FINISHED*UPDATED* Tranny Temp Guage install

[tori89k5]

Just installed a tranny temp guage. It is an Autometer 2" Mechanical, full sweep guage. Part #2640 Check out the photos for those of you needing ideas on how to do yours.
I still have not plumbed the capillary tube, and was hoping someone on here had a good suggestion other than tapping in the pan. <font color="red">Okay, finally decided on where to put the capilary tube.... I bought a steel tank flange from the local industrial supply place. Took off my tranny pan, drilled a hole, and welded it in place. Now I have a place to mount the big ass worthless brass fitting that is supplied by the guage maker. (why the hell do they still make these guages like this ??? WTF ??? Is there not the technology to design a smaller sending bulb?) Anyway.. with that said.. Its done, and im happy to say that my tranny runs COOL ! The hottest it got today in town stop and go driving @ 80 degrees outside was 175 degrees.
Much to my surprise.. it takes forever to warm up. Even on the highway for my 12 mile commute, it never got above 140. Pan pics are updated too: </font color> Check out the pics on my webshots...
Guage install

 

[Greg72]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

Tori,

The senders are the hardest part!!!

You won't believe what I went through to get an oil temp sender welded into the pan! But I'll give you a hint, the oil pan doesn't come out for welding without first removing the engine crossmember....and the engine crossmember holds the engine, so the engine needs to be lifted out of the way.... /forums/images/icons/mad.gif

Talk about a 12 hour project to install a simple sensor! After that whole fiasco, dropping the trans pan for that sensor was a piece of cake.

Check "Finish Gauge installation" off my To-Do list for MOAB! /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

 

[four_by_ken]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

If you have a trans line to a cooler, is there a reason why you didnt put it in there. Thats what I am planning on.

Any reason anyone else can convince me not too?

Ken H.

 

[tori89k5]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

I guess the biggest reason i have not put it in the line is because its a $50 kit from Autometer to do so. Plus i hate to butcher my very reliable hard lines. I mostlikely will be mounting it into the pan. I need to drop the pan and change fluid anyway. Then i can have that big brass fitting braized in. (i think)

 

[jackedjimmy]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

do you really have to tap into the pan for the sender? If i ran a oil cooler, could I just tap into one of the lines?

that seems easy but oil cooler lines are usually a braided steel wih a rubber sleev around it with permanent fittings on the end.

I also want to do the same for a tranny temp guage.

 

[ntaj*ep]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

Mine is an electric sender, but I just put it in one of the coolir lines. Never had a problem. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

 

[tori89k5]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

Updated..... TTT

 

[BorregoK5]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

Looks good, I've been wanting to do this for a long time. I hate not knowing what the temp is, especially after eating up a tranny in th past due to heat!

 

[blazen_md]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

When you put in your electrical sender in the cooler lines did you use the return line or the feed line?

 

[BobK]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

He put it in the pan,not the cooler lines.

 

[Chris_T]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

I just had it done for about $75, including the guage since I couldn't weld the pan myself. The pan is a more reliable place for judging the trans fluid temp as it is where the pickup is .. in the return line you'd get the temp of the cool fluid returning so if it were to be tapped into one of the cooler lines I'd have to suggest the line to the rad/tranny cooler, which would give you the 'hottest' temperature of the fluid and would be a good guideline for how hard the tranny is working

But as an added bonus, next time I want to drain the transmission I don't have to drop the pan, I can just drain it through the sender ... I'd been missing the drain hole I had in my TH350

 

[zakk]

Re: Tranny Temp Guage install

i just tapped a hole into my TCI pan. No welding, and no leaks.