anyone runnning one??i was thinking about putting one on the burb tow rig...how would it be hooked up to a 400...
CK5
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trans temp guage??
- Thread starter twoslo4five0
- Start date
Most of them have a "T" fitting that hooks into the cooler line.
thats seems simple enough
3car
1/2 ton status
mine has the sender mounted in the side of the pan.
good to know
In the tranny pan is the best place for it.
mudbog42
1/2 ton status
Mine is also on the tranny pan
, got it after I got my new tranny from Bowtie Overdrives
and thats where they have you mount it, so it must be a good place for a sending unit1978Blazerk5
1/2 ton status
Good info here i was looking into puttin one in my 78' and runnin a Th350
From Yahoo autos (though I've seen similar info in several other places, including B&M's website):
An automatic transmission creates a lot of internal heat through friction: the friction of the fluid churning inside the torque converter, friction created when the clutch plates engage, and the normal friction created by gears and bearings carrying their loads.
It doesn’t take long for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to heat up once the vehicle is in motion. Normal driving will raise fluid temperatures to 175 degrees F., which is the usual temperature range at which most fluids are designed to operate. If fluid temperatures can be held to 175 degrees F., ATF will last almost indefinitely -- say up to 100,000 miles. But if the fluid temperature goes much higher, the life of the fluid begins to plummet. The problem is even normal driving can push fluid temperatures well beyond safe limits. And once that happens, the trouble begins.
At elevated operating temperatures, ATF oxidizes, turns brown and takes on a smell like burnt toast. As heat destroys the fluid’s lubricating qualities and friction characteristics, varnish begins to form on internal parts (such as the valve body) which interferes with the operation of the transmission. If the temperature gets above 250 degrees F., rubber seals begin to harden, which leads to leaks and pressure losses. At higher temperatures the transmission begins to slip, which only aggravates overheating even more. Eventually the clutches burn out and the transmission calls it quits. The only way to repair the damage now is with an overhaul -- a job which can easily run upwards of $1500 on a late model front-wheel drive car or minivan.
As a rule of thumb, every 20 degree increase in operating temperature above 175 degrees F. cuts the life of the fluid in half!
At 195 degrees F., for instance, fluid life is reduced to 50,000 miles. At 220 degrees, which is commonly encountered in many transmissions, the fluid is only good for about 25,000 miles. At 240 degrees F., the fluid won’t go much over 10,000 miles. Add another 20 degrees, and life expectancy drops to 5,000 miles. Go to 295 or 300 degrees F., and 1,000 to 1,500 miles is about all you’ll get before the transmission burns up.
If you think this is propaganda put forth by the suppliers of ATF to sell more fluid, think again. According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.
On most vehicles, the automatic transmission fluid is cooled by a small heat exchanger inside the bottom or end tank of the radiator. Hot ATF from the transmission circulates through a short loop of pipe and is thus "cooled." Cooling is a relative term here, however, because the radiator itself may be running at anywhere from 180 to 220 degrees F.!
Tests have shown that the typical original equipment oil cooler is marginal at best. ATF that enters the radiator cooler at 300 degrees F. leaves at 240 to 270 degrees F., which is only a 10 to 20% drop in temperature, and is nowhere good enough for extended fluid life.
Any number of things can push ATF temperatures beyond the system’s ability to maintain safe limits: towing a trailer, mountain driving, driving at sustained high speeds during hot weather, stop-and-go driving in city traffic, "rocking" an automatic transmission from drive to reverse to free a tire from mud or snow, etc. Problems in the cooling system itself such as a low coolant level, a defective cooling fan, fan clutch, thermostat or water pump, an obstructed radiator, etc., will also diminish ATF cooling efficiency. In some cases, transmission overheating can even lead to engine coolant overheating! That’s why there’s a good demand for auxiliary add-on transmission coolers.
Run a BIG trans cooler and a temp gauge guys!
An automatic transmission creates a lot of internal heat through friction: the friction of the fluid churning inside the torque converter, friction created when the clutch plates engage, and the normal friction created by gears and bearings carrying their loads.
It doesn’t take long for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to heat up once the vehicle is in motion. Normal driving will raise fluid temperatures to 175 degrees F., which is the usual temperature range at which most fluids are designed to operate. If fluid temperatures can be held to 175 degrees F., ATF will last almost indefinitely -- say up to 100,000 miles. But if the fluid temperature goes much higher, the life of the fluid begins to plummet. The problem is even normal driving can push fluid temperatures well beyond safe limits. And once that happens, the trouble begins.
At elevated operating temperatures, ATF oxidizes, turns brown and takes on a smell like burnt toast. As heat destroys the fluid’s lubricating qualities and friction characteristics, varnish begins to form on internal parts (such as the valve body) which interferes with the operation of the transmission. If the temperature gets above 250 degrees F., rubber seals begin to harden, which leads to leaks and pressure losses. At higher temperatures the transmission begins to slip, which only aggravates overheating even more. Eventually the clutches burn out and the transmission calls it quits. The only way to repair the damage now is with an overhaul -- a job which can easily run upwards of $1500 on a late model front-wheel drive car or minivan.
