difference in price, it would then be worth going for the one inclusive of a separate warning lamp terminal. This would save the trouble of having to locate or even manufacture a T-fitting cut with 10 mm x 1 mm pitch tapered threads
According to VDO’s product specification, the switch unit is 10 mm too large in diameter for direct replacement. An adapter block is available for 10 mm fitting. Unfortunately though, the bolt fastening the block to the oil gallery’s outlet doesen’t seem to be tapered.
What probably is the most practical way out would be to use an extension plate designed for sandwiching between engine block and oil filter for running lines to an external cooler. Since the oil in these EDs seems to be running at unusually high temperatures (likely due to small volume of oil stored in these engines?) it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to run an oil cooler anyway
!
The following plate appears to already have been designed for screwing-in a pressure switch.
The filter’s mounting to the block appears cast generously enough for enabling more than plenty of clearance for the new switch:
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The sandwich plate is what I use as well. Works wonders.
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I got one from Mishomoto at the time. As long as it has a 3/4-16UNF adapter it should fit fine.
The diameter of the inner O ring is usually under 60mm, so perfect for our Dais.
You can often choose what thread you want for the sensors. I went for NPT.
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They also specialize in the oil catch cans often mentioned here. Their prices may exceed most budgets. But if these items are truly Japanese made, they’re well worth their price. They also guarantee their products for life: https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/MainSearchProductCategory.html?q=Mishimoto
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[quote=“marc0tjevp, post:12, topic:6764”]…I got one from Mishomoto at the time. As long as it has a 3/4-16UNF adapter it should fit fine.
The diameter of the inner O ring is usually under 60mm, so perfect for our Dais…[/quote]Yours, maybe. With EDs, it’s somewhat critical. That coolant pipe running across the front of the engine limits a maximum plate diameter of 780 mm. I could cut a section off and then connect a hose in between. But on EDs with catylitic converters, that particular area would just be too hot.
That red China cheapy is too large in diameter. The Aleynld would just fit. But if possible, I’d do exactly like you did, by ordering the Mishimoto plate. The trouble with the Mishimoto plate is that no measurements are listed by the manufacturer. If yours is the following, what diameter does it measure out to be?:
Here’s an example of an ED’s size limitation, with the exception that my coolant pipe curves somewhat downward and mine has the catylist, given that the following image was taken of an ED applied to industrial use in a forklift:
Here are close-up views of both extremes. It’s obvious to see that both Mishimoto- and Alexnld plates are designed to circulate oil whatsoever. Whereas the red cheapy doesen’t seem to circulate oil into any plumbing. All it appears to do is to only prevent leaking oil, if it’ll even do that properly. Appearantly, it will only serve to impress visually, while not being able to cool oil down through circulation. For my purposes, it’ll only serve to offer a second port for either an oil pressure switch for activating a warning light or a pressure measurer for operating a guage. What I could then do would be to order it as a possible throw-away, filing off at least 2 mm, in order to clear that intrusive coolant pipe, gambling that material removal won’t evolve into a crack. If it indeed does crack, either through my modification or because of inferior metalurgical qualities, any guarantee would become void, if I were to carry out such an experiment. Doing so in the first place would seem foolish, given that a loss in oil pressure is the last fluid loss anybody would wish for.
The intent wasn’t to cool oil. Especially, going cheap, through not ordering a thermostatically-controlled plate. If I was sure that oil-cooling was necessary on these engines, due to inadequate engineering, I would certainly go all the way and install an entire cooling system. I often wonder as to why these hot-running engines only hold 2.3 litres with filter, because of holding down production costs or what.
The fake plate is obviously delivered with metal plugs. What Mishimoto delivers isn’t clear as to if they’re metal or plastic or even what these items serve
I won’t keep anybody in suspense. I was surprised to get a speedy answer.
It’s available, here: Mishimoto Oil Sandwich Plate | Mishimoto | Hersteller | Streetstylez – Import Performance Parts
Here’s what they sent me:
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My plate arrived, today. It was delivered exactly as advertised, disappointedly without the 20 mm x 1.5 mm extension pipe of which I have to fend for myself trying to find one. I guess, I could consider myself at least lucky enough to have gotten the plate inclusive of both plugs for each oil pressure measuring device whatsoever. I’m wondering as to what they were thinking, when it was time to fasten the plate, absent of the pipe extension, as if it were to be permanently glued onto the block or something. Something like this should become part of the kit or at least listed as a separate item to be ordered, supplemental to the plate, without having to dig for it.
Here, I could get a complete equally-functioning cheapy, inclusive of all plugs, fittings and extension pipe for less than what Mishimoto wants for just the extension pipe itself: M20 x 1.5 Aluminium Ölfilter Kühler Sandwich Plate Adapter 1/8 NPT Ölkühler Kit Rot | Fruugo DE
I’m not sure what you mean as I have had these on an ed before for an ej they wont work. You screw the adapter into the block, put the sand which plate on and it is held on with the oil filter. I used these with turbo applications to get an old feed to the turbo and worked fine without issue.
What brand and model adapter did you have? Supposedly, with the ones pictured, that threaded extension is what holds the plate onto the block permanently, likely so that the plate doesen’t become detached during oil filter replacements. In the following video, a sandwich plate is even secured by a sheetmetal ring which is bent over both extension and plate itself. Personally, I think that’s overding it. Both rubber gasket rings should be enough for holding the entire assemble reliably together:
This next video is somewhat amusing. He’s going cheap, trusting some “generic” copy of the real thing. It’s interesting, though, how he managed to replace an otherwise overly-expensive thermostat with one harvested from a $5 coolant water one:
It was just a cheap chinese one from ebay or ali express
