So im lookin to install a trans temp sensor but not sure where the best place to put it is? I found a 1/8" bung i could weld in my stock trans pan but im also sick of dropping the pan and making a mess so i wanted to upgread to a aluminum pan with a drain plug. i dont want to spend $250-300 on a pan with a drain plug and trans temp plug. How would i go about mounting a trans temp sensor in a aluminum pan? Any ideas and info would be great!

 

if the aluminum pan is thick enough,just drill+tap the
pan for the sender(what i did with my TCI deep pan)
just make sure sender can't get knocked off by road
debris,ETC. and drain the pan

 

i used the line pressure test port on the drivers side of my 700R4 for my trans temp gauge. i bought an autometer carbonfiber gauge and it came with the temp sensor that threaded right into the test port. gauge works awsome for me. no drilling required. hope this helps you out.

ern

 

That location will not give you accurate readings on your gauge, thats a pressure test port. The pan or inline on the hot side line is the way to go.

 

hmm, I installed mine on the return line to see what the trans is getting fed.

 

Not one to revive a zombie thread, but what kind of reading would one get from using this port? Thats where i mounted my sensor, now you got me worried. Anyone know?

 

Typically you want to monitor pan fluid temp after it returns from the cooler to get a baseline. Line pressure is reading the fluid after it has done work, so it's accurate, but not demonstrating the cooling ability of the cooling circuit or what the fluids coolest possible temp is.

 

Zackly:

It'll probably be a little bit warmer than the fluid in the pan. Who's to say though, what the most important thing to measure the temp of, regardless of what's "usual" to measure, is.

For the most part, you're not going to be able to do anything about it, anyway, short of changing up the cooling system; or, getting a warning that the transmission is suffering. If it reads reasonably OK where you've got it installed now - let's say, something in the 160 - 200° range, after 10 or 15 miles, on days w normal outdoor temps, and goes up and down in reasonable accordance with ambient temp and all that - and the trans works OK, and the fluid stays like it's supposed to (red or pink, little or no brown, clear, no burnt smell), then it's probably telling you the truth, or at least close enough to work with. You have a baseline for "normal". If it changes significantly from that then you know you have just achieved a new opportunity for a solution.

The E transmissions have their temp sensor kind of on the very bottom of the valve body. Immersed in the pan fluid, butt definitely coupled to the case, probably more so than the fluid in the pan. I don't think yours is all that different from that.

 

Got it, thanks. FWIW my temps runs 170-200, but it takes an hour or more in stop/go traffic on a very warm/hot day to get there. Its been like that for ten plus years, but the sensor been in that spot all along. Trans shifts fine, but i do notice it gets a little harder after an hour or two of city driving. Ive no idea what the "resting" temp is vs the "working" temp, but if i can find a good spot at or near the pan Id move it there knowing what i know now.

Thanks for the quick replies. Always something new to learn.

 

With the length of time youve had it there, I would leave it. You know what "normal" is for your trans over an extended timeline. Deviations from the norm are more important than an arbitrary number at a different point.

 

Yeah, Trans seems fine, no issues ever. Just get a little squeamish when the pointer approaches the 200 mark.

 

If it puts you at ease, modern gm trans have a TARGET temp of 195-210. And they run dex vi. It flies in the face of everything I was ever taught about tranny fluid stability, but that's straight from a factory.

 

Hmm, didnt know that. Kinda makes sense now, My tranny requires that D6 fluid too.