# 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter



## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

what is the actually name of the sensor right above the oil filter? 
what exactly does it read ( heat , pressure , both ? )
I guess have a bad one. When its connected, My temp gauge maxes out as soon as I start the engine./ 
When i purchase the vehicle, the previous owner installed GTI gauges ( volt,water,oil pressure) , only the oil pressure works, I think.


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## Fat Rabbit (Nov 18, 2001)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

Are you talking about a sensor that is on the oil filter flange or are you talking about a sensor that is on the coolant flange which is right above the oil filter? 
I think you are asking about the small sensor just above the oil filter flange. It is quite possible that the sensor is bad. Make sure that the wiring itself is not grounding.

The water temp gauge sender is PN 049 919 501. The last one I bought for my '86 GTI cost me around $6.
After my original post I went back and took a look at your other post with a picture of your engine bay. Couldn't tell much from that picture. FR


_Modified by Fat Rabbit at 5:28 PM 7-31-2009_

_Modified by Fat Rabbit at 5:39 PM 7-31-2009_


_Modified by Fat Rabbit at 5:47 PM 7-31-2009_


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (Fat Rabbit)*

thanks for your help !


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## 83mk2scirocco (Nov 13, 2008)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

Bar Oil Temp.Is there 2 of them 1 would be on the cylinder head.One is low pressure the outher is high.If not right the oil light will blink constantly.
This was the case on my 83 JH.


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (83mk2scirocco)*

its just the one sensor that I circled in the above photo.. which is right above the oil filter, 
I guess the oil filter screws into the Oil flange ??

When its plugged in the temp gauge maxes out, red light blinks. As soon as you turn the car on.. 
Whats the proper name for this sensor, and if I remove it, will Oil drain out ? Is there a part # printed on this sensor.
Thanks


_Modified by rjenkins410 at 5:22 PM 8-1-2009_


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

This is the last part I need to fix on the engine


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

you might have the wires hooked up wrong. what if you swap that plug with the one on the coolant flange?
there was a revised style, so if you still have the plastic on your plug, you might need to break it off


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## Fat Rabbit (Nov 18, 2001)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

I'd have to agree that you should take a look at the wiring as suggested above. IIRC the oil pressure sensor on the oil filter flange has a grey and white wire and the coolant temp sensor has a blue and yellow wire. It could be that the wires have been switched around on your car and that could cause your temp light issue. 
You don't have to worry about oil running out if you switch out the flange sensor. Just unscrew the sensor with the engine turned off and cool. The common failure mode for those oil sensors is to leak oil around the plastic part. The one on the flange is a 1.8 Bar sensor PN 056 919 081E. The other oil sensor is located on the cylinder head at the transmission end -- that one is a .3 Bar sensor PN 028 919 081D. Those sensors are available for less than $5.00 each on line. FR


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (Fat Rabbit)*









The red wire that is circled and grounded , was connected to the grey and white wire for the oil pressure sensor.. 









Is this the coolant sensor ?
There are 2 wires coming off this sensor, That are cut in half, near the fire wall. I'm going to splice them back together. I guessing they go to the RAC gauges install in the arm rest....
Thanks for the help, I would not of been able to figure this out alone.


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## 4ePikanini (Aug 29, 2007)

*FV-QR*

you need to replace that cracked flange ASAP!


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## Fat Rabbit (Nov 18, 2001)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

The previous owner must have had some issues with the oil pressure warning system so they grounded the oil pressure sensor on the oil filter flange using the red wire. 
The sensor you show on the flange is a coolant temp sensor but that one is not for the gauge. It is a switch for the oxygen sensor. Basically it tells the car's computer (ECU) when the coolent temp is hot enough so that the ECU can rely on the signal from the O2 Sensor.
Where does the blue wire with a yellow stripe go? I see it in both pictures. It looks to me like it goes to the water temp sensor for the gauge on top of the flange. FR


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: FV-QR (fourie_marius)*

I just looked it over, didn't see any cracks. Just alot dirt.
RE splice the 2 wires from the coolant sensor, ran the car. 
Stock temp gauge doesn't move & the RAC water temp gauge is not hooked up. There are no wires even running to the RAC gauges.


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (Fat Rabbit)*

The blue wire with yellow strip is not connected, I originally though that went to the oil pressrure sensor, ( when hook up temp gauge maxed out).
I cant find where that is suppose to be located. . 








the sensor on top of the flange.


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## 83mk2scirocco (Nov 13, 2008)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rjenkins410* »_








The red wire that is circled and grounded , was connected to the grey and white wire for the oil pressure sensor.. 









Is this the coolant sensor ?
There are 2 wires coming off this sensor, That are cut in half, near the fire wall. I'm going to splice them back together. I guessing they go to the RAC gauges install in the arm rest....
Thanks for the help, I would not of been able to figure this out alone.
OK on mine I got two sensors for oil.the second is here.Ok the bolt holding the bracket that the red wire is grounded to,look (straight across)on the right side of the head.Mine was black.
that wire on mine is solid yellow.


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## ABA Scirocco (May 30, 2001)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

There are two oil pressure switches, a high pressure oil on the oil filter flanges and a low pressure oil on the side of the side.
BTW, here's where all of the coolant temperature sensors and switches are located, this flange is a little different than the one on your engine, but the sensor locations should be the same. The coolant sensor is the smallest one and has only one wire attached, it's for the gauge in your instrument cluster, the other two larger sensors with two wires each are thermostatic switches that control the behavior of you fuel system during cold starts and subsequent warm-up


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (ABA Scirocco)*









I was wondering what that little nub was for.. 
Thanks everybody !!!!


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## 83mk2scirocco (Nov 13, 2008)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

Thermo switch was on the right side?If you don't have anouther one above it?


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (83mk2scirocco)*

Temp gauge work. all wires are now connected properly, I believe.









While im on it,, Anybody tell me what this part is, and what it does. ? 
All I can tell is that it connects to the bottom of the distributor.


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## ABA Scirocco (May 30, 2001)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

Vacuum switch for the upshift light. IMO, it's a useless feature and it's the first thing I disconnect on all of my cars.


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## rjenkins410 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (ABA Scirocco)*

Alright.. I notice it was just a bunch of hollow tubes, One end connected under the distributor, the other end behind the air box. The back side was all melted from sitting to close the engine.


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

you'll want the dizzy hooked up for vacuum advance


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## Fat Rabbit (Nov 18, 2001)

*Re: 86 golf -sensor above the oil filter (rjenkins410)*

It is common that those upshift light vacuum switches fall down onto the exhaust manifold and cook. Mine was leaking vacuum from where it was burned through (tough leak to find). If you do remove it you will have to assure that the vacuum line still runs to the distributor. I never liked having a light telling me when to shift so I neutered the one one my car but mine was a GTI and had CIS-E so there was no vacuum advance on the distributor. 
It sounds like you are making some good progress. The electrical system on your car was really hacked up. The water temp sensor is the "nubbin like sensor" I described in another post above. Glad you found it. The female spade terminal connector on the wire connects to the "flying saucer" top -- sort of a wiered set up. I sent you an IM a few days ago with some Part Numbers etc. Check your IM's. FR


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