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Replacing the Timing Belt & Adding an AT Cooler


DoctorBill
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  • 7 months later...
  • 1 month later...

It has been almost 10 months since I replaced the Timing Belt and put in the

Transmission Cooler.

 

Been waiting for the "Big Bang" to happen - something to come loose or break,

but nothing bad has happened. Knock on wood.....

 

I have towed a 1.5 ton utility trailer to the Dump twice now and no problems.

 

I only wish I had put a Transmission Temperature Gauge in the Automatic Transmission

somehow or somewhere so's I'd know if it is running hot - or not !

 

Can anyone tell me about installing a Transmission Temperature Gauge ?

 

Where ? How ? Any threads with photos available ?

 

Would appreciate it.

 

DoctorBill

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on my 87 Hardbody when I had the tranny rebuilt the first time, the shop added an external trans cooler and I got this part for them to add into one of the tranny lines ( the out line from the trans), this part worked good and is made by Autometer for the exact purpose of installing a temp gauge, this part comes with compression fittings but you can use barbed fitting instead, that's what we did, pic below

 

 

wlyo2c.jpg

 

the gauge sender screws into the big threaded hole

 

here is a link to the part on Summit site, this adapter comes in two sizes for 3/8" or 5/16" tubing but that shouldn't matter if you use the barbed fittings

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-2286/

Edited by ahardb0dy
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I have seen folks drill and tap the transmission pan, but that would require you having to take it off again Doc...

 

I like hardbody's idea...and that is something I could probably manufacture myself...

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I have seen folks drill and tap the transmission pan, but that would require you having to take it off again Doc...

 

I like hardbody's idea...and that is something I could probably manufacture myself...

 

if you were to drill and tap the pan, I would pickup an extra pan from a junkyard, drill and tap it and than drop the factory one and swap them, that way no real down time or unknown problems with tapping the stock one.

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You can tap into one of the wires on the ECU or TCU and it will give you trans temp. I don't know which pin it is but tungsten knows. No need for anything complicated.

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the other thing to take into consideration if tapping the pan is to make sure there is room inside the pan for the temp. sender, a mechanical gauge sender (Autometer anyway) is about 2" long, maybe not as long once it goes thru the "bung" and pan but still would not want it to hit anything inside the pan.

 

is the temp hookup point using the factor wiring one of these, on the lower left corner:

 

5uk1n9.jpg

Edited by ahardb0dy
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Alrightie then....."You can tap into one of the wires on the ECU or TCU and it will give you trans temp.

I don't know which pin it is but tungsten knows. No need for anything complicated."

 

So there is, somewhere, a lead to the computer "that will give you trans temp."

 

I found that wire and held onto it while the engine was running and it didn't give me anything !

 

I must presume that I am doing some thing incorrectly - no ?

 

How do you get a wire coming out of the Transmission to inform you of the temperature ?

 

Do I hook it up to my Computer thru the USB port ?

 

Maybe to my AM Radio when Rush Limbaugh is on.....except I don't want to interrupt him.

 

So how does one convert these electrical signals to a temperature reading ?

 

Is there any enlightenment available?

 

9ff050dbc1.jpg

 

DoctorBill

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My point is - just because there is a "Temperature Sensor" wire coming out of the

Transmission does not mean that one knows anything about the signal.

 

Without specifications as to the signal (volt or resistance output) type and specs,

what do you use to read it ?

 

If this signal goes to the ECU, adding any wires would probably alter the resistance,

capacitance or inductance of the circuit and confuse or screw up the ECU.

 

As to the link you gave us, where would it go ?

 

Sounds like it requires a hole drilled and that coupling welded onto the transmission

body somewhere.

 

All in all, this sounds like a 'not so simple' endeavor.

 

Now...of course...someone will have done it and come back and chide me for being a pecker

head for doubting that it can be easily done...so go ahead, make my day...

 

DoctorBill

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I understand what you are saying and honestly do not know, I know that the autometer electric senders say they are designed for the autometer gauges and will not work with a factory gauge, but as you said what signal does the wire going to the ECU supply??? We will have to wait for someone that has done this already to comment, or do as I did and use a mechanical gauge.

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If anything I would not do a T-fitting to tap into the transmission for the temperature. It just creates another point of failure. The factory service manual tells you that you can tap into the AT computer (behind the quarter panel on the right side I think) and check with a multimeter to get a temperature reading. It will be much easier to improvise a temperature checking system like this just by implementing a voltage or a resistance gauge and maybe changing the face of it.

 

screenshotdo.png

 

screenshotwd.png

Edited by Tungsten
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To summarize this:

 

I can determine the AT Temperature by reading the Voltage between Connector 12

(Terminal Cord Assembly Connector in Engine Compartment) and ground.

 

The FSM says to disconnect that terminal to read the voltage.

 

Would THAT be a requirement!? If one tapped into the wire to set up a voltmeter

on the Dashboard, would one screw up the ECU (Computer?) ?

