Yes, prior to fitting a bigger engine I ran a 1600 twin port in my bug and had a berg temp dipstick. Yes they do work, but fortunately, mine never lit up as the engine ran cool and didn't have any oil problems. They are fairly cheap - if you can't get one from any of the berg importers over here, why not order one direct from gene berg in the states? It won't cost much to import and postage will be cheap.

Good luck

Jon

 

It's cheap, easy to install but I'll recommend using seperate light for it. When oil starts to get hot, light flickers, so you slow down, if the heat rises more, lights go on constant which says STOP. I'll prefer VDO dipstick oil temp. sender, using with gauge, but Bergs stick is cheap an easy to find.

 

I have one even though I have a VDO temp gauge already.

 

I like them, I also run one aswell a my VDO gauge.

John

 

Personally I'd never use one.
How do you know the flashing red light isn't because you're running out of oil (unless you have a separate light as suggested above)?

Much prefer the vdo dipstick ones coupled with a gauge as you can see things changing before you reach the overheating stage. The dipsitcks are about £15-20ish and the gauges can be picked up from a scrappy for about a fiver

 

Agreed, but as a basic warning surely it is better than nothing. If the oil light comes on / flickers, at least you know you are either running too hot or with low oil!

 

Surley a well maintained engine should never run out of oil

The alternator light also worns of two potential problems(alternator failure or broken belt), ignoring one fault will be okay for a while but ignoring the other will result in engine failure, much like the Berg dip stick. But no one uses two lights for that?

I still think it is a vary cheap safegaurd and requires no drilling or big wiring mods. Your oil light will flicker at first to warn you your oil is too hot not come on solid like low oil pressure will. Drop your speed by 5-10mph and it will go off within 1/2 a mile.

Okay a proper gauge is better but you need to calibrate them for your own piece of mind, my VDO gaude reads 30deg f to low.

BTW Berg dip sticks are already calibrated.

John

 

Oil temps

180ºF - 210ºF is normal
210ºF - 230ºF is hot
230ºF - 250ºF is very hot
250ºF + is turn it off.

 

In answer to how you tell if it's the temp or oil pressure - if you disconnect the berg temp guage, and the light stays on it's the pressure. A 2nd light is a good idea - I might do that with mine, that'd save having to disconnect anything.

one downside is that it's not as easy to use as a dipstick, so I keep the original dipstick clipped in the engine bay to use when checking oil level.

Dave