Tranmission temp guage
01-24-2014, 10:16 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Tranmission temp guage
Hey guys I have a 99 f150 5.4 and I do a good bit of towing largest loads up to 9,000 pounds and I'm worried about the transmission getting to warm. I was just wanting to know how hard it'll be to hook up a transmission temp gauge and how to you do it. Thanks in advance, Clay.
01-24-2014, 10:27 AM
#2
Hey guys I have a 99 f150 5.4 and I do a good bit of towing largest loads up to 9,000 pounds and I'm worried about the transmission getting to warm. I was just wanting to know how hard it'll be to hook up a transmission temp gauge and how to you do it. Thanks in advance, Clay.
Complete How-To found via Google:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/199...ighlight=gauge
MGD
01-24-2014, 10:31 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
01-24-2014, 12:44 PM
#4
Grumpy Old Man
That How-to article by Fairlaner was excellent in all but one way. He used the "hot" line between the tranny and coolers as his source for the temp of the ATF. So the temp he gets will be the temp of the ATF as it comes out of the torque converter. That temp is much hotter than "tranny temp", so it might give you the misinformation that your tranny is overheating when in fact it's perfectly normal up to around 300° under severe conditions.
DO NOT install the tranny temp sensor in either the hot or return lines between the tranny and the cooler(s). Those locations will give you overstated or understated temps. Instead you want tranny "sump" temp, or the temp of the ATF in the pan. Then you use any temp less than about 205° as the "green zone", 205° to 225° as the "yellow" or "pay attention" zone, and anything over 225° as the "red" or "stop and cool off" zone.
Some Ford trannies have a threaded plug you can remove to access ATF that is about sump temp. For example, the '99-'03 4R100 tranny has a plug where you can install the sensor (temp sender) to give you sump temp. I don't know about F-150 trannies.
But most trannies you must remove and clean the tranny pan, drill a hole in the side of the pan, then install a threaded "bung" in that hole to have a place to screw in the sensor so it will be in the ATF and give you "sump temp".
Note that some gauge manufacturer's include parts to install the temp sensor in the drain plug of the tranny. But if the drain plug is on the bottom of the pan, there's danger of scraping it off and draining all your ATF when in off-road conditions. So don't install it there either. Install it on the side of the tranny pan, down low so it's in the ATF, but not under the pan where it could be scraped off.
DO NOT install the tranny temp sensor in either the hot or return lines between the tranny and the cooler(s). Those locations will give you overstated or understated temps. Instead you want tranny "sump" temp, or the temp of the ATF in the pan. Then you use any temp less than about 205° as the "green zone", 205° to 225° as the "yellow" or "pay attention" zone, and anything over 225° as the "red" or "stop and cool off" zone.
Some Ford trannies have a threaded plug you can remove to access ATF that is about sump temp. For example, the '99-'03 4R100 tranny has a plug where you can install the sensor (temp sender) to give you sump temp. I don't know about F-150 trannies.
But most trannies you must remove and clean the tranny pan, drill a hole in the side of the pan, then install a threaded "bung" in that hole to have a place to screw in the sensor so it will be in the ATF and give you "sump temp".
Note that some gauge manufacturer's include parts to install the temp sensor in the drain plug of the tranny. But if the drain plug is on the bottom of the pan, there's danger of scraping it off and draining all your ATF when in off-road conditions. So don't install it there either. Install it on the side of the tranny pan, down low so it's in the ATF, but not under the pan where it could be scraped off.
01-24-2014, 01:48 PM
#5
That How-to article by Fairlaner was excellent in all but one way. He used the "hot" line between the tranny and coolers as his source for the temp of the ATF. So the temp he gets will be the temp of the ATF as it comes out of the torque converter. That temp is much hotter than "tranny temp", so it might give you the misinformation that your tranny is overheating when in fact it's perfectly normal up to around 300° under severe conditions.
DO NOT install the tranny temp sensor in either the hot or return lines between the tranny and the cooler(s). Those locations will give you overstated or understated temps. Instead you want tranny "sump" temp, or the temp of the ATF in the pan. Then you use any temp less than about 205° as the "green zone", 205° to 225° as the "yellow" or "pay attention" zone, and anything over 225° as the "red" or "stop and cool off" zone.
Some Ford trannies have a threaded plug you can remove to access ATF that is about sump temp. For example, the '99-'03 4R100 tranny has a plug where you can install the sensor (temp sender) to give you sump temp. I don't know about F-150 trannies.
But most trannies you must remove and clean the tranny pan, drill a hole in the side of the pan, then install a threaded "bung" in that hole to have a place to screw in the sensor so it will be in the ATF and give you "sump temp".
Note that some gauge manufacturer's include parts to install the temp sensor in the drain plug of the tranny. But if the drain plug is on the bottom of the pan, there's danger of scraping it off and draining all your ATF when in off-road conditions. So don't install it there either. Install it on the side of the tranny pan, down low so it's in the ATF, but not under the pan where it could be scraped off.
