Oil temp and tachometer installation

Hi all, finally refitted engine after overhaul post overheating at Easter and thought I’d add a couple vdo gauges - RPM and oil temp. Grateful if someone could advise where people have wired them up to at the dashboard end? I’ve sorted the lights side just not 100% confident which positive I should be wiring into. Thanks in advance

 

With a test meter just find a fuse in the fuse box that's live with the ignition on.

 

Hmm, ok, I have done that, after a run the temp gauge barely lifts above 50 and the rpm doesn’t move. Back to drawing board for me! Thanks for your help

 

Hmm.
Are you using the vdo dipstick sender or the one that goes in the sump plate? Mine never got above 50 or so with the sump one as it reads the oil as its alreadygone through tthe cooler.

Is the rev counter connected to the coil?

 

1 - Sump. I did wonder about that after reading numerous threads.
2 I’m connected to the + side of coil, instructions say to live or terminal 1. I assume that’s +? I think I’ll take out of dash and connect in engine bay and test it there. Could be the routing of cable I suppose

 

Are you running points or electronic ignition?

 

You can pick an ignition-switched +12V from the top of fuse eleven - much better than guessing under the dash. Best (but optional) to run the instruments through a lower-value inline fuse.

The tach signal should be connected to terminal 1 (-ve on the coil), the breaker side, not 15 (+ve supply). Will make no difference to oil temp display if you've got a sump or dipstick sender - they're both dipping in the same place. The oil takes a while to warm up.

 

great for the coil tip! I’m happy with the supply, I tapped into 11, thanks. I’ll keep an eye on the temp sender. There must be a wireless/Bluetooth type sender- I have a wireless bbq temp probe from Lidl that was about £10. It even alarms if my steak is past rare. I reckon well done beef will be similar to T2 running temp.....

 

Depending on the state of your engine, you may run at about 100ºC, or reach 115º or even 120º if you rag it. Takes a while for the oil to get up to temp. Tach should work fine, may have come with an inline fuse that's a lower value than the 8-amper that's in F11.

Should all work fine. Avoid sticking anything electronic in your nice 70s van

 

Apart from a 123 dizzy

 

Thanks all, I’ll swap coil connection over. Both oil temp and tachometer came with inline fuses.
In response to question I missed - I’m running electronic distributor.

 

Sssssh...

 

Dissy shouldn’t make any difference.

 

I only mentioned it because I couldn’t get a tacho to work with my power spark electronic module.

 

Should work fine if the “breaker” line to the coil is jumping up and down.

 

Update- switched the coil connection and I can now see my rpm. This is why I joined this group - really quick responses. Thank you so much.
As for oil temp- I’ll keep an eye on that.

 

Problem with tacho installs is that the "normal" length of wire from the distributor is about 1 to 2 metres in a front engined car.
In a bus it can be longer than 5 metres, and the pulses that make it to the front of the bus are not quite the same as with shorter wires, the 'ringing' you get confuses the tacho into either under or over reading. Also there is a difference in the pulse shapes on the coil terminal between electronic and points ignition which can also have an effect on a tacho.

 

You're welcome. Our invoice is in the post

 

My cheque will follow!