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small gauges[200/82] posted by John McKeon on
Friday, 20 November 1998, at 6:40 p.m.
Hi all,
I remembered this being discussed before, but there seems to be nothing in the archives about it...found a local junk yard with a trubo that's got all of it's gauges and some other things I want, so before I head over there what else will I be needing in the way of odds and ends? Is my brick prewired for the gauges to the point where it's plug and play, or do I need to grab sending units to replace the idiot light ones? While we're at it, where exactly are the sending units? Never really looked. How much wiring should I try to rip out of the junker? I'm planning to put in a big tach on the left of the gauge cluster and small oil pressure and voltage gauges to the right. Outside chance I might get crazy and throw in a small clock and ambient temp gauge too (going for 3 where I have a coin holding tray thingy now and one in one of the two small openings between the coin tray and regular gauge cluster), any advice there? Thanks in advance.
John McKeon '82 245 K-Jet M46 210k
Re: small gauges[200/82] posted by robert haire on
Friday, 20 November 1998, at 7:01 p.m.
The tack is the easiest. Just get the plug that finishes off the hole where your clock winding stem pokes through. It is part of all bug tachs. No other wiring needed, you already have the red and white in place. Then, the small clock runs off the tach so you need the 12 inch harness, rubber clock mounting feet and the bezel The only hard part is to pull two or three clocks to get one that works.
For a voltmeter, you can get the rubber feet, bezel, blue/white (?) wire to the fuse panel, wire to ground and the gray wire to the instrument light (brown) wire. Make sure no light bulbs get [ulled out of the gauge backs and left in the wreck.
All these wires (for the volt meter and oip pressure) are part of a more complex harness that ties it all together in the three gauge cluster with bezel, in a turbo. It looks complicated but really can be sorted out easily. For the oil pressure, I would only take a 5 bar. You might want to check out the sender or get a new one and I have seen a y-fitting that allows the idiot light and oil pressure to both function. You never know when an idiot might need to drive the car. As for the ambient temp. gauge, in Florida we do not need those since it is always hot, so I can't say what they involve.
Re: small gauges[200/82] posted by Don Foster on
Friday, 20 November 1998, at 7:10 p.m.
John --
Whew! You're asking a lot here.
Considering that you're willing to give up the "junk pouch", you can stuff 5 gauges in there. Three go in place of the pouch, the small clock goes between the dash and the pouch (or three gauges), and a fifth gauge goes under the clock (next to the vents).
You will need to "rob" the tapered clock bezel and 3 little rubber "grippers" from two cars (for the two locations next to the instrument cluster). One will come from the gauge donor car, another must come from another car.
When you pilfer the big tach, little clock, and the 3-gauge set from the turbo car, be CERTAIN to get the auxiliary clock harness -- it goes from the little clock to the dash cluster.
Be sure to get the oil pressure sending unit from the same car you grab the 3-gauge set from. The sending unit is screwed into the block just behind the alternator, near the oil filter. It has two wires connected to it (one for the idiot light, one for the gauge). I bet you'll give up when you try yanking the sending unit, so try that first.
You'll have to run an extra wire set for the oil pressure-sending unit.
Also, get the dash light wiring set for the 3-gauge set.
The pressure gauge is really a boost gauge for a turbo -- but Volvo does have a manifold vacuum gauge (for N/A engines) that would fit there nicely. I've seen one in my life -- perhaps it's still available as an accessory, or maybe you'll be very lucky and find one in a boneyard.
I found a broken ambient temp gauge which I fixed and installed in my car -- someone told me it was a Canadian-only option (is that true????). But it works just fine -- I needed the small clock stuff to install it (bezel, grippers). And I had to fabricate the wiring for panel lights and "lights-on dimming".
Ask more after you ponder all this.
--Friday, 20 November 1998, at 8:22 p.m.
Here reposted if you need it is some info on OP installation...
I think you can also get the 5 bar sender from VDO...the Ext. Temp Sender mounts under the front bumper lip and has a single wire to the gauge(similar to tach set up)and only needs ground and +12..it had a "flag" that would appear on the face when the ext. temp dropped below 30deg F to warn of Black Ice and Ice Fog, etc...same wiring basics for any of these gauges...get some good quality #16 ga and a good set of crimpers, use the good quality hardware and it should be no trouble...since it's an 82 ignore all the TORX references and use the B21 info...becareful round the Alt. wireing and make sure you disco. the Battery before commencing major futzage...
Installing a Volvo VDO Electronic Oil Pressure Gauge
This is for 1990 240 DL B-230 but B-19/21/23 are similar and diffs will be noted.
Parts Needed - Volvo 1394754-4 Oil Pressure Gauge kit - 5 Bar type
Volvo 1259730-8 Plastic cover bezel
Tools Needed - Wire Stripper/Crimper
Socket set - Metric
Open End wrenches - Metric
Torx Wrench set
Std. Screwdriver
10/12mm Crowfoot Wrench
If your Volvo is a baseline DL model, like mine, or you just don't trust the idiot light, you
can install an Oil Pressure Gauge in one of the two openings in the dash. They are under
the two square plastic covers to the right of the speedo cluster. The choices are either the
Volvo OEM gauge or an aftermarket unit. I chose the OEM Volvo which is made by
VDO (but they can't sell it to you), but there are a number of very good units from Sun,
Autometer, Smith, etc. My choice was based on keeping everything looking factory
correct, and the fact that all the parts were included except for the cover bezel for the
dash opening.
1) Start with a cold engine ! You will be working right next to the exhaust manifold and
2nd degree burns are no joke ! Park the car in the work spot the night before you plan to
do the installation.
