Field Notes
Practical notes on specifying and fitting gauges, senders and instruments. Written from the part numbers up, so you can match the right genuine VDO or Lovato part the first time.
14 Jul 2026
Why a marine gauge is not just an automotive gauge in a boat, how to source a tachometer signal on a marine engine, and how tank sender ohm ranges decide whether the fuel gauge ever reads right.
08 Jul 2026
How VDO gauge backlighting is wired, what the terminal 58 illumination circuit does, and how to dim incandescent and LED-lit gauges without flicker or uneven brightness across a cluster.
10 Jun 2026
How a VDO electronic speedometer reads speed from a pulse generator, how to choose between a screw-in M22 sender and an integrated probe type, and how to set the w/km pulse-per-kilometre value so the speedo reads true. A VDO-specialist fitment guide.
28 May 2026
How VDO's three instrument families differ, what dial sizes and signals each uses, and which range suits a retrofit, a restoration or a CAN-bus build. A VDO-specialist guide to picking the right gauge family before you order.
20 May 2026
How VDO gauge ranges work, why the gauge and sender have to be a matched pair, the common temperature, pressure and fuel ranges, and how to read a dial to identify the right part.