I noticed one of my tranny oil cooler lines leaking (the one that comes out of the left hand side, forward on the tranny, does a 90 degree downward, has the little sensor for the tranny temp light, and then passes under the tranny and up the right hand side of the tranny on its way to the tranny oil cooler). I tried tightening it at the coupling on the left side of the tranny where it was leaking, to no joy. Whoever had it before me had had the same trouble, so they just cheaped it and slathered JB Weld all over it which just broke off when I tried tightening it.

Anyway, I replaced it with a new one from Napa (Dodge wanted $110 for it and Napa had it for $68), and after some trips back to Napa for couplings (the ones on the new line weren't the same as the old line, even though the part numbers were the same, go figure) I got it on.

No leaks now, but I wasn't able to put that little sensor back in the new line, because the female threaded recepticle on the line is smaller then the male sensor. I just left the plug in the recepticle and plugged the sensor back in to keep the trans temp light off, and test drove it...

...and the torque converter will not lock up now. Fluid levels are good, and its the same fluid I've been using all along. Could that little sensor be responsible? Does it send the signal to lock up? I thought it was just for temp, but I'm wrong most of the time.

Thanks for any help! I was supposed to go to SC today with a trailer, but now I'm hoping to do it tomorrow, but if I can't get this lock-up issue figured out, well I don't wanna go the whole way at 50MPH.

Cheers,

Ed

Edit: I took it all the way to 60 MPH and still no lockup. Normally mine locks up at 30 with the O/D button off, and at 45 with the O/D on.

 

So I was doing some searching and found this:

This would make sense since my sender is not installed. If this is the case can I just do a manual lockup switch for the time being just to get me to SC and back? Having this sensor out won't affect a manual switch will it? Just don't forget to unlock as I roll up to a stop light right?

 

I'd use some duct tape and some insulating foam to make the sensor contact the line and see the temperature for the moment. (I'd prefer this over a manual lockup switch)

HTH

AlpineRAM

 

Are you talking about just laying the sensor against the outside of the line?

 

Put a resistor in the sensor to trick the computer. You need a 700-1k ohm resistor. The resistor will tell the computer that your temps are high enough for OD. That is what I did on my 94 and it has worked really well for 1.5 years. They are cheap at radio shack. ~$0.25 each.

 

with the sensor just laying on the line wouldn't it take forever to heat up enough to let the trans go into OD and l/u on cold days? or would it even?
might ask the napa man if sells a sender that fits the new line. I have a 95 when i lost the cooler line clip i had to replace the lines.......dodge upgraded em and i had to buy the complete assy. in the process of replacing i messed up the pigtail to the sender unit, thought my trans was going out it acted so screwy.resistor is a good idea, but i wouldn't want mine trying to keep up with l/u flow with cold oil.

 

That's where the insulating material comes into play You let the sensor be in contact with the line and you put a sleeve of insulating material over it. If you do a long enough stretch it's going to see the same temperature as if it was in the line.
A lot of the sensors for home heating stuff over here work like that, it's nice not to have to install a bung, have an additional seal etc.

AlpineRAM

 

Just put the 1k resistor (25¢ Radio Shack) across the connector for now and plan on getting a trans temp gauge that will fit in the hole you plugged.
Putting the sensor on the outside of the line will take it a long time to lockup even with insulation.
The stock system is sort of worthless anyway, better to have a gauge.
Good to know Napa now carries the tube.