 

Cold (68° F) should give 1.56 volt reading down to Hot (176° F) of 0.45 volt.

 

I suppose one could find some electrical meter and diddle with it to make a

full scale reading of 0 to 2 volts, perhaps.

Any electrical/electronic types out there who know how to do this ?

 

Here is my really, really BIG question -

....WHY does the ECU read the AT Temperature ?

....For what reason ?

....WHAT is the point of the ECU reading it ?

 

Does the ECU do anything about aberrant high temperatures ?

 

Has anyone had an alarm go off or a light come on when their AT overheated ?

 

Just had a thought - Do the big 18 wheeler trucks have transmission temp gauges ?

If they do, maybe we could get some info from that direction !

 

DoctorBill

Edited by DoctorBill
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There is a light on the dash that is supposed to come on if the trans overheats but you probably have cooked the transmission by then. I don't know anyone who's had it come on.

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To summarize this:

 

I can determine the AT Temperature by reading the Voltage between Connector 12

(Terminal Cord Assembly Connector in Engine Compartment) and ground.

 

The FSM says to disconnect that terminal to read the voltage.

 

Would THAT be a requirement!? If one tapped into the wire to set up a voltmeter

on the Dashboard, would one screw up the ECU (Computer?) ?

 

Cold (68° F) should give 1.56 volt reading down to Hot (176° F) of 0.45 volt.

 

I suppose one could find some electrical meter and diddle with it to make a

full scale reading of 0 to 2 volts, perhaps.

Any electrical/electronic types out there who know how to do this ?

 

Here is my really, really BIG question -

....WHY does the ECU read the AT Temperature ?

....For what reason ?

....WHAT is the point of the ECU reading it ?

 

Does the ECU do anything about aberrant high temperatures ?

 

Has anyone had an alarm go off or a light come on when their AT overheated ?

 

DoctorBill

 

1. As adamzan stated, that reading is what triggers the light.

2. The reason they want you to pull the plug apart is so that you can connect leads to the female connector to measure the resistance.

3. Tapping a voltmeter into pin 12 should not affect ECU performance.

4. You can find an electrical meter from any AA battery testing device.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sinometer-BT558-Self-powered-Battery-Tester/dp/B00067V1TG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1278301115&sr=8-2

 

That will point to GOOD when cold and RE-CHARGE when hot. :lol:

Edited by Tungsten
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"Search is your friend also." RJSquirrel

 

Not really.

It just gives upteen gozillion links that you have to wade thru for hours.

 

Anyway - I was wondering about a Temperature Gauge for the AT.

 

When I put my cooler radiator on my '95 Pathfinder XE- V6 back 10 months ago,

I remember those metal pipes going up to the Radiator to which I clamped some

rubber hoses.

 

I fully agree with the comment by TUNGSTEN, "If anything I would not do a T-fitting

to tap into the transmission for the temperature. It just creates another point of failure."

 

So here is what I came up with...most temperature probes that come with the

temperature gauges are long finger shaped items (or whatever else you might imagine)

that go into an engine or whatever device.

 

How's about wiring the probe to the METAL output tube coming out of the AT and then

wrapping that connection with a good deal of insulating material so that the heated

tube transfers heat to the "Probe" and the Insulation keeps the probe from cooling off

due to air flow.

 

d1aed3b219.jpg

 

That ought to work - it may be a bit slower to respond and a couple of degrees lower than

a probe INSIDE of the AT - but it would be one butt load simpler to install !

 

...and it would give all of us some idea of what is going on in our Automatic Transmissions !

 

KISS....

 

DoctorBill

Edited by DoctorBill
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As a professor, and more importantly, as a self-proclaimed conservative, I'm surprised you are afraid of a little research. Would you accept this kind of work from a student? I should think it would take no more than one cigar (two, if you're lucky) to get through all the transmission cooler posts to find the different solutions attempted heretofore. You have good insights into problem solving, so you may arrive at a more elegant solution than anyone on here has yet attempted.

 

Several of us have t-fittings, myself included. Its been trouble free for several years, so far. Precise1 has a nice writeup on a filter and external temperature sensor installation not too dissimilar to my setup. The fluid flow through the cooler is of sufficiently high volume that putting the probe near the cooler is not an issue. Some 3/8" barb fittings, and a few brass plumbing parts are all you need to do this. Better yet, use compression fittings on the copper tubes you ran into the cooler you installed.

 

What happens to your insulation once it gets wet? Besides, the sensor is in the end of the sensor body. It would be better than no gauge at all, but I can't see this solution lasting through a rainy season much less a winter.

 

Bill, you're psyching yourself out. You worked through the t-belt which is a much, much bigger job than this. T-belts even give me pause, so I understand your apprehension. The most tedious part of installing the temp gauge is actually installing the gauge, and fishing the wires through one of the grommets in the firewall. The plumbing work is an hour's work at most. Doing a tidy installation will take a little longer, but good work rarely fails to pay dividends in reliability.

 

:my2cents: Do what you will, but I wouldn't solve the problem in the manner proposed.

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