Installed a digital transmission temperature gauge

[mastacox]

I've been needing a tranny temp gauge for a long time now. Since I'm going on a pilgrimage to Glamis this weekend, I decided I needed to pull the trigger. :wrenchin:

After looking around I decided most of the gauges I was finding were either a) too expensive, or b) didn't have the resolution I was looking for. It seems like all of the "budget" analog gauges have small dials with a 90 degree or so sweep, and poor resolution on temperatures. Basically, you would be able to see you're somewhere between 200 and 280 for example, but who knows where exactly. As for the more expensive ones, sure you can get a 270 degree sweep gauge with even spacing across the temperature range, but you end up spending $200 on it.

So, after many hours of looking at gauges and weighing pros/cons I decided to get an AutoMeter digital gauge. It has the range I want, and you can easily see what temperature you're running with a quick glance.

Those of you with 3rd gen 4Runners (especially the supercharged guys) know that gauge space takes some creativity if you want several engine metrics, especially after you fill up the 2-gauge a-pillar pod. After prioritizing locations I found the perfect place to install this new one. Overall I'm very happy with the install and and more comfortable knowing how the transmission's doing temp-wise. Dunes here I come!

Installed picture of the gauge:
http://pictures.strikeforceniner.com/wp-content/gallery/photobucket-pictures/IMG_5202.JPG

Installing the gauge was very easy. For the hole I used a 2" hole saw; the gauge fits very snugly in it.
http://pictures.strikeforceniner.com/wp-content/gallery/photobucket-pictures/IMG_5196.JPG

Closeup of the gauge:
http://pictures.strikeforceniner.com/wp-content/gallery/photobucket-pictures/IMG_5197.JPG

Picture of the sender installed:
http://pictures.strikeforceniner.com/wp-content/gallery/photobucket-pictures/IMG_5200.JPG

[DHC6twinotter]

I like that! Nice clean install. :thumbup:

I may have to do this too.

[slosurfer]

That's nice! I just got a little jealous. :laugh: Have fun at the dunes! :flipoff:

[Seanz0rz]

adds another thing to the list.

looks great!

[Scuba]

Very clean install man !! Have fun at the dunes ! :bling:

[mastacox]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Now the next gauge I try to put in is going to get interesting, I'm out of places to stuff one!

[Erich_870]

Very nice! :thumbup:

Did you look at Cyberdyne Gauges? I really want to install a temp gauge and tranny cooler, but I want it to be green digital to stay with the green stock theme. AutoMeter only makes red and blue.

Just wondering. :)

Erich

[mt_goat]

I like it :clap: Let us know what your temps are running. Do you have a VB mod done?

Just in case someone needs to know the hot line and cool line for an A340F
http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/14968/2071674530042310107S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2071674530042310107neMAcT)

[mastacox]

Very nice! :thumbup:

Did you look at Cyberdyne Gauges? I really want to install a temp gauge and tranny cooler, but I want it to be green digital to stay with the green stock theme. AutoMeter only makes red and blue.

Just wondering. :)

Erich


I looked at Cyberdyne gauges, their problem is that their senders are single-wire, which means you have to ground the block that they screw into which is a PITA. The AutoMeter gauges use a 2-wire sender, which means the sender shares its ground with the gauge and the coupling the sender screws into doesn't have to be grounded, so you can just put it in the middle of the rubber line and call it a day.

[mastacox]

I like it :clap: Let us know what your temps are running. Do you have a VB mod done?


Don't have the VB mod done, I plan to shim my accumulators in the not-so distant future but that's about it.

My temps are trivial right now, about 95 with the torque converter locked while driving, and 120ish with the TC unlocked. Mind you, the ambient temp when I was reading the gauge was about 20 degrees F.

[slosurfer]

Is your sender in the line before or after the fluid goes through your tranny coolers?

[mastacox]

Is your sender in the line before or after the fluid goes through your tranny coolers?


Before, of course :ban: I even had Dale hunt down a picture of me, and I looked at Speedy's sender location too, and basically put it exactly where he has his.

http://www.hooliganbiketech.net/sportrunner/performance_gauges/images/IMG_9748.jpg

[slosurfer]

Before, of course :ban:


:laugh: Yeah, just checking. :thumbup:

[mastacox]

:laugh: Yeah, just checking. :thumbup:


Oh believe me that error is not outside the realm of possibility for me, I was very careful to know EAXCTLY where the sender had to go before I intsalled anything. Thanks for looking out :thumbup:

[Erich_870]

I looked at Cyberdyne gauges, their problem is that their senders are single-wire, which means you have to ground the block that they screw into which is a PITA. The AutoMeter gauges use a 2-wire sender, which means the sender shares its ground with the gauge and the coupling the sender screws into doesn't have to be grounded, so you can just put it in the middle of the rubber line and call it a day.


