Installing Tranny Temp Gauge
 

question for everyone....is it the general consensus that it is better to install the thermocoupling in the side of the tranny pan..? Or is it better to splice in on the hot outlet line? i have heard advantages to both...but mainly there has been concern with the potential of leaks and failure from messing with the outlet line...
i feel that it would be easier to install the fitting in the pan..but im concerned that the temp. reading will not be as accurate as it is on the outlet line...

Let me know what you all think....thanks

Why is it that the best way is always the hardest ?
Ya in the hot line , I teed mine in the computor sensor hole on the line [ I heard that just a few yrs. had this ] and now it takes a lot longer for 4th & OD to come with colder weather , so I'll be putting it in a nother spot later.

I had mine in the test port, and then changed to the hot line from Mass Diesel. I like it alot better in the hot line. Seems to be alot more responsive.

What you need to understand is what you are measuring at each spot. With the sensor in the pan, you are measuring the fluid at the coolest spot. In the line, you are measuring the fluid at its hottest point.

Temps
 

What do you want to watch? Do you want to watch the temp's going into the pan, or out of the transmission.

I thought of both, measuring going into the pan you know what the fluid is, and that it's cool.

If you measure the hot line you see what the fluid is at. If it's over a certain temp 280 or so, you want to change it. If you measure the pan you may always see 240, but you dont' really know if the fluid has been cooked. I chose the hot line because of that reason. I know that if it's coming out at 240, it's going in a lot cooler and I'm safe. you may never know what the fluid has reached if only in the pan.

I put in a swage lok connecter. it's a double compression fitting and hasen't leaked in 6 months. Badrammerjammer, also has the same setup and hasn't leaked a drop (outa the fitting). It's the same style connecter used on High pressure hydrolics (dozers and stuff) so they won't vibrate loose. if your really worried, safety wire it so it can't.

That's my 2 cents

what diameter is the "hot" line....and is it difficult to locate....differentiating between the hot and cold line...other than the obvious..one is hotter than the other??

If you order the line from MassDiesel, its pretty much self explanitory once you slide under the truck.

The hot line is the one toward the front of the trani. It has a section of rubber hose in it. Well, at least on a 3rd gen I should add.

I don't know if mine are the same as yours , but mine are 1/2 OD , and for a patch I used copper tubing [ not pipe ]

Mass diesel has a new return line with a temp port installed. It is easy to install and suposedly is very acurate and cost around 80 Bucks.
I have the set up in mine. Works great no leaks


http://www.massdiesel.com/d24/amtransmission.htm

Start here, then do a search on transmission/trani temp probe/sender. There's ssssooooo many thread's. Alot of good info and option's out there.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ad.php?t=89088

Below is a pic of the fitting the Tas is talking about. I came up with it,,,or I mean he came up with it. [laugh] [laugh] I gotta mess with him everytime. I bought a replacement line for $12 at the dealer, cut it, and put Tas's recomended fitting in it. $20 for the fitting. Not one drip. I'm sure the massdiesel line would work fine, but when I called, they said $90 plus shipping. :o Like I said, do a search and edugcate yourself.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...9002Pic001.JPG

Here's another option. It's a flared fitting. But I like the other fitting better. Not as many chance's for a leak, and the sender is right at the edge of the fluid path.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...9002Pic002.JPG

Hot Line
 

Use that first fitting on the hot line. If not you can send me 80 dollars and I'll buy a line and put that fitting on it for you. You can do it yourself and save some money. Your either going to use a flaired line (mass diesel) or a double yor lok fitting. There both going to hold up fine, but the mass diesel puts the probe a bit further away.

Another hint that badrammerjammer ment to give you was, don't petter around when you change, put the new line on, the fluid will leak out.. [laugh]

You might want to contact www.dieselmanor.com they sell the gauge kits and all the necessary parts. They also told me today that they will be out next week with a transmission line with the sensor installed for the hot out of the transmission. David Murphy of diesel manor told me it would cost $65.00 twenty dollars cheaper than the other the other guy.

hope this helps Later John H (aka Hemlockusa)

I have mine in the test port. I agree it might not be as "responsive" as the hot line splice, but I don't really care as much about that as the temp of the fluid going IN to the system. I think the test port gives a good average reading, and I have noticed it up there pretty high when 4 wheeling or towing twisty grades, once to the point I let her cool for a few minutes before continuing... so I guess it does the job.

This is basically just a 1/2 to 1/2 compression, and a pipe on the tee correct? Im getting ready to do this on my 91.5 618 tranny. Im also going to buy a deeper finned, or piped pan to help in cooling. Mine isnt a lock up tranny, so Im not dealing with that issue, but I do haul a lot of cattle, and my Demon on a flat bed trailer. The cattle and the Bobcat are the heaviest, and I hate cooking trannies.

What is the best pan to buy, any sujjestions??

Nice info over here by the way!!

KAsey