As a rule of thumb, every 20 degree increase in operating temperature above 175 degrees F. cuts the life of the fluid in half!
At 195 degrees F., for instance, fluid life is reduced to 50,000 miles. At 220 degrees, which is commonly encountered in many transmissions, the fluid is only good for about 25,000 miles. At 240 degrees F., the fluid won’t go much over 10,000 miles. Add another 20 degrees, and life expectancy drops to 5,000 miles. Go to 295 or 300 degrees F., and 1,000 to 1,500 miles is about all you’ll get before the transmission burns up.
If you think this is propaganda put forth by the suppliers of ATF to sell more fluid, think again. According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.
On most vehicles, the automatic transmission fluid is cooled by a small heat exchanger inside the bottom or end tank of the radiator. Hot ATF from the transmission circulates through a short loop of pipe and is thus "cooled." Cooling is a relative term here, however, because the radiator itself may be running at anywhere from 180 to 220 degrees F.!
Tests have shown that the typical original equipment oil cooler is marginal at best. ATF that enters the radiator cooler at 300 degrees F. leaves at 240 to 270 degrees F., which is only a 10 to 20% drop in temperature, and is nowhere good enough for extended fluid life.
Any number of things can push ATF temperatures beyond the system’s ability to maintain safe limits: towing a trailer, mountain driving, driving at sustained high speeds during hot weather, stop-and-go driving in city traffic, "rocking" an automatic transmission from drive to reverse to free a tire from mud or snow, etc. Problems in the cooling system itself such as a low coolant level, a defective cooling fan, fan clutch, thermostat or water pump, an obstructed radiator, etc., will also diminish ATF cooling efficiency. In some cases, transmission overheating can even lead to engine coolant overheating! That’s why there’s a good demand for auxiliary add-on transmission coolers.
Run a BIG trans cooler and a temp gauge guys!
guz71
1/2 ton status
good interesting info. I just bought the 50 dollar B&M trans temp kit, it comes with a t fitting for the cooler lines and its a peice of cake to hook up. Granted its not as accurate as if the sender were hooked up in the pan, I still think it does a decent job of reading the temps. With an auxillary cooler and TC lock up it says its running 170-180 on the highway, so that sounds about right to me
3car
1/2 ton status
I would make sure its mounted in the line sending the hot fluid tward the cooler, and not the one returning it to the tranny.
guz71
1/2 ton status
It is, driving around town for a while it will get to around 190 or so and stay there unless I start getting on it or if its pretty hot outside. Over the summer in houston it would get over 210 sometimes with a lot of stop and go traffic.
Does anyone make a pan with a drain plug and place for the sensor already on it? (that doesn't want my right testicle)
88Silverado
1/2 ton status
BowTie Overdrive in Hesperia, Ca. may have what you need.
I think the best place to put the sensor is in the line out from the converter.
If your pushing temps on the output in the 250-300 range you should be dropping down and running lower gears. The temp in the sump will be lower. Most fluids are good to 300F then they start to break down fast. On my Motorhome with Allison 545 trans, the sensor is at the converter output and its amazing to see how fast that fluid temp can rise in a short time. The Pan will tell you what the internals of the trans are seeing and, of course, keep the temps in the low to mid 200's. I'd rather watch the output knowing what the actual max temp of the fluid is than after its cooled and in the sump.
Copasetic
1/2 ton status
Makes sense and has really sparked my interest. Not to hijack but which line is the discharge going to the cooler on a 700R4? And would I benefit from a higher capacity trans pan? I'm also wanting to install a trans cooler. OK, hijack off, lol.
3car
1/2 ton status
The top line going into the radiator is the one you want, and you can't go wrong with an aditional cooler and deeper pan. More fluid capacity is always a plus.Makes sense and has really sparked my interest. Not to hijack but which line is the discharge going to the cooler on a 700R4? And would I benefit from a higher capacity trans pan? I'm also wanting to install a trans cooler. OK, hijack off, lol.
Just buy a cast alum pan, w/ a drain, & drill & tap it for the temp sender. My sender was 1/8" pipe threads. I have the autometer pro comp gauge. I bought my pan from BTE Racing. I think it was about $150. It holds an extra 2 quarts & is finned.
88Silverado
1/2 ton status
Are you sure its the Top Line going onto the radiator??
Usually they feed the fluid from the Bottom up on vertical coolers so the fluid doesnt "waterfall" down and remains in the cooler for longer. The reason they run it thru the radiator is to actually warm the fluid up to operating temp and keep it there during the winter months.
Heres some info I got long time ago from some old service tech.
The question is where is your trany gauge sender unit mounted.
If it is in the line from the converter it will read much higher
when you are climbing a long grade. If it is installed in the return
line it will not change very much on long grades.There is a lot of
controversy around about where the sending unit should be mounted.