I'm not sure what you mean about the grounding. I assumed you just had to ground the gauge to complete the circuit. Are you saying that you'd have to run a second wire that grounds to the metal fitting back to the gauge as well?

I'm trying to envision the proper set up. :)

Erich

[slosurfer]

Yeah, Erich, some are made where the sender needs to be grounded as well. These are usually installed in the block somewhere which will ground them, but makes it more of a pain when installing them in your own "manifold" that isn't grounded.

Mine was one that needed to be grounded. I'll see if I have a pic.

It looks a little hokey in this pic, but I stripped the wire and wrapped it around some exposed threads and taped it pretty good (better than in this pic). The better way would be to braze something to the "T" for the ground to attach to. (or just get a sender that has two wires) :flipoff:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/IMG_4310.jpg

[mastacox]

I'm not sure what you mean about the grounding. I assumed you just had to ground the gauge to complete the circuit. Are you saying that you'd have to run a second wire that grounds to the metal fitting back to the gauge as well?

I'm trying to envision the proper set up. :)

Erich


Basically, if a sender only has a screw connection on top of it or a single wire coming out of it, the body of the sender has to be electrically grounded. Subsequently, this means that whatever you screw your sender into must be electrically grounded. This is particurally inconvenient when you're installing the sender in a small manifold in the hose like this:

http://www.hooliganbiketech.net/sportrunner/performance_gauges/images/IMG_9748.jpg

because you have to run a separate ground wire from the manifold the sender is mounted in to ground. Basically, the sender has one wire on top which is the signal wire, and the body of the sender is ground.

Now in the case of the senders that Speedy, Dale, and I used (the picture above is Speedy's, an AutoMeter sender exactly like mine) they have two wires coming out the top in a small connector. One is signal, and the other is ground; both wires go back to the gauge. This means that you do not have to ground the body of the sender, because the ground is handled by the second wire coming back from the sender. Hence, the sender can "float" whereve you like, and what you screw it into does not have to be electrically grounded.

It's a convenience factor more than anything, you just have to know the specific grounding requirements of your sender when installing it.

[iceman601]

Now the next gauge I try to put in is going to get interesting, I'm out of places to stuff one!


Here how I mounted some of the gauges...easy to read at a glance.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/babyangel47/4x4%20Pron/frontside.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f154/babyangel47/4x4%20Pron/front-inside.jpg

[mastacox]

So after getting sand absolutely everywhere and loving it last weekend, I have tranny temp reports.

Overall, temps were very good. Driving on the highway in the cold (less than 40 degrees) it stays at about 100 degrees, and driving in more "normal" weather it hangs out at 130-140 degrees. With the torque converter unlocked on the highway it will shoot up to perhaps 160 or 170 degrees, and then drop back down once the TC locks again.

As for off-road, the highest I saw the entire weekend was 245 degrees for a brief moment, and that's because I forgot I was in 4W-Hi rather than 4W-Lo. Overall the temps hung out in the 170's as long as I was moving over 15 mph; The temps would top out at about 200-215 with the 4Runner floored for a minute or two at a time, going up the very biggest dunes. I'm happy with the results, and I'm glad I was able to see that my tranny was O.K. the whole weekend.

[slosurfer]

:thumbup:

That makes me feel good, I know I have a different tranny than you, but those are about the same numbers I get here in the dunes.

[clark2334]

Hi! I just got my new transmission temperature gauge... and searching Google for some useful info regarding installation of this thing and was so glad to bumped in this thread. Nice discussions here! :thumbup:

[YotaFun]

Bumping and old thread cause I so need to get this done NOW.
Where did you get the sender unit from?
I found the gauge that I will be using but can't locate a sender unit.

I am doing a external trans cooler too while I am at it and possibly adding a fan depending on what Temps I get.

[04 Rocko Taco]

Bumping and old thread cause I so need to get this done NOW.
Where did you get the sender unit from?
I found the gauge that I will be using but can't locate a sender unit.

I am doing a external trans cooler too while I am at it and possibly adding a fan depending on what Temps I get.


I qouted you Avy because my post would be EXACTLY the same. Of course mine is for a Taco, but same thing.

[mastacox]

The answer is simple, the sender comes with the gauge! :ban:

Just buy it here and you're done:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-6349/

[YotaFun]

I found the gauge on Amazon but it didn't come with the sender :-P

Thanks for the link, hopefully before the 21st I will have this all in and bolted up and running

[mastacox]

If you just need the sender, here it is:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-2252/

[YotaFun]

Still need the T-connetion to fit in, and by the time I price it all together might as well get the kit you linked

[mastacox]

The t-connection is brass hardware from Lowes, it didn't come with the gauge. I just took the sender and found the right size.

[YotaFun]

lol ok cool