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I'm planning on installing a autometer trans temp guage. I've read all the post here and everyone says to mount the sensor probe on the driver side of the transmission housing. I wonder if that is the best location?
I would think the fluid leaving the transmission, going to the cooler, would be the hottest (worst case) temperature. I wonder if anyone has installed a tee fitting or manifold in this line running to the cooler?
Maybe the trans housing location gives the same reading?
I would like to know what others have done. Thanks for your time and thoughts.
I just installed same guage, used the test port on drivers side seems to work well, course it has only been in for an hour! I did lots of research on this website and i did come across a post where a fellow tested the drivers side port and an inline source and readings were the same . Anyway just my 2 cents.
Good Luck!
mnero, you'll get alot of opinions on this subject as well as EGT and boost, but the consensus is that having it in the pan on the driver's side is more an indication of operating temperature then the lines. I have been running mine in that position for over 2 years now and like the response that I get from that port. I've also read that the difference in the 2 places isn't that much of a change either.
Sounds like the driver side port is a good place. I also read some issues about the depth of that port and some breaking off the probe end. Any warnings or suggestions on what you did for that installation?
I'm sure I can figure it out, but off hand which line is the hot one leaving the transmisssion? I have a line at the front and rear of the housing. Another way to figure this would be to know if the fluid leaves the aux cooler or radiator last before returning to the transmission?
Lolumbr,
What T fitting did you use - aluminum manifold or something else? Where did you purchase it.
I believe the front one is the line going to the cooler, I drove mine to work one day and then crawled under it and the front one was hotter, noticable hotter, so that was how I figured mine out.
mine also goes into the radiator cooler then to an aux. cooler up front of the a/c condensor. I used a brass T-fitting with two barb fittings for my probe to go into and mounted it right before the radiator cooler because there was already rubber hose there and I wouldn't have to cut my metal line to mount the sensor.
I bought an external spin on filter that I installed in the hot line going to the cooler, and the screw on assembley has my sensor in it. Just unscrewed the plug and screwed the sensor in. The front line is the hot line. I checked it by starting the truck with the lines unhooked and plastic bags on both lines. In just a few seconds the bag on the front line had fluid in it.
Thanks everyone for your responses. Very helpful and I hope others benefit as well. One last question. Can you clarify on what an external spin on filter is? Do you have link for it or suggestion on where to purchase?
I bought mine at Campers World for something like $42.00. It takes a FL-1 motorcraft filter like most of the Ford engines take. If you put it in line it will filter out all the smaller particles that the pan filter doesn't pick up. I would suggest one for anyone with an automatic transmission.
We just used a standard compression T in the middle of the hot side going to the cooler. I had the trany flushed and had the transmission shop install the T. I ran the wiring so when I got home I connected the wire. It took them like 20minutes to do the install. So it was only about $30.00 for a professional to do the install.
Temp readings are good beacuse the sensor is in the hottest spot.
Putting it in the hot line is not really accurate because it is only at that elevated temperature briefly and it is not exposed to the air then. There are not many specs available for that location though they do exist. 250-300 is max for the hot line. I think it should be in the pressure port as others have said. There you will see a better reflection of how hot the system is. 250ish is max there and above about 200 continuous is when you need to start wondering.
Thanks Birken for the reply. You make a good point about the temperature specs. If the ranges discussed are at the transmission port, then that makes sense. Plus, it is easier to put in that port then to buy additional hardware. I will try it first in that port, it is easy to relocated later if necessary.