Some manufactures say in the line out of the trany and some say
in the return line. Some people mount it in the pressure test
port. I believe what you want to know is the actual temp. that
the trany is running at. The oil temp coming out of the converter
can go up 150 degrees in just minutes when the converter is not
locked up and you are climbing a grade. Mine is mounted in the
oil pan it reads on a long climb no higher than 175 degrees. If
under the same conditions if it was mounted in the line out of the
converter it could be reading over 220 degrees easily. This heat
is generated by the slippage of the oil between the drive blades in
the converter. This does not give you a true reading of what the
actual trany is running at. The converter is designed to stand temps.
higher than the actual trany. The most important thing is not to
get your oil so hot that it will burn, if this happens the trany
life will be short. Here is a chart out of my GM manual.
OIL TEMPERATURE MEASURED AT CONVERTER OUTLET TO COOLER
Degrees F Miles
175 100000
195 50000
212 25000
235 12000
255 6000
275 3000
295 1500
315 750
335 325
355 160
375 80
390 40
415 less than 30 minutes
OIL TEMPERATURES MEASURED IN THE SUMP OR OIL PAN
150 F Minimum operating temperatures for continuous
operation. It is possible in low ambient temperature
to over cool the transmission with oil to air-type
coolers; it is hard to overcool if used in conjunction
with oil to water coolers installed in most automotive
radiators.
190 -200F- Proper oil level checking temperature.
200F- maximum oil level checking temperature.
285F- maximum sump/oil pan temperature for short
duration, such as a long hill climb.
300F- metal parts inside the transmission begin
to warp and distort in varying degrees,
seals melt rapidly, and tranmission fluid
life is extremely short due to oxidation
and distress.
Note The chart is based on the assumption that the oil
temperature remains constant for the miles indicated.
Temperatures which appear for short periods,such as
climbing hills, etc. would need to be averaged against
normal operating temperatures to determine actual life
expectancy.
Do not allow the converter outlet oil temperature to exceed
350F. To cool the trany put trany in NEUTRAL and run the
engine at 1200 RPM for 2-3 minutes to cool the oil.
When the transmission is in stall condition the transmission
will develop heat at a rate of one degree per second of stall.
This whole part above is taken directly from the GM manual
Hope this clears up some questions about trnsmission operating
temperatures.
FWIW
Usually they feed the fluid from the Bottom up on vertical coolers so the fluid doesnt "waterfall" down and remains in the cooler for longer. The reason they run it thru the radiator is to actually warm the fluid up to operating temp and keep it there during the winter months.
Heres some info I got long time ago from some old service tech.
The question is where is your trany gauge sender unit mounted.
If it is in the line from the converter it will read much higher
when you are climbing a long grade. If it is installed in the return
line it will not change very much on long grades.There is a lot of
controversy around about where the sending unit should be mounted.
Some manufactures say in the line out of the trany and some say
in the return line. Some people mount it in the pressure test
port. I believe what you want to know is the actual temp. that
the trany is running at. The oil temp coming out of the converter
can go up 150 degrees in just minutes when the converter is not
locked up and you are climbing a grade. Mine is mounted in the
oil pan it reads on a long climb no higher than 175 degrees. If
under the same conditions if it was mounted in the line out of the
converter it could be reading over 220 degrees easily. This heat
is generated by the slippage of the oil between the drive blades in
the converter. This does not give you a true reading of what the
actual trany is running at. The converter is designed to stand temps.
higher than the actual trany. The most important thing is not to
get your oil so hot that it will burn, if this happens the trany
life will be short. Here is a chart out of my GM manual.
OIL TEMPERATURE MEASURED AT CONVERTER OUTLET TO COOLER
Degrees F Miles
175 100000
195 50000
212 25000
235 12000
255 6000
275 3000
295 1500
315 750
335 325
355 160
375 80
390 40
415 less than 30 minutes
OIL TEMPERATURES MEASURED IN THE SUMP OR OIL PAN
150 F Minimum operating temperatures for continuous
operation. It is possible in low ambient temperature
to over cool the transmission with oil to air-type
coolers; it is hard to overcool if used in conjunction
with oil to water coolers installed in most automotive
radiators.
190 -200F- Proper oil level checking temperature.
200F- maximum oil level checking temperature.
285F- maximum sump/oil pan temperature for short
duration, such as a long hill climb.
300F- metal parts inside the transmission begin
to warp and distort in varying degrees,
seals melt rapidly, and tranmission fluid
life is extremely short due to oxidation
and distress.
Note The chart is based on the assumption that the oil
temperature remains constant for the miles indicated.
Temperatures which appear for short periods,such as
climbing hills, etc. would need to be averaged against
normal operating temperatures to determine actual life
expectancy.
Do not allow the converter outlet oil temperature to exceed
350F. To cool the trany put trany in NEUTRAL and run the
engine at 1200 RPM for 2-3 minutes to cool the oil.
When the transmission is in stall condition the transmission
will develop heat at a rate of one degree per second of stall.
This whole part above is taken directly from the GM manual
Hope this clears up some questions about trnsmission operating
temperatures.
FWIW
mine is the top line on my truck...i wont have to buy a pan with a plug cause my 400 already has one 
habitatxskate
1/2 ton status
mine is the top line on my truck...i wont have to buy a pan with a plug cause my 400 already has one
well i'm guessing someone doesn't change their filter then!
