how to use VA-168 sensor manifold?

[IowaRV9Dreamer]

The plans call for running a hose for oil pressure from the engine into the inboard side of the manifold (parallel to firewall). That leaves the front of the manifold and the outboard side available for sensors.

My question is - how can I use the outboard side? The hole in the manifold is too close to to the firewall to allow room for an oil pressure switch. Not even close - a switch is about 1.5" diameter.

So how are people using all 3 ports on the manifold block? Are they using a pipe thread elbow (AN914-1D) on the outboard side port and attaching a sensor to that?

If not, how about runnning a piece of hard line on the outboard side up to the unused 3rd position on the manifold?

Anybody have a picture of an oil pressure sensor & switch sharing the VA-168 manifold?

Thanks!

[Stevea]

I put a 1/8" spacer behind the manifold. That allowed the oil pressure switch to fit, as long as the switch is screwed in to the manifold first (with the firewall side wrench flat parallel to the firewall). If you don't want to make a spacer, 2 AN970-3 washers under each mounting hole will to the same trick.

[tomwebster]

I did the same as Steve and used a 1/8" spacer.
Vans pressure switch four years ago was a Datcon
switch. It wasn't 1.5" in diameter. You can see a
photo of it on Chief's website, but I couldn't find
a measurement.
I've also seen photos of the switch mounted in
the third section but I feel that makes more
possibilities for a leak.
Tom

[Ironflight]

The Aviation Aisle at Home Depot has square aluminum tubing that is the exact same width as the manifold. You can buy a short chunk of that, cut it to the length of the manifold, and sandwich it between the manifold and the firewall (with appropriately longer bolts of course), to get all the stand-off you need to mount full size sensors on any port. Has worked perfectly on the Val for 1,000 hours!

Paul

[pierre smith]

Originally Posted by IowaRV9Dreamer

.......
If not, how about runnning a piece of hard line on the outboard side up to the unused 3rd position on the manifold?

Anybody have a picture of an oil pressure sensor & switch sharing the VA-168 manifold?

Thanks!

That's what we did, a loop of small diameter tubing and the switch faces forward.

Regards,