Not sure if trans temp gauge working

[JWerkheiser]

It barely gets over 100 degrees driving in town and on highway. I did get it to go up to 180 when backing a trailer, but that is the most. The pan feels hot when I touch it but gauge reads 100-120. I have an aluminum 2qt over factory capacity pan and have the temp sensor at appx half depth of the pan. Gauge is DiPricol. thoughts??

 

[jelag]

For the senor to work correctly it must be IN the oil... not in the air above the oil... if your sure its IN the oil than I think the following is valid... .



If you can hold your hand on the pan... . the oil inside that pan can't be much over 110*... thats about all you can touch and hold your hand to... . maybe a few degrees cooler... . so if you can hold your hand on the pan that's about all the oil is inside and it sounds like the gauge is doing its stuff...



I have a gauge on my 01 manual... and it was a waste of money... never got much over 120 even when it was working hard... so I didn't put one on my 04... . On the other hand. . if I owned an auto and used it to pull hard. . I'd have one... BTW... ATF oil temp much over 220 - 240 *'s means that you have much shorter oil life... and once it gets to 300 and 350 your in danger... .

 

[JWerkheiser]

Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I had a hard time believing it was running that cool all the time, but the extra cap. pan and aluminum cooling fins on it must really work well. Towing about 5000 lbs on a flatbed tandem, I can't get it over 120 deg on the gauge.

 

[Tony T.]

Trans Temp

I have the X-Monitor on my truck an unloaded temps this time of year are running around 140*F to 145*F. I had the X-Monitor installed back around last of March when weather was cooler an the temps then was around 130*F. Here back first of August we took our TT on a camping trip, first trip since I had gauges installed an I was surprized that with pulling my TT around 6000# that trans temp never got over 160*F even while backing,(outside temps 97*F). I thought they would be up to around 175*F or 180*F. According to the 03 Owners Manual their saying that (normal full mark) "hot" fluid should be 180*F that's after vehicle has been driven at least 15 miles, an "warm" fluid around 125*F(running a short distance I take it, an fluid should be between the two holes on the stick ). All this is in the manual on how to check your trans fluid procedure. Still have the stock pan myself. So go figure on the accuracy of location of probe, I've questioned mine also especially when I towed with it. I would like to know dead on for sure reading.

 

[JVolpe]

I have an Autometer 140-280 trans temp gauge and mine unloaded takes a lot of city driving to get to 150 Degrees. I have never seen it over 160 Degrees with the outside temp 99. I thought that my gauge may not be working also, but people that know more than me said that is probably normal. My sensor is installed in the Trans to Trans Cooler line.

 

[RankRam]

I have the X-Monitor on my truck an unloaded temps this time of year are running around 140*F to 145*F. I had the X-Monitor installed back around last of March when weather was cooler an the temps then was around 130*F. Here back first of August we took our TT on a camping trip, first trip since I had gauges installed an I was surprized that with pulling my TT around 6000# that trans temp never got over 160*F even while backing,(outside temps 97*F). I thought they would be up to around 175*F or 180*F. According to the 03 Owners Manual their saying that (normal full mark) "hot" fluid should be 180*F that's after vehicle has been driven at least 15 miles, an "warm" fluid around 125*F(running a short distance I take it, an fluid should be between the two holes on the stick ). All this is in the manual on how to check your trans fluid procedure. Still have the stock pan myself. So go figure on the accuracy of location of probe, I've questioned mine also especially when I towed with it. I would like to know dead on for sure reading.

Tony I have the X-Monitor as well and my #'s are just like yours.



I took my truck down to my dealer and had one of the shop techs put the DRB to it. The trans temp on the X-Monitor showed 135 and the DRB showed 156. This was with my transmission being driven only 5 miles before we checked it.



My X has never been over 165 towing or empty. What I have done since the DRB check is add 20 degrees to my X-Monitor reading and have felt comfortable with these #'s.



Hope this helps.

 

[Tony T.]

X-Monitor

RankRam thanks for the heads up on X-temps I will do the math from now on.





Tony