2)Disconnect the battery ! You will be moving the Alternator, splicing into +12 wiring,
and hooking up to fuse box-so take the time and do it safely !
3)Open hood, lay a fender cover or blanket on right fender.
B-230- Remove the pre heat hose, the big silver sucker, and put it down as low as
possible to gain room.
B-19/21/23 - Not a must do option.
4) B-230 - Loosen lock screw on Alt. bracket adjustment bolt. Use 10mm socket to
loosen Alt. bracket adjustment bolt. Back it off as much as possible until you can move
Alt. towards engine-up and inward- and remove the two belts from the pulley. Check
Alt. wiring and if it's brittle or burned disconnect it and fold it back, if it's OK it can be
left connected.
B-19/21/23 - Ignore this as location of sender is higher on block than B-230 .
5)Swing Alt. down and away from engine. You might want to put a towel or rag under it
to protect Alt. and paint.
6)Disconnect the black wire from Oil Pressure sender. Use open end wrench and remove
the sender. Don't worry the hole won't leak oil.
7)Open adapter bag for your engine. The adapters are not interchangeable, make sure
you are using correct adapter.
B-230 uses 2 adapters, one for block and one 90degree offset for Sender.
B-19/21/23 use 1 adapter.No block adapter is needed and adapter is smaller than B-230
type.
REMEMBER THE ADAPTERS ARE A SOFT BRASS ALLOY AND
STRIP/CROSS THREAD REALLY EASILY! HAND THREAD AND FINGER
TIGHT ARE THE NORM NOT THE EXCEPTION!
B-230 - Take Block adapter and put copper washer on it cupped side down, and hand
thread it into block. Find socket that fits it and snug tighten it in block. Take bent adapter
and thread it into block adapter, hand tighten it and then using 10mm Crowfoot wrench,
snug tighten it until it is at a 10-15 degree forward angle to the vertical. Take New
Sender and put washer on it. Hand thread it onto adapter and finger tighten it.
B-19/21/23 - Same except for no block adapter is used only a bent adapter.
8) Try moving the Alt. back up into it's original position and check the clearance between
the Sender and the wiring and back of Alt. You may have to adjust the bent adapter a
little if you have to gain a little clearance. If everything is clear swing the Alt. down and
using the crowfoot wrench tighten the Sender.
9) Put the Alt. belts back on and tighten the adjustment bolt and put it back where you
found it.
10) Go inside car. Remove upper gauge cover plate, center console left side cover, front
console face, drivers side kickpad and knee bolster. Take wiring set out of box, unroll it
and get the kinks out of it. Remove radio if installed or storage sleeve in upper dash,
remove glove box, remove passenger side kickpad. Starting at gauge hole leave 3 - 4
inches with the connector hanging out of hole. Fit wire harness through to left side of
console and connect the black wire to a ground point. Thread Red/Blue wire through to
fuse box and connect to fuse #13. Thread Grey wire to switch panel at top front of
console and connect it to any Brown wire with a Scotchlock.
11) Go back under hood. Take coathanger wire and thread it through rubber boot around
wire bundle that passes through firewall on right rear of engine. Go inside car and see if
you can find end of it. Tape the end of new sender wire, (Green wire with rubber
sleeving), to coathanger wire. Go back under hood and pull it through to engine
compartment. Pull enough through to get to front bumper, rough measure only you can
pull the excess back inside. Route green cable along the existing wiring harness on the
right side of engine compartment, through fender passage to right front corner past strut
tower. Come out between the washer fluid tank and wheel arch. Go across to block area
and connect the green wire to Tab G on sender, connect black adapter cable to Tab
WK and old black sender cable to black adapter. Work back to firewall strapping the
sleeving to existing wire bundle with wire clips.
12) Pull excess back into passenger compartment. Route it to gauge opening and allow
3-4 inches extra. Cut off excess Green wire and crimp on the cable terminal and fit
Green wire connector into opening in Gauge connector. Plug connector into Gauge and
let it hang. Take rubber wedges and fit them into slots on gauge mounting hole, fit gauge
into hole, rotate it to align key in slot at bottom, push the gauge in until flush. Take cover
bezel and fit it to opening and snap it in place.
13) Reconnect pre heat hose and check Alt. hook up and tension of belts. Check area for
tools and anything you forgot. Reconnect battery. Get in and fire it up!
14) Watch the needle rise ! It should be at 4 on start up of cold engine, 2-3 for warm
idle, 3-4 for Normal temp under load. Let it idle for 10 min and shut it down. Go back
under hood with flashlight and check everything for oil leaks. CAREFULLY SLIDE
YOUR HAND UNDER AND AROUND ADAPTERS AND SENDER AND
FEEL/LOOK FOR OIL! Check wiring for clearance. Get inside and turn on Lights and
check that Gauge lights up for nighttime enjoyment! Clean and put away tools. Have a
beer you earned it!
Now go out and amaze your friends! and ask why they wouldn't help you!
Disclaimer: This is the way I installed my Gauge and I have routed the wire in a different
way than Volvo recommends due to the problems associated with routing of original
harness under front of engine. I feel that this is a routing that will cause less problems in
future. It's cleaner, easier and you don't have to get under the car and drop the belly pan.
If you don't feel confident about your skills, get a friend who knows auto electrics or isn't
too stupid to help you.
Next Lesson: Installing a Voltmeter and Tachometer. If there is enuff interest ...
Have fun and enjoy the ride!
James Stoney
jbstoney@earthlink.net