adding a transmission temp gauge on P30 chassis

[sesspool]

Hello,

I am considering adding a transmission temp gauge to my 93 Southwind.
It is on a P30 chassis with a 454 and 3speed tranny. I get concerned about possible overheating when pulling a toad up long, steep grades.
I would like to know if this is an advisable mod, if anyone has done it on a P30 chassis and where is the best location for the sensor. Also, any recommendations on gauges and sources.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jerry

[sesspool]

I guess I misspoke, I have a 3sp with overdrive. I guess that's called a 4speed?
I have a heat exchanger in front of the radiator with a fan in front of that, I haven't gotten down to see whether the transmission lines go to the radiator or the heat exchanger. I believe the heat exchanger is for the A/C, does that sound right?
I've kind of sidelined that project for the time being, I'm working on installing a Xantrex inverter/charger right now. I tend to bounce around like a BB in a boxcar with these projects

[Peralko]

On my 91 Pace Arrow I disconnected the transmission fluid lines from the radiator and installed a separate transmission oil cooler. Put a sensor on a T-fitting on the output line, and it worked well. BTW, on the 93 you should have a 4-speed transmission.

[BrianinMichigan]

Mine is installed on the output line of the transmission.I also run synthetic trans fluid. Mobil 1. 1 day I plan on adding a deeper aluminum pan to it.

[Gjac]

Stim wrote:
Something else to consider is if you have electric fans in front of the radiator you can hook up a manual switch (with a on light) so you can add extra cooling. The fans are automatic but a switch gives you extra control.
The fans have a relay and you can wire into the control side.
I used this switch for faster cool down when coming off of the interstate before shutting down. The temperatures can really build in a hot engine that is shut down too soon.

Rather that replace the sensor in the RH head that controls this fan I put in the lighted switch. When I see a hill coming I turn the fan on before I start the climb. Also I will leave it on when I stop the MH at a rest stop for example just to remove some eng heat.

[Stim]

Something else to consider is if you have electric fans in front of the radiator you can hook up a manual switch (with a on light) so you can add extra cooling. The fans are automatic but a switch gives you extra control.
The fans have a relay and you can wire into the control side.
I used this switch for faster cool down when coming off of the interstate before shutting down. The temperatures can really build in a hot engine that is shut down too soon.

[turbojimmy]

sesspool wrote:
Thanks for all the great information. I think I am going to order this gauge, it comes with parts to mount it on the pan and use the sensor for the plug.

http://www.amazon.com/Derale-13009-Oil-Temperature-Gauge/dp/B004XONNQW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_bkVVtb13P9PDBNYC_tt

Jerry

Thanks for the link. Reasonably priced kit too.

Clicky: http://www.amazon.com/Derale-13009-Oil-Temperature-Gauge/dp/B004XONNQW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_bkVVtb13P9P...

[sesspool]

Thanks for all the great information. I think I am going to order this gauge, it comes with parts to mount it on the pan and use the sensor for the plug.

http://www.amazon.com/Derale-13009-Oil-Temperature-Gauge/dp/B004XONNQW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_bkVVtb13P9PDBNYC_tt

Jerry

[More_To_See]

Or you can replace the stock tranny pan with something like this one from Mag Hytec which has a port on it for a temp sensor. And it holds 4 extra quarts of fluid for some help with keeping things cool.

[cncsparky]

I put my sensor in the pan. Best to weld the adapter to the pan, or at least use lock tite on the nut.

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,9139.msg52532.html#msg52532

[WyoTraveler]

sesspool wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:
I installed one on my 1989 Pace Arrow P30 chassis. I removed tranny pan to check clearance inside. Drilled hole while pan was off. Welder welded nut to pan. Screwed gauge into nut using permatex sealer. Worked great. While I had pan off drilled 2nd hole and 2nd nut welded to use as a drain. I could then drop an empty pan. You must drop pan to check clearance because it is pretty crowded inside tranny.

That looks like a good solution, I may try that when I change fluid, Did you use synthetic transmission fluid? Did you ever have a problem with the tranny overheating? Maybe I'm being paranoid, My last MH was a pusher with an Allison transmission so I let the computer worry about it
By the way, I went to high school in Byron, you're probably on the other side of the Big Horns from there.
Thanks for the help
Jerry

In Powell. Back in 89 wasn't a lot of synthetic oil or tranny fluid on the market except Mobil 1. My tranny did over heat on long up grades. I first noticed brownish color of tranny fluid so installed temp gauge. After that I could just pull over when tranny fluid got hot.

[Daveinet]

There is some discussion of the best location to mount it. My previous trans had factory installed sensor in the pan. (BTY: the designer raced competitively in F1) The reality is that a sensor in the pan will be "good enough". The internals in the trans heat up over time. You don't need a peak reading to know the trans is getting hot. The second reality is, if you are getting too hot, what are you going to do? Run in a lower gear, so there is less slip. This brings the temp down slowly, just as the rise in temp is slow. Is a sensor in the line going to tell you there is a problem sooner? Not really, because the rise is slow enough you will see it anyway.

I would also suggest that most of the time when the trans overheats, it is under conditions where the engine is putting out a lot of heat as well. In other words, most of the time, the root cause of a trans getting too hot is because the engine is hot and working hard, so the trans cooling from the radiator does not cool the trans enough. (that is why the trans has an extra cooler after the radiator.)

Basically if you can cool the fluid, the trans will stay cool enough.

As an additional note, the 4L80e has the internal sensor right after the pump, which means GM thinks monitoring the pan temp is all that is necessary for the computer to make alternate decisions to save the trans.

It doesn't hurt to put it in the cooling line, but the pan is good enough.

[Born_To_Travel]

I installed this one last year on my 94 P-30... Works good and I bought it so when I pull long mountain hills I can see how the trans is doing.. http://www.amazon.com/Auto-Meter-2640-Transmission-Temperature/dp/B00062YWBU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=...

[Gjac]

When I looked into this I found that there is a test port that you can hook into, on the drivers side just above the pan. My P-30 has a 4 speed, it may be different on a 3 speed.

[turbojimmy]

sesspool wrote:
That looks like a good solution, I may try that when I change fluid,

I think I'll do the same unless I locate a pre-installed sensor somewhere. It's odd that the gauge is there but not hooked up. Looking behind the dash, it looks like it's supposed to be there (installed by Tiffen). I don't like the way the fluid looks so I'm going to change it anyway.