Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Trans Temp always under 100* in winter?

[Bobcat698]

I have a DiPricol trans temp gauge, and live in WI. I have the sender screwed into a port on the drivers side of the transmission near the wiring harness.



I've noticed that this winter, I've only seen the transmission REACH 100* 1 or 2 times SINCE I've put the winterfront (cardboard) on.



Otherwise, its always below 100*. I haven't done any real long trips but I imagine it wouldn't get much warmer on the highway.



Does anyone else have this experience as well?

 

[RDelissen]

as soon as you get into some stop and go traffic for an extended time, you'll see the temp gauge rise ... no worries

 

[DBraunig]

Bobcat,



Mine doesn't really start to show any temps until stop and go traffic either. 120 +/- on the highway and 180 +/- in town. You will get more accurate temps if you install the sender in the cooler line, you have to use the early trans cooler line from a 46rh trans. This lets you tap into the hottest fluid temps, right out of the trans on its way to the cooler. Bill from DTT recommended this when i was building the trans. http://www.dieseltrans.com/ has the PN# on there website forums (currently in debug mode ) it was less than $100 from a Dodge Dealer. A forum search would find it again. When i had the sender in the case, i was always watching it to see if it "worked"? . But once i changed the line and moved the sender, its easy to watch the gauge now and see that it is more accurate .



Dave

 

[McLaughlin]

I have my sensor in the trans oil pan and see similar results. Hottest I've every seen the transmission get was 140. Normally it doesn't come off the peg. I'm considering moving my sensor to where DBrauig suggested.

 

[jtwcummins]

When I installed gauges I was really surprised at how cool the trans temp was for most driving. Hiway barely gets off the peg. Man, stop and go causes the temp to really climb, over 200* comes fast at idle. In hot weather I have to put trans in neutral at stop lights and run rpm to about 1500. OD is kept off in town driving where my speed stays under about 50 and this really helps keep trans fluid cooler. My gauge is in the trans output line to the cooler.



I wonder how much of the trans problems reported are because most don't have the gauge and never think of overheating not pulling.

 

[1dslram]

With the sender in the pan or anywhere but the cooler line, only tells you what your oil temp is after the coolers and before it gets heated. To tell what your trans is doing and how well the TC is doing it has to be in the cooler line, then double check the gauge as I have found well known Companies with gauges that were not correct. The best way is to have a trans shop with a thermal temp gauge check the cooler line temp for accuracy.

Bruce

 

[bmoeller]

I have temp sender (guage starts at 100*) in the hot line. It doesn't usually show a temp, unless in town, or when the ambient temp is over 20-25 or so degrees out.