Just picked up this trans temp gauge from summit. http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Also got the A-pillar mount along with interior paint to match.

The truck is a 2000 5.4L 4r70w F-150 with a TCI trans pan. Does anyone have any install instructions for a trans temp gauge? If not, where should the sensor for the guage be connected? Any other info will help,

Thanks.

 

I have most of the wiring figured out, i just need to know what color the 12v wire is for the lights so i can tap into it for the gauge lights.

Also, does the 4r70w have an area for the sensor? In my sons 01 ranger with the 5r55e trans, all he had to do is remove a bolt and install the temperature sensor, it was fairly simple.

Thanks.

 

Sorry, I can't help you on the test port location on an 05..

For the lights, when I did mine, I pulled the head light switch out of the dash and used a simple light probe to find the connection that was cold when the lights were off and hot when they were on, then tapped into it and I did put a 1 or 2 amp inline fuse as well.. Sorry, I don't recall the color of the wire, as it was about 6 years ago that I did it... To get the light switch out, you have to do some 'funky' deal with the ****.. Pull it off, reinstall 180* and turn it so it releases the little tabs that hold it on.. Sorry, I don't recall the exact procedure.. I read it in my Chilton's manual however..

Good luck!

Oh, I tapped into the trans line that goes to the top of the rad up front... This will give you the trans temp as it's leaving the trans after it's gone thru the TC... For me, this tells me when my TC is locked or unlocked if I miss that part while towing... Good info to know IMO!

Mitch

 

There isn't any factory location to put in a sensor on these transmissions unfortunately.

What you ae going to have to do is decide where you want to sample your fluid temps. You can place the sensor in the pan or in the line either going to or from the transmission cooler.

Most choose to place the sensor in the pan. To do that you have to drill a hole in the pan in a suitable location to mount the sensor. That is much easier if you have an aluminum pan. With those you can just drill and tap the pan. With the factory pan you have to fab something for it to thread into.

Darrin

 

You can plug right into the test port....near the front on the left. Just remove the set screw, and use the correct adapter. Or, maybe an adapter is not even necessary.

I just looked at the gauge at Summit, and I doubt that the sensor will fit through the dash to mount it in the pod. It may take the electric gauge to fit.

 

That is only a pressure test port and there is no fluid flow across it. It won't work to get the temp of the transmission fluid.

If you are looking to get the temp of the surrounding aluminum that might be a good spot though. LOL

Darrin

 

I've put thermocouples in the pressure test port AND in the pan at the same time. I've also monitored the transmission fluid temp (TFT) sensor. All three showed the same temps, within about 5°F. That's close enough for me.

 

I guess on a lightly daily driven truck that might be fine. I am kind of on the other end of the spectrum and need to monitor the temp of the transmission fluid that is flowing through the internals.

When I get out to the shop I will take pictures of where that port is and show you guys how it's fed. That will clear up what I am saying better than words I think.

It may not make a difference to some, but there are people out there that are so interested in their fluid temperature for various reasons that huge discussions happen as to whether to place a temp sensor in the pan, the feed to the cooler or the return from the cooler. I had one guy use 3 sensors and a multi-position switch to control which one he was reading. And believe it or not there is a big difference in readings between them in many situations.

Oh, the TFT is in the pan.

Darrin

 

The temp in the cooler line is not the temp of the fluid going through the internals. It's the temperature of the fluid exiting the torque converter. The rest of the internals get their fluid right from the pump, which gets it's fluid right from the pan.

I do understand how the fluid flows. I was a Ford trans engineer from 1988-2007, with the last three years working on transmission cooling.

 

And to add to this...the reason this location is so popular, and my preferred location is the fluid at this point will always be the hottest fluid in the tranny. If monitored here, you can rest assured fluid anywhere else in the system is cooler than this number. Just me thinking out loud here, but why would you want or need to monitor anything else??

The fluid temp in the pan is most likely the coolest fluid in the system, thus making it IMO the least favorable place to monitor the temps. Monitoring the coolest point in the system gives you no useful information and surely doesn't indicate the condition of the fluid.

To me, monitoring the condition of the fluid is as important, if not more so that the condition of the tranny. Monitoring the hottest fluid in the system provides you that info.

An example...the hydraulic fluid temp in my airplane is monitored just off the pumps. Why?? It's the hottest fluid in the system. The fluid breaks down and coagulates (sp?) at 240*. Why on earth would I want my temp probe at some other location that would never tell me when the temp is close to reaching that point?

 

check out the scan gauge 2 with extra gauge. On my 01 supercrew with the 5.4 it does horsepower instant fuel mileage water temp and trans temp all from obd 2 plug very quick install and you can mount on top of mirror or were ever you want nice and small and it uses trans internal sensor right from factory to turn overheat light on can't get better than that. they also have 30 day money back guarantee if you don't like it get your money back.

 

I am not in any way trying to argue with you and I never questioned your credentials.

And, under the premise that I can always be wrong, I asked the one man that I implicitly trust when it comes to these transmissions. Being a Ford transmission engineer, maybe you have heard of Jerry W.

He replied to me that the reason you don't use that port is because you can't be sure that any of the test ports will always be filled with fluid and that you might even have times when you will be reading the air temp in the transmission through a sensor placed in the ports.

His opinion is that the sensor should be placed in the outlet line from the transmission to the cooler because it will always be in fluid and the fluid is hottest there.

Darrin

 

The factory sensor is in the pan. As I mentioned earlier, this is whre most people put a sensor and you can get some pretty good info from there on normal operation.

But there are different locations that will give you different info. The outlet line from the transmission to the cooler will give you the reading that will tell you what is going on inside the transmission. That location will show faster variations in temp because it shows what is happening inside the transmission better. Putting the sensor in the return line from the cooler will show the efectiveness of the cooling system the best.

That is why I said earlier that you need to decide where you want to sample and why I know of people use have multiple sensors.

It all depends on why you want to know what you want to know as to the best location for your needs.

Darrin