Trans temp probe on a '96

[Fish On]

Getting ready to install gauges and would like some advice on installing the trans temp probe. I have heard on a 1996 that it can be installed in the second port back on passenger side. If you have any experinece with this please let me know. Or if you know of a better set-up I would love to hear about it. If srehberg reads this please let me know what Bill K says about putting in second port back thanks!

 

[SRehberg]

Fish On, see my reply on the "trans temp sender"... . no reply from Bill K. yet, but I'm sure he will as he is very busy. It looks like a logical place to mount it, and the probe isn't very long, so if it looks like it'll clear, mines going in. I have the Auto Meter guage. I would like to put a pressure guage in the cooler line as well, as I lost one trans already to a stuck check valve, so I removed the check valve. No more restriction! Goerend Transmission stated they remove all the ones they do, and he definetly has a handle on the inner workings/problems of the Dodge automatics.



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'96 2wd auto (wish it was a stick)

 

[SRehberg]

trans temp probe

Fish On

Have you installed your guages? If so, did you install the temp sensor probe in the accumulator port (2nd one back on pass side)? I haven't heard from Bill K. yet, but Shanti K. e-mailed me asking if I had heard yet. I haven't installed mine yet, as my back is out at the moment.





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'96 2wd needing its temp taken

 

[Fish On]

I have taken tomorrow off of work to do the install and I will try the trans temp probe in the port. do you know if it is the right size threads or do you need to use a reducer? I am installing autometer ultralites from genos. I will keep you posted on the results. Thanks for your help!

 

[SRehberg]

Fish On, good to hear from you, and I just checked my AutoMeter probe; it's exactly the same thread that is in the test port, so it should be a piece of cake to install. I am looking forward to installing mine as soon as I can. Thanks for the info and keep me in mind.





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'96 2wd auto

 

[SRehberg]

Fish On



I received a reply from Shanti Kondolay who checked with Bill on the placement of the trans temp probe. He said it definetly needs to be in the trans output line! Now I'm confused, as I understood from this forum that Bill had indicated the accumulator port was the place to put it. Where have you installed yours? A couple of other posts seemed to indicate it worked o. k. in the accumulator port, just in certain gear shift positions though, which is o. k. with me. Anyone have any input on this?



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'96 2wd wanting to have its temp taken

 

[Cooker]

If I remember correctly the port on the transmission won't register updated temperatures if you are in reverse and/or neutral. Not too big of a deal unless you are backing up a trailer.



I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.



-Ryan

 

[SRehberg]

Thanks for the reply. I will be backing up a trailer when going on vacation, but only into camping spots etc. Do these transmissions build heat quickly in reverse? The port seems like such an easy spot to attach the probe, as the '96 doesn't have the temp sensor on the line like the '95 and this boy is on a tight budget.



Any experience pulling a 5800lb trailer w/o an exhaust brake and going downhill in second? i. e. , does it overheat the trans etc?

These automatics sure seem to be a weak link. I was told an exhaust brake will tear up the stock TC but an aftermarket one at $1000 is nice, but pricey.



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'96 2wd about to get probed

 

[illflem]

Glad you checked with Bill, as I said before the middle test port location was recommended to me for a '95, guess there are differences in trannies. A cooling output line with port from a '95 is recommended on '96+ for the sender port. Backing up a 5er can be hot on the transmission, you are usually stopping and starting a lot, slipping the trans with little airflow though the cooler.

 

[Cooker]

An exhaust brake will tear up a stock or aftermarket TC. 5800lbs is nothing behind the truck. I wouldn't worry about not having an exhaust brake. There are quite a few guys on here that tow more than that through the mountains w/o an exhaust brake. You might post a question in the Towing/Hauling forum for more responses to this question.



The transmission itself is not the weak link. In fact it is one hel of a tuff transmission (727 w/ OD), the problem is the lockup torque convertor. A Cummins an eat through torque convertor clutches without any problems. Smart driving will help keep it alive. There are a few guys on here with over 150k on their stock transmission.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

I have about 145k on my stock auto, the only thing I've done to it is add a 3 pos. lockup switch mounted an inch below the turn signal lever. I drive it by the switch 100% of the time. I also went to Tractor Supply, and got a 10 micron, spin on filter % block for hydraulic systems, mounted it on the little cross member behind the front bumper, and spliced it into the rubber line going to the hot (driver's) side of the transmission cooler. It also has a probe port in it, and that's where I take my transmission temp. This is in the line coming from the TC to the cooler, & this is were you'll find your hottest temps, not after it returns too the pan, already cooled. The block & filter are about $20. 00, and have 3/4" pipe fittings. It flows 20 gal per minute, and is commonly used on wood splitter return lines. I put it on when the truck was new, have had no problems with it, and it keeps the fluid CLEAN!

 

[illflem]

Dennis, yours an excellent solution, but remember it still isn't the hottest location. The ATF flows thru a precooler in the engine before continuing on to the main cooler. Your readings will be lower than right after the line leaves the transmission, still much better than a pan location though.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

That's true. There hasn't been a whole lot of discussion about that precooler or what it does. However, with my probe mounted in the filter block, I can see that transmission temps go up on a cold start much, much faster than either engine oil or engine coolant temps do. So I think on cold days, it must work to transfer heat INTO the engine, to speed up the warm up process. After that it must cool the fluid a little when everything is up to normal operating temps????? At the location I use, I see temps normally about 155 deg. If stuck in traffic, & not able to lock up, it might go in the 160's. If I'm at a light or stopped very long, I try go go to "N" & let the cooler do it's work a little easier.

 

[Fish On]

Well the probe is mounted in the 2nd port back on the pass side. It appears to be working ok so far but have only driven the truck about 30 miles since gauges have been installed. Temp this morning is -3F outside and saw a max of about 130F on the trans temp gauge. Max egt was 1050 at WOT pre turbo. Reading about 27 lbs of boost. Only mod to truck is a tst plate 230/605. To install trans temp probe had to do a little modification. The actual probe was not fitting into the port very well so I used a small tee section that screwed into the port a little better. Blocked off oneside and put the probe in the other. Probe extends far enough into the tee that it is getting the fluid as it circulates thru the pan. Cannot comment on accuracy as of yet and I may relocate the probe later but this works for now. It is a quick and easy solution although maybe not the most accuracte. If anyone has a pan that is drilled and tapped what temps are you seeing under unloaded normal driving conditions? Gauges are autometer ultralites purchased form genos.

 

[illflem]

Fish-on don't know that putting the sensor in a tee is giving a good reading since the fluid isn't circulating past it. I ran into that problem when I used a tee on my '95 output line port for both the stock sender and my new one. The stock sender was delaying OD lockup quite a bit. My readings on the new sender increased quite a bit after moving the sender to the middle port. Perhaps it would be better for you to use a short nipple with a coupling rather than a tee to try and get the sender more in the ATF flow.