a64armt
Greencastle PA
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Joined: 02/16/2006
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I have a 94 E350 460EFI Class C. I would like to add a Transmission temp indicator. How difficult is this task, what does it intail, and which gauge is recommended?
Thanks,
Vincent
Vincent
Greencastle PA
Sold 1994 Class C 4/21/12.
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hwybnb
Southern California
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Joined: 05/02/2001
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If your transmission has a "test port" it is pretty easy because you can buy a sensor that screws into it. Otherwise you have to put a tee in a line, which is not so easy.
On the Ford E40D transmission in my previous MH I installed a test port probe and gage from Banks Power Systems.
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Corkey05
Washington State
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Joined: 06/04/2005
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I too used the test port and a Banks gauge. I like the Banks gauge because it has a color coded dial, just keep it in the "green".
Banks Gauges
2008 HR Endeavor PDQ - Blazer 4 Down
FMCA F374292
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Jim83Itasca
La Quinta Calif
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Joined: 09/16/2003
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Nice looking gauges from Banks............With the color coded oil & trannie temps Banks would hafta PAY ME for using! (240º trannie)
Transmission heat lifespan
Purchase a good digital gauge and be done with it...I also prefer the pan for the probe.
Jim
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azrider61
Scottsdale, AZ
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Joined: 08/20/2004
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ok, I'll add my .02 here. I've have the Banks gauge on my 95 Fleetwood 34' Southwind with a Ford 460 E4OD tranny. The temp on the gauge is designed to be taken at the hottest spot of the tranny fluid...out of the converter before it goes into the cooler. With the sender there the gauge is right on. If you look at the transmission fluid heat lifespan you'll see that it is for the pan temps. The pan temp is about the coolest place for the tranny fluid. If you have a very efficient cooler you'll never know how hot your tranny is really running with the sender in the test port at the pan. Hope this helps.
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SpoiledRotten
Central Mississippi
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azrider61 wrote:ok, I'll add my .02 here. I've have the Banks gauge on my 95 Fleetwood 34' Southwind with a Ford 460 E4OD tranny. The temp on the gauge is designed to be taken at the hottest spot of the tranny fluid...out of the converter before it goes into the cooler. With the sender there the gauge is right on. If you look at the transmission fluid heat lifespan you'll see that it is for the pan temps. The pan temp is about the coolest place for the tranny fluid. If you have a very efficient cooler you'll never know how hot your tranny is really running with the sender in the test port at the pan. Hope this helps.
Since you have your temp sensor in a different spot than I do that, according to your statements, and gets hotter than mine, what are your usual temp readings when you consider your tranny working hard. If my temp gauge gets about 210* when backing in a "tough" spot with a little upgrade on the hill(which is what I would call working the tranny pretty hard), what would your temp be? If your temp. are recorded hotter than that, you would have to change the fluid every trip. I don't work mine any harder than anyone else, so I would hate to see what would happen if a hotter temp was showing. If my temp gets as hot as I just mentioned, it usually spits a little fluid on the pavement.
Just the 3 of us...SpoiledRotten, TotallyRotten, and ALittleRotten
2000 F-250 Lariat, CC
7.3 PSTD-Superchipped
2005 33RL2 New Vision - AKA "SpoiledRotten"
2000 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Edition
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azrider61
Scottsdale, AZ
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Mine never runs past about 210 on the gauge and that is here in Arizona in the heat going up hills. I take it that your sensor is in the pan? What temp does it normally run? My only point was that the tranny fluid temp life expectancy chart was taken at the pan temp and the Banks gauge scale is not calibrated for that it seems, otherwise I would be burning up tranny fluid constantly. I would think that if you were running a consistent 210 at the pan you would be running hotter than one would like. It would be nice to have two sensors to be able to see how much cooling the tranny cooler actually provided.
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SpoiledRotten
Central Mississippi
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Mine normally runs 130-160. It gets hot if I have to do a lot of pulling through city streets or during backing. That's when it gets close to the 200* and I start watching very closely. I certainly take it easy if it goes a little higher, but again, that is usually for the very short period of backing into a tough spot.
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Jim83Itasca
La Quinta Calif
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Joined: 09/16/2003
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spoiled rotten wrote:Mine normally runs 130-160. It gets hot if I have to do a lot of pulling through city streets or during backing. That's when it gets close to the 200* and I start watching very closely. I certainly take it easy if it goes a little higher, but again, that is usually for the very short period of backing into a tough spot.
Mine got up to 190º in the same conditions and the outside temps that day was over 110º, yup I got a dab concerned and added a B&M cooler (additional) #BMM-70255 from summit.
I only needed a small additional amount of cooling and this 16,000 GVW and it has worked pretty good.
This weekend will be the real test with the temps over 110º (again).
One test that has never been done here is the cooling differencial between "pan,test port and output line" and that test would eliminate everyones doubts once and for all.
When I slide my trannie back for a flex plate change and "other changes" another temp sender will be added to the test port.
Jim
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hamguy
Mostly Mesa, AZ in winter. Out & about for summers
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Joined: 11/02/2003
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azrider61 wrote:ok, I'll add my .02 here. I've have the Banks gauge on my 95 Fleetwood 34' Southwind with a Ford 460 E4OD tranny. The temp on the gauge is designed to be taken at the hottest spot of the tranny fluid...out of the converter before it goes into the cooler. With the sender there the gauge is right on. If you look at the transmission fluid heat lifespan you'll see that it is for the pan temps. The pan temp is about the coolest place for the tranny fluid. If you have a very efficient cooler you'll never know how hot your tranny is really running with the sender in the test port at the pan. Hope this helps.
I would prefer a generic gauge with temp markings. I would install in-line at the most easily gotten to point where relative temperature would likely occur (line to cooler?). I am going to presume the tranny is ok and the system working properly when installed. I would then 'work' the tranny and see the temp rise. After that, I would be concerned should the temp go much above that mark.
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