trans temp problem
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Elder User
Joined: May 2007
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trans temp problem
I just finished installing an auto meter trans temp gauge, it reads from 100-220, the gauge will turns on, but we went for a ride down the freeway and it never read higher than 120 maybe.
I installed it in that 1/8" whole in the side of the trans on the drivers side, the wire I used was kind of small but I dont know if that makes a difference.
So after he got done driving the stock was at normal temp but the auto meter was just a little over 100, So I went and checked everything and the trans and oil were maybe only 85 degrees.
I have no Idea what is wrong, unless its working fine, any help would be great.
thanks
-Nick
I installed it in that 1/8" whole in the side of the trans on the drivers side, the wire I used was kind of small but I dont know if that makes a difference.
So after he got done driving the stock was at normal temp but the auto meter was just a little over 100, So I went and checked everything and the trans and oil were maybe only 85 degrees.
I have no Idea what is wrong, unless its working fine, any help would be great.
thanks
-Nick
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,007
Likes: 4
From: Central Florida
The wire should only carry signal voltage and next to no amperage. 18ga should be fine for just about any length and 22ga should be fine for 20' or so. So I don't believe it's an issue with the wire. I can't recall the autometer sender well, but I believe it's a one wire sender so the sender's body needs good electrical contact to the transmission.
I think 120 sounds about right for a no load easy drive. Don't trust the stock one, it's more than likely a switch rather than a sender, it may have 5 or 6 positions, but it shouldn't sweep.
I think 120 sounds about right for a no load easy drive. Don't trust the stock one, it's more than likely a switch rather than a sender, it may have 5 or 6 positions, but it shouldn't sweep.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
How long did you go down the freeway, what was ambiant temp where you are at?
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Elder User
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Oh and the truck has a 5.4L with 12" lift and 38" Micky T's
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
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From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
120 would be about right then. Tranny just driving around should only be ~100 degrees over ambiant.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,007
Likes: 4
From: Central Florida
Is that 100* for cold weather? I'd hate to think that mine is always upwards of 190 degrees because it's 80 degrees and up here 9 months out of the year. I was under the impression at 70degree ambient the trans with no load should run in the 160-170 range and under should be closer 185* with 240 being in dangerous range. I don't know where I got those impressions, but that's what I expect.
By the way, it sounds like you need more global warming up there.
By the way, it sounds like you need more global warming up there.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2007
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Is that 100* for cold weather? I'd hate to think that mine is always upwards of 190 degrees because it's 80 degrees and up here 9 months out of the year. I was under the impression at 70degree ambient the trans with no load should run in the 160-170 range and under should be closer 185* with 240 being in dangerous range. I don't know where I got those impressions, but that's what I expect.
By the way, it sounds like you need more global warming up there.
By the way, it sounds like you need more global warming up there.
thanks for the help fellas.
-Nick
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
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From: So Cal
On my 94 F250 E4OD, in freezing weather my tranny temp guage may take a couple hours of easy driving with no heavy load before it gets much above 120. The tranny is a lot of metal to heat up, so it takes a long time before the tranny dumps enough heat into the fluid to make it hot.
I read here that the tranny fluid will be about 70 degrees above the outside temp. So if you are at 10 degrees, 80 or 90 is about right for easy trips.
If you tow or have a heavy load or stop and go etc, it will warm up faster, but like I said it can take a long time when it is cold.
My truck hauling an 8000# trailer in summer will run around 190 on steady driving. In winter I think it gets to maybe 130-150 after a long haul in near freezing temps.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
I read here that the tranny fluid will be about 70 degrees above the outside temp. So if you are at 10 degrees, 80 or 90 is about right for easy trips.
If you tow or have a heavy load or stop and go etc, it will warm up faster, but like I said it can take a long time when it is cold.
My truck hauling an 8000# trailer in summer will run around 190 on steady driving. In winter I think it gets to maybe 130-150 after a long haul in near freezing temps.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
Let me ask all y'all this, are y'all getting your readings from the test port? Mine has always been ~100 degrees over ambiant temp when it was stock. Now this is also the torqshift, that might have something to do with it as well, I don't know, but I've never seen 70 over ambiant unless it was still warming up. Today it was 41 and I saw 160 on my gauges(analog and dashDAQ), but that's with a modified torque converter so I had expected it to run hotter then stock.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
Actually irony is, there are heating(global warming) and cooling cycles that the earth goes thru every so often. The question is, is what the democrats consider global warming to be actually what is going on. That's what is up for debate, but the earth as apart of it's natural cycle does heat up and then it cools down, fact of life.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
The actual probe that they use for the factory gauge is about 2 degrees off from what I get from the test port, and it's usually on the hotter side as well. I would consider that acceptable, now it's the actual gauge in the cluster that is the problem based on what I've seen while comparing my two gauges, same goes for water temp.
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,704
Likes: 2,625
From: SE Florida
On a 4R100 100F over ambient is a good rule of thumb. A TorqShift has a thermostat that's set at 165F, so it will warm up faster and tend to hover around 165F.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
Likes: 27
From: Long Beach, Ms.
When it gets hot enough the transmission fluid circulates through the external cooler in the radiator. Then the fluid is cooled just as your coolant is and to the same temp. During the winter the fluid doesn't pass through the cooler. In the summer an overheating engine can also overheat the transmission. Your transmission fluid should not get very much hotter than the coolant temp. I would say that everything seems to be correct with your gauge.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 823
Likes: 5
From: Dallas, Oregon
Mark, Is there a way to modify the stock gauge system to make the temperature gauge jump up to "hot" at say, 200 degrees? Adding a resistor or something? That would give a savvy owner better warning of pending overheat.
Last edited by JockD; Feb 21, 2009 at 01:44 AM. Reason: correct spelling.