DO NOT install the tranny temp sensor in either the hot or return lines between the tranny and the cooler(s). Those locations will give you overstated or understated temps. Instead you want tranny "sump" temp, or the temp of the ATF in the pan. Then you use any temp less than about 205° as the "green zone", 205° to 225° as the "yellow" or "pay attention" zone, and anything over 225° as the "red" or "stop and cool off" zone.
Some Ford trannies have a threaded plug you can remove to access ATF that is about sump temp. For example, the '99-'03 4R100 tranny has a plug where you can install the sensor (temp sender) to give you sump temp. I don't know about F-150 trannies.
But most trannies you must remove and clean the tranny pan, drill a hole in the side of the pan, then install a threaded "bung" in that hole to have a place to screw in the sensor so it will be in the ATF and give you "sump temp".
Note that some gauge manufacturer's include parts to install the temp sensor in the drain plug of the tranny. But if the drain plug is on the bottom of the pan, there's danger of scraping it off and draining all your ATF when in off-road conditions. So don't install it there either. Install it on the side of the tranny pan, down low so it's in the ATF, but not under the pan where it could be scraped off.
And some debate - between THREE experts - two of them Ford trans Engineers, and a highly regarded transmission rebuilder:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/3209930-post12.html
http://www.f150online.com/forums/3209949-post13.html
http://www.f150online.com/forums/682526-post13.html
It all depends on what temp you wish to monitor - do you want to know how hot the fluid (and not necessarily the trans) gets? Or do you want to know average trans temps (which is what I want to know, and why I monitor the TFT PID, as it's in the pan. One can be up to 100 deg F higher than the other.
BTW - NEVER shut down the engine in an attempt to cool off overheated trans fluid - you WILL cook the trans - the pump needs to run to help cool the fluid. That's from Mark as well:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/682117-post10.html
MGD
01-25-2014, 10:32 AM
#6
Senior Member
Or get a tuner with the read out....
01-25-2014, 10:34 AM
#7
Or get a ScanGaugeII and plug it into your OBDII port. Much easier and provides other readouts/benefits.
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01-25-2014, 10:37 AM
#8
Hi.
And some debate - between THREE experts - two of them Ford trans Engineers, and a highly regarded transmission rebuilder:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/3209930-post12.html
http://www.f150online.com/forums/3209949-post13.html
http://www.f150online.com/forums/682526-post13.html
It all depends on what temp you wish to monitor - do you want to know how hot the fluid (and not necessarily the trans) gets? Or do you want to know average trans temps (which is what I want to know, and why I monitor the TFT PID, as it's in the pan. One can be up to 100 deg F higher than the other.
BTW - NEVER shut down the engine in an attempt to cool off overheated trans fluid - you WILL cook the trans - the pump needs to run to help cool the fluid. That's from Mark as well:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/682117-post10.html
MGD
And some debate - between THREE experts - two of them Ford trans Engineers, and a highly regarded transmission rebuilder:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/3209930-post12.html
http://www.f150online.com/forums/3209949-post13.html
http://www.f150online.com/forums/682526-post13.html
It all depends on what temp you wish to monitor - do you want to know how hot the fluid (and not necessarily the trans) gets? Or do you want to know average trans temps (which is what I want to know, and why I monitor the TFT PID, as it's in the pan. One can be up to 100 deg F higher than the other.
BTW - NEVER shut down the engine in an attempt to cool off overheated trans fluid - you WILL cook the trans - the pump needs to run to help cool the fluid. That's from Mark as well:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/682117-post10.html
MGD
01-25-2014, 11:34 AM
#9
Yep - the OP has a '99. My responses were directed that way.
Mercon LV in a 6R80 runs much hotter. Both tranny and fluid is designed for it. If I could find a relevant chart for same, I'd post it, lol. There is still a breakdown / fluid damage threshold, it's just higher. And the same directive applies for a shutdown to address an overheat condition in the tranny.
I've seen folks towing heavy with a newer truck hit over 250 - usually due to an unlocked TC.
MGD
01-25-2014, 02:20 PM
#10
Hi.
Yep - the OP has a '99. My responses were directed that way.
Mercon LV in a 6R80 runs much hotter. Both tranny and fluid is designed for it. If I could find a relevant chart for same, I'd post it, lol. There is still a breakdown / fluid damage threshold, it's just higher. And the same directive applies for a shutdown to address an overheat condition in the tranny.
I've seen folks towing heavy with a newer truck hit over 250 - usually due to an unlocked TC.
MGD
Yep - the OP has a '99. My responses were directed that way.
Mercon LV in a 6R80 runs much hotter. Both tranny and fluid is designed for it. If I could find a relevant chart for same, I'd post it, lol. There is still a breakdown / fluid damage threshold, it's just higher. And the same directive applies for a shutdown to address an overheat condition in the tranny.
I've seen folks towing heavy with a newer truck hit over 250 - usually due to an unlocked TC.
MGD
