Transmission Temp Gauge Mounting PITA

["Mad Max"]

I guess so long as there's gauge that can measure temp that's pretty good, and far better than no gauge. My personal feelings are that I want to know how hot the whole transmission is, not just the hottest part. The output line will always read hot, but I'm thinking that's not the best place for a gauge because I'd want to know how hot the fluid is when it returns to the transmission. The majority of the fluid collects in the pan, but there's nothing saying that's the best spot either. For sure tho, the pans with the tapped hole are by far the simplest spot, so that's where mine is . No doubt, fluid just leaving the converter is probably going to be the hottest, but it's also supposed to be the hottest. The fluid surrounding the clutch discs or valve body will be cookin' too, and especially the fluid going through the overdrive. So I figure if there's at least a sensor somewhere... anywhere... in the transmission system that can measure fluid temp you'll at least have a visual refrence for when things could be going bad.

Seriously, at what temperature would any of us stop driving our rigs? 250*, 270* - I dunno, but I think I'd start worrying if the temp was just climbing up and not stabilizing out at some temp. If it starts climbing off the scale, the coolers are not doing their jobs, but if it remains stable then your system is working. The cooler the better, but what is too cool or too hot?

Mount a sensor anywhere is convenient and drive it as you need to

- M2

 

[boatpuller]

Ive got a full DTT trans, when I had my sensor in the pan it never got over 220 degrees, never thought my transmission was getting hot, moved the sensor to the output line from the transmission, in the stock sensor location(tyewraped the overtemp sensor to the outside of the line) and on long climbs I'm pretty sure that the temp would go to 300 degrees easily, I'm only grossing about 14,000 pounds but it can still be climbing rapidly at 270 degrees when I back out of it, I've even added a second under bed cooler with fan, it helped with keeping the temps down, but they still get to the same level, I just get to travel faster, now I have to back out due to EGT and Trans temp at the same time, before the trans temp was my limiting factor. Measuring the temp in the pan will lull you into thinking the temps are ok. In the output line you find out how hot the fluid really is, the fluid is what breaks down at high temperature so knowing what temperature it's leaving the cooler or in the pan doesn't do anything to keep you from overheating the fluid which will cause it to break down and cause problems.

This is only my opinion on this, I could be wrong but I would rather be safe than sorry, the transmissions on our trucks aren't cheap, I don't want to have to rebuild it due to self inflicted damage by overheating it.



My $. 02



Caleb

 

[KOG]

I'ts not just the fluid that doesn't like high temp. Seals don't like that at all either. And the ouptut line isn't always hot. Only when you're pulling HARD and that's when you need to know to back off.