I just recvd my new F-250, V-10, auto trans today. I was sure worth waiting for. As I am going to be doing some towing soon I would like to install a tranny temp gauge.

What brand seems to be the best and where can I by one?
Does anyone know how to install the probe on the tranny?
What type mounting method and location is the best for the gauge?

Just an old sailor trying to fix up his last truck. Thanks

 

I would recommend Autometer (www.autometer.com). It seems to be the gauge brand that most people around here use.

As far as installation, mounting, and location, check this out: www.smokyvalley.com/gauge_install.htm. It has great instructions with nice pictures, too.

Ryan

 

are you sure you bought a new one? my 2002 came with one from ford

check your dash!

Tony

 

Tony,

From what I understand, the guages that come with the trucks in the dash are basically worthless. This goes for the oil pressure too. Aftermarket gauges are the only way to go if you want any accuracy.

Ryan

 

I have a new auto meter trans temp I'll sell, mechanical, 2 1/16 sport comp w/ a pod. ranger522 at comcast dot net. It's just collecting dust on a shelf. Yeti - please delete if this is an unappropreate post.

 

I have the Autometer electrical sender transmission temp guage on my van. Take a look at my gallery for pic of the sender installed and the guage in a pillar pod.

 

I thought I read on here a while back that you can swap out the factory sending unit to make the dash tranny gauge a more accurate one. The way I understand it, the factory one only registers certain temperature ranges.

 

Be sure and check the guage numbers. Try and get a 270 degree sweep guage that BEGINS at 100 degrees. Most begin at 140 degrees, and consequently most of the time, your tranny temp never gets there unless you are pulling, or a lot of stop and go , etc. There is a sort of rule of thumb, that the tranny temp generally runs about 70 degrees hotter than outside ambient temp in mild driving conditions. So if its 70 outside, your tranny will be registering 140 when warmed up. I have a Banks tranny temp guage that also begins at 140, and here in the Seattle area, where Winter temps hover around 30 to 50, my temp guage has never seen 140. That is why I wish I had one that BEGINS with 100, so I could monitor that 40 degree spread.

 

I just installed my Autometer gauges.(trans temp, boost, EGT). Installing them was not that difficult and looks real nice with the 3 meter pod on the A pillar of my 2000X. However, the trans. temp probe was leaking fluid and the instructions say to not overtighten. I think I did just that when trying to repair the leak.(I'll check tomorrow) Any ideas if I did infact strip the threads on the trans case?

 

I bought an ISSPRO guage from www.deiselpage.com They have good instructions too. check out this link http://www.dieselpage.com/gimain.htm I also bought the single guage pod to mount on my window pillar thingy. The Instructions were great, it took time but was easy. The kit I got was complete with guage, sender and wiring. The mounting hole on the trans is driver side of the trans, just in front of the wiring plug on the trans. There is a plug that you back out and screw in your sending unit.

I agree with TJC1989. I also have a 140 degree threshhold. It hasn't gotten hot enough yet for me to see the temp register on my guage. Oh well. Travel season is coming soon. Good luck.

 

I have the ISSPRO Gage's and love them. I thought they looked the closest to the stock Gage's.

My Tranny Gage starts at 100 deg

 

Be very careful installing the sending unit for the Autometer. The diagnostic port location in the transmission (easy install location) does not have enough depth and you may end up cracking the brass casing, causing a leak. If cracked severely, you may leave the end of the casing inside the port upon removal. If so, it is a very tricky removal, but can be done. Be there done that!

After a very tricky removal, I installed a new sending unit, but created a bushing to allow for a tight fit without bottoming out the sending unit.

 

I had read about these bottoming out before I did mine, so I did the insert the screwdriver into the hole measurement technique and found that it was a lot deeper than my sending unit that came with my ISSPRO guage kit. I snugged mine up real good. The ISSPRO unit looked like it would take a good tighening.

 

MKJRH00, could you please inform me as to what needs to be done once you do break the probe of in the trans case? Unfortunatly I read your post prior to tightening mine to fix a leak. I have also noticed that my trans is not acting correctly. I feel a real firm shift into 1st and 2nd gear and I am running higher rpm's than normal, like it should shift one more time. I am hoping to fix these problems once I get the probe and whatever pieces that broke off out of the trans. Thanks for your help.

 

4 jjjj:

I doubt the sending unit has caused any problems with your tranny, unless you have lost a lot of fluid. I'm no expert though. If you used the test port in the rear of the tranny, on the drivers side, then we're talking about the same subject. When I removed my leaking sending unit, the end of the brass, flat bottom cylinder stayed in the test port. If you removed the damaged unit in tact (brass cylinder cracked, but still attached) then all you would need to do is put in a new unit, but with a bushing or several washers to keep it from bottoming out. You only need about 1/4 inch spacing.

The depth of the test port is very deceiving, because if you just stick a small screw driver in the hole, it appears that their is plenty of room, but there is actually an obstruction that reaches out into the whole at an angle. I could only detect it when I used a test rod that was the same diameter as the sending unit, and then only slightly, as the obstruction will just cause the object to deflect from a straight path. When the sending unit is threaded all the way in, it can't deflect and therefore cracks.

If the brass end of the unit is still in your test port, you can see it with a mirror and light. I used a number of "ease-outs" until I find the exact size to get a bite on the brass, which is hollow. I ended up having to grind down (shorten) the tip of a tapered ease-out until I had the right diameter to get a good bite, but short enough to keep it from bottoming out inside the brass. Once I got a good bite, it pulled out. It did not have to be treaded out.