Hey guys. Ordered a 2 1/16th auto meter trans temp gauge(100*- 250*) today from advance auto parts. They were very comparably priced with anyone on the net, so i said why not($52 total). Im just gona mount it int he floor in front of the 4x4 shifter. Should be fine since ill only need to monitor it occasionally unlike EGT's. Anyway. I forgot what size resistor i need to jump across the old sensor to make overdrive and all work right again after i replace it with my temp sensor that comes with the gauge. Is it a 100ohm? I got a 5 pack from radio shack today while i was there, but couldnt remember for sure if that was the size i needed. Ill probably either mount the gauge tomorrow or Wednesday. The gauge is supposed to be in tomorrow, and ill have to go pick it up. I wanted it so i could watch my temps while hauling loads this summer. Also. What size fitting do i need to use to screw into the port the old sensor comes out of? Thanks guys! I tried searching, but it isnt working??

Eric

 

52.00 seems kind of high?? guage and sending unit??

 

Yes. Gauge, sending unit, and 2 different sized adapters. I didnt see them but maybe $1 cheaper on the net at www.dieselmanor.com wher ei bought my other gauges. And if i ordered online, i would have had to pay shipping. The gauge was $48.88 before taxes. Is the resistor 1k ohm? I think that is right, but someone please confirm this.

Eric

 

Hey Kyle! on another forum, I know why bother, they were saying that it is a waste to use the middle test port. Some even said that if it protudes deep enough it could cause damage. They suggest using an in line method. I looked it up and they want 80 bucks for the fitting. What do you think?

Thanks! Usta

 

3/8 NPT on the port and 1000ohms on the resistor. Have fun.

 

Thanks CarlJensen! Picked up the gauge today, along with the resistors from radio shack. Got the gauge hooked up, and wired for light with my other gauges, and it looks decent. Mounted it in front of the 4x4 shifter. We get out of school early tomorrow(1:15), so im gonna hook the rest of it up then. Shouldnt be to hard i hope. Cant wait to get it all in, and see what my tranny temps are. What is generally considered the hottest i should get my tranny fluid? Does your guys fluid get hot quick pulling loads? What about just normal driving in town, stop and go, about what should i see? Also, if i get a load or anything, will i be able to see the gauge hand move very quickly like if ive been idling around, and then take off up a big hill with a loaded trailer; will it move pretty quick or will it just slowly creep up? Thanks for all the info guys!

Eric

 

Shovelhead has posted a chart numerous times showing what happens to transmissions and transmission fluid at various levels of heat.

280, the limit of my guage, is really bad.
250 is about the highest I've seen, idling around offroad.

Stop and go traffic is the worst, it'll hit 200 no problem on a warm day.

Freeway is the best, the TC is locked up, lots of air flow over the coolers, so I'd think that pulling a load at highway speed it wouldn't get that hot, getting the load up to freeway speed however it will.
Being that I've never had anything attached to my truck, I'm just theorizing (fancy word for guess)

It doesn't climb all that fast.
Usually takes about 15 minutes to get the guage to even move, then it's a gradual climb up to the 150 or so that it stays at while on the highway.

Takes about the same amount of time to come back down after it's gotten hot.

It's a boring guage to watch, nothing at all like the EGT guage.


phox

 

Thanks phox. Oh well. It may be boring, but i will be able to glance down,a nd see what my temps are at. I dont do a lot of stop and go, but when im cruising on the weekends i do a lot of idling around, so im interested to see what it gets to. A lot of the time when im idling at a light i kick it into neutral, and go back to drive when the light turns. Dont know why. its just habit . It will be interesting, and good to keep an eye on my temps with. Thanks

Eric

 

Found a couple that shovelhead has posted many times





phox

 

Thanks . So looks like if i can keep it under 220 for the most part, that would be a goo thing. Thanks again! I will let you know how the rest of the install goes.

Eric

 

I think those charts are pan temps which are usually lower than the output line. Even though the output line is warmer the duration is short, my bet is you can add 20° to the chart numbers and be safe with the probe in the output line.

 

I am going to install a gauge on my father-in-laws 95 auto, is the port in the tranny good enough for measurement or do you have to TEE into the line??

 

I just got done installing it. All went fairly well. Just unscrew the stock sensor after unplugging the connector on it, and have the new one ready to go in. Screw it in right after the old one comes out(so you dont lose a lot of fluid), and run all your wiring. Jumo the 1k ohm rsistor across the connectors 2 pins, and it should be fine. Any questions, just ask. Mine seems to be working great. Let it idle in drive in the driveway and got it up to 190 degrees. Driving down the road it seems to stay pretty cool. Seems like its reading right. Thanks guys!

Eric

 

Just put the new sensor where the stock one was , the fitting is 3/8'' so you'll need a 3/8x1/8 bushing. Jump across the stock sender wires with a 1000 ohm resistor and you're set.

 

Thanks Bill and all..

I have printed this thread out and I am going to put it in the gauge box for him.

J-eh