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Aftermarket Water temp gauge as a tranny temp monitor?

bcsavage

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Canada
I've got a 3-gauge cluster I'm putting in. Got the oil pressure gauge plumbed and wors great, the other two are a Voltage gauge and a water temp gauge. I was thinking, could I use the water temp gauge to monitor my tranny temp and if so where can I put the sender unit? It's a standard water temp sensore (1" long brass looking thing) and I wiggled around around the jeep to see what I could screw it into. there is one plug on the passenger side that looks too big but I could prolly get a fitting to bring it down to the right size. Any thoughts on this?
 
One possibility might be to interrupt the tranny cooler line (there isn't much pressure on it) with a plumbing fitting. Assuming the sensor is a standard male pipe thread, you could get a tee, put a couple of hose barbs into the straight part, and the sensor in the tee. Put the tee in the return line from the cooler, where pressure is least, and this will give you the post-cooler temp.
 
Matthew Currie said:
One possibility might be to interrupt the tranny cooler line (there isn't much pressure on it) with a plumbing fitting. Assuming the sensor is a standard male pipe thread, you could get a tee, put a couple of hose barbs into the straight part, and the sensor in the tee. Put the tee in the return line from the cooler, where pressure is least, and this will give you the post-cooler temp.


I did this but I put it between the trans and the cooler, so its closer to the actual tranny temp.
 
Blue XJ said:
I did this but I put it between the trans and the cooler, so its closer to the actual tranny temp.

was it a water temp sensor you put in?

I don't see a problem with pressure as it is designed for water temps which would be in a high-pressure environment anyway. Aren't the lines to the cooler hard lines?
 
Are these Mechanical or Electric Gauges?

They do make Trans Temp Gauges that are NOT that expensive, but I don't think there is any difference between a Trans or Water Temp Gauge, except the label on the face of the gauge and perhaps the temp range of the gauge.

2 Options for an Automatic, mount it in the oil pan or mount in the cooler line in a "T" made from plumbing fittings. You can find the fittings at most local hardware stores. Make sure the fittings and sensor go together in a way that it Does NOT restrict the fluid flow much.

Manual Trans is going to be a lot tougher, probably would have to fit the drain plug with an adapter and then hope there was enough room in the manual trans to install the sensor with it sticking up into it, and then you would have the other end of the sensor and wires/capillary tubes extending down out of the bottom of the trans, just asking to be torn off during wheelin.

On my Mini-Van, I put the temp sensor for the Trans Gauge in a "T" right at the outlet for the trans cooler. Its NOT even spliced into the line, I literally removed the Barb from the trans body and installed the "T" with a plumbing bushing and installed the original Barb on the opposite side of the "T" and reconnected the original line. I figure the fluid would be its hottest at the outlet for the cooler.
 
bcsavage said:
was it a water temp sensor you put in?

I don't see a problem with pressure as it is designed for water temps which would be in a high-pressure environment anyway. Aren't the lines to the cooler hard lines?
They're soft at the radiator end, with a long enough run to make tapping in pretty easy. You can choose either one, I imagine, depending on how worried you want to be by the reading....:scared: I figure the return line will tell you a little more about how effective the cooler is, and also might subject the whole thing to a little less pressure after its trip through the heat exchanger or cooler if you have one, but it shouldn't make much difference.

By the way, beware of mounting the sensor in the test port, which may be the plug you found on yours. Pressure at this port reaches nearly 300 PSI, and it would be at least a tow home if you blow the sensor out.
 
trannytempguagekc4.jpg

$75 for the whole set up from Summit, B&M gage and Autometer pod

About 2 hrs install time
 
yah well I'm working with "free - found in dad's workshop" so I'm trying to make due with what's available.

Decided to abort the water temp/trnny thing for now, Just wanted my jeep back together. One thing, what I thought was a plug on the tranny is actually a nub of a lubkage that when twisted as if to unscrew it, puts tranny in neutral and jeep almost crushes poor guy underneath... no the tires weren't blocked, wasn't thinking look for a temp sensor would lead to vehicle rolling on driveway lol.
 
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