Trans temp?'s
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 210
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From: Ixonia, WI
Trans temp?'s
I know I posted like last week I think but didn't get many replies. I need to know what the normal operating temp is on the 4r100 trans. I installed a 2 1/16'' electronic trans temp gauge(autometer) using the small port on the drivers side above the linkage. I used the special ordered shorter sending unit in fear of it breaking off in the trans. Anyway, I towed a small aluminum two place sled trailer with two sleds and one in the pickup bed. I'm concerned I got a falty gauge or sending unit cause I was getting higher temps than I thought was normal for such a small load. I had temps reading up to 225 degrees. I have had temps reach 190 even running empty(seems kind of irratic most of the time). I have a trans cooler that appears to be working since it cools slightly when I hit highway speeds. No burnt fluid, no slipage, everything had been perfect for 112K miles. Had a fluid/filter change at 65K or so. Just curious what you guy's are running for temps with the sender in the pressurized side port on the trans. Maybe I need to put it in the pan instead. Thanks for any reply's
Brad
Brad
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
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Your temps are high.
I would run a flow test on the coolers. Something could be plugged.
Remove the cooler line where it attaches near the rear of the trans. Point it into a bucket and start the engine. Move the line into a second container for exactly fifteen seconds. You need to have at least a quart in the second container. If not, there isn't enough flow to cool the trans.
If fluid comes out of the connection where you removed the line then the bypass is stuck open and fluid isn't going to the cooler. The bypass is in the tube that connects the two cooler lines at the trans.
I would run a flow test on the coolers. Something could be plugged.
Remove the cooler line where it attaches near the rear of the trans. Point it into a bucket and start the engine. Move the line into a second container for exactly fifteen seconds. You need to have at least a quart in the second container. If not, there isn't enough flow to cool the trans.
If fluid comes out of the connection where you removed the line then the bypass is stuck open and fluid isn't going to the cooler. The bypass is in the tube that connects the two cooler lines at the trans.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Ixonia, WI
I will try that casey, thanks a bunch. I just don't know if it is the gauge or not because it seemed like when I lightly tapped on the gauge it would drop slightly. Only thing I can think of is when I installed it I hooked up a separate chassis ground and I didn't need one cause the sender was grounding it. I drove it like that for 45min or so. The temp would not read over 100 degrees untill I unhooked that ground wire. Maybe I messed up the gauge or sending unit.(let's hope anyway). Being it's kind of irratic I'm hoping its one of the two. I will let you know what I find out but if someone could let me know what kind of temps I am supposed to be getting empty and towing that would be great. thanks
CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,209
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
I think the ground wire is supposed to be connected as close as possible to the sending unit (I've seen installation pictures with a ring terminal under one of the pan bolts). Normal temp range is 180-220.
Steve
Steve
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 78
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From: Monroeville, AL
I'm kinda fighting the same battle, but different. My gauge won't go above 100. You can run a wire from the threaded part of the sender to a ground and the gauge should peg out at 250 (assuming that's the highest) (this is per Autometer). That will tell you if the gauge is operational and wired correctly. I've tried grounding the base of my sending unit and still no reading above 100 yet. I'm quessing that my sender may be bad? I don't know!
I don't know what to make of readings that are moving within your range.
Good lcuk,
Jim
I don't know what to make of readings that are moving within your range.
Good lcuk,
Jim
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Ixonia, WI
Thanks steina,
My instructions did say that the gauge may be grounded by the sending unit itself, and that I wouldn't need a ground wire in that case. Well it didn't work at all with the ground hooked up so I assumed it was grounded by the sender. Well I just got back from a 20 mile empty round trip, it was around 150 when I got there and when I got home it was around 170 and approched 180 after idleing for about five minutes. Not too bad but heck it's only 25 degrees out here in WI. I checked the fluid and it is perfect pink and doesn't smell burnt and it's perfectly full. I just don't know if everyone is using the port on the side of the trans for the install or are they putting the sender in the pan or in the cooler line. keep the temps coming, would like to hear more.
brad
My instructions did say that the gauge may be grounded by the sending unit itself, and that I wouldn't need a ground wire in that case. Well it didn't work at all with the ground hooked up so I assumed it was grounded by the sender. Well I just got back from a 20 mile empty round trip, it was around 150 when I got there and when I got home it was around 170 and approched 180 after idleing for about five minutes. Not too bad but heck it's only 25 degrees out here in WI. I checked the fluid and it is perfect pink and doesn't smell burnt and it's perfectly full. I just don't know if everyone is using the port on the side of the trans for the install or are they putting the sender in the pan or in the cooler line. keep the temps coming, would like to hear more.
brad
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
From: Ixonia, WI
Hey penguin149,
I had the same problem at first but it did that when I had a chassis ground hooked up in the cab. I couldn't get any readings past the second 0 in 100. When I unhooked the ground period and just let the sending unit ground the gauge it jumped right up to 150 or so. I was just getting irratic readings last weekend with a reletively light load(3 snomobiles), but I did a search last night on this sight and found that what I was getting wasn't too unheard of. For the $11 I might just for the heck of it go back to NAPA and get a new short sender (autometer part #2259) just for a piece of mind. Also a couple of guy's said don't use the teflon tape on the threads, (probably for grounding purposes), well I did and maybe I'll try without and see if it leaks then.
I had the same problem at first but it did that when I had a chassis ground hooked up in the cab. I couldn't get any readings past the second 0 in 100. When I unhooked the ground period and just let the sending unit ground the gauge it jumped right up to 150 or so. I was just getting irratic readings last weekend with a reletively light load(3 snomobiles), but I did a search last night on this sight and found that what I was getting wasn't too unheard of. For the $11 I might just for the heck of it go back to NAPA and get a new short sender (autometer part #2259) just for a piece of mind. Also a couple of guy's said don't use the teflon tape on the threads, (probably for grounding purposes), well I did and maybe I'll try without and see if it leaks then.
