Transmission temperature gauge

[gja1000]

Hi All,
I'm a new Class C owner. I have a 2016 Coachman Freelander with a Ford 350 V10 . It doesn't have a transmission temperature gauge and I would like to have one installed. Do I have this done at a Ford dealership or at the RV dealership? By the way, I'm a girl and I'm used to pulling a fifth wheel or a bumper pull trailer with my husband. He has passed now and I'm ready to start traveling solo. So, I bought a Class C because I didn't want to have all the headaches of pulling a trailer - but I don't know as much about a motor home.

Thanks for your help.

[Olddud]

I just got the 30% off. Thanks.

[rbreak]

SpeakEasy wrote:

rbreak wrote:
Just a heads up if someone is thinking about getting a scan gauge, my local Advance auto parts store had them for $159.99, but if you order ahead online, and then go pick it up at the store, you can use a 30 percent discount code and take $48 off. Mine was $119.27 with tax. The discount code was trt30. Having all the available info this gauge offers, and especially if it keeps you from overheating a very expensive transmission, for $120 I don't see how you could go wrong.

Wow! Thanks so much, rbreak! You just saved me $48!!!

Gotta love online forums!

-Speak

No problem, this forum has helped me out many times, glad I can contribute something useful. Gotta give Advance Auto credit, I do a lot of mechanical repairs/maintenance/upgrades/etc. to both the rv and my other vehicles (bought the monroe rv shocks there) and I have used the code to save quite a bit of money over the past several months. The maximum saved per order is $50, so you can break orders up to get maximum savings depending on how much your buying.

[SpeakEasy]

rbreak wrote:
Just a heads up if someone is thinking about getting a scan gauge, my local Advance auto parts store had them for $159.99, but if you order ahead online, and then go pick it up at the store, you can use a 30 percent discount code and take $48 off. Mine was $119.27 with tax. The discount code was trt30. Having all the available info this gauge offers, and especially if it keeps you from overheating a very expensive transmission, for $120 I don't see how you could go wrong.

Wow! Thanks so much, rbreak! You just saved me $48!!!

Gotta love online forums!

-Speak

[gja1000]

Great Desert Capitan, thank much!

[Desert_Captain]

I'll attempt to respond to several previous posts here. The beauty of the Scan Gauge is that you will know exactly what your trans fluid temps are. The first time you run with the SC on even a slight grade you will be able to watch your trans temps creep up. Engage TH and they will drop 12 to 15 degrees in just a couple of miles.

Trans temps (I am taking about the late model V-10), will rise and fall with the terrain, load and ambient temperature. Watch for trends and adjust accordingly. A brief climb up to 220 - 224 on a long, steep climb {like we encountered coming up from Panamint Springs climbing up the massive grade in Death Vally last September, towing 1,000# of motorcycle and trailer, temp 104 and climbing}, is not a disaster but you better be in TH and back off the throttle.

At the top of the grade the temp quickly dropped back into the 1995 to 210 range with no discernible harm or foul. So long as the temps fall commensurate with the change in conditions things are working as they should. This also applies to your engine coolant temps.

Engaging TH locks up the torque converter and/or dramatically reduces slippage which equals friction which equals heat. On downhills, especially long steep grades - think 6 to 8% over 10 to 12 miles - you will be able to safely descend in TH, probably without touching the brakes. An additional benefit is that you are not burning a drop of fuel as the flow of fuel to the engine is cut off.

Most folks do not use Tow Haul nearly enough. The weight of a normally loaded Class C is more then enough of a load for the rig to substantially benefit from running in TH mode. Obviously if you are towing anything or loaded heavy, engaging it is a no brainer {only those with no brains don't}.

Running in the TH mode will not have any significant impact on your mileage but it will protect and prolong the life of your trans mission. Use the SC {or any other reliable trans temp gauge}, to confirm that it is time, usually overdue to engage TH.

Works for me.

:C

[gja1000]

Thanks rbreak! That's great information

[rbreak]

Just a heads up if someone is thinking about getting a scan gauge, my local Advance auto parts store had them for $159.99, but if you order ahead online, and then go pick it up at the store, you can use a 30 percent discount code and take $48 off. Mine was $119.27 with tax. The discount code was trt30. Having all the available info this gauge offers, and especially if it keeps you from overheating a very expensive transmission, for $120 I don't see how you could go wrong.

[CharlesinGA]

gja1000 wrote:
Two more questions - since I'm used to only having a temperature gauge in the dash that only told me when the transmission temperature was nearing the "red" area, I realize that I don't actually know when the transmission is at a "dangerous" temperature. Can you all enlighten me. At what temperature should I stop and let the transmission cool down.

Also, any tips about coming down from grade in the Class C. In my pickup, I just put it into a lower gear and tried tp stay off the brakes as much as possible. Any other tips for driving the class C down grade?

In reference to the five speed transmission, I found the following on a diesel web site. The information will be basically the same for the six speed also.

The 5R110W TorqShift transmission features an integrated "Tow/Haul" function that can be activated via a shifter mounted switch. It is advised that all towing and hauling of significant weight be performed with the Tow/Haul setting activated. While selected, the transmission will provide an alternative shift schedule that prevents shift hunting while towing, engages torque converter lockup at lower engine speeds (which allows for engine braking and speed control on long descents), and will command downshifts on descents to maintain a safe vehicle speed.

The essence of this is that it uses the lockup clutch to allow better engine braking during long decents down mountains and slopes, much the same way a straight shift in a lower gear provides engine braking going down a mountain. This is very useful even if you are not towing anything, remember it is a Tow/haul function, and a motorhome is always "hauling" a whole bunch of weight.

Charles

[gja1000]

Two more questions - since I'm used to only having a temperature gauge in the dash that only told me when the transmission temperature was nearing the "red" area, I realize that I don't actually know when the transmission is at a "dangerous" temperature. Can you all enlighten me. At what temperature should I stop and let the transmission cool down.

Also, any tips about coming down from grade in the Class C. In my pickup, I just put it into a lower gear and tried tp stay off the brakes as much as possible. Any other tips for driving the class C down grade?

[gja1000]

Desert Captain wrote:
I too have a V-10 E-350 {2012}, Class C. I bought the Scan Gauge specially to display trans fluid temps. Without that info most folks have no clue just how hot their trans can get especially when not utilizing your Tow Haul mode. Engaging it, even on a seemingly slight grade, can drop your trans fluid temps 12 to 15 degrees in just a couple of miles.

Most folks do not use T/H nearly enough and that can easily lead to premature transmission failure. The Scan Gauge does so many things well at a very reasonable cost I cannot imagine running without it.

For the record I run with mine displaying trans fluid and coolant temps along with real time and average mpg. You can easily adjust your display to any one of a couple of dozen displays but those four work well for me.

:C

Thanks Desert Captain - just to be sure, do you mean that you engage the tow/haul when you are pulling a grade, even when you are not towing? Since we will be going up and down some mountain passes (but not towing), if I should engage the tow/haul, because it will keep the transmission cooler, I want to do that.

[tpi]

Scangauge is excellent accessory. You know what I'd like in addition? An idiot light which comes on when torque converter is unlocked-dimming at night. There's big source of heat into the automatic transmission.

[Baja_Man]

I just installed a Scan Gauge II and highly recommend one. I previously installed sending units in the test port on older Ford trannies (E40D/4R100) and ran Autometer gauges. More work to install and you need a place to mout each gauage, ec. trans, water temp., volts, etc).

Now with the SCII and have 4 gauges reading at once!

The install is very simple. I would also recommend the Blend Mount to mount the SCII over the rear view mirror/ It works prefect and was also easy to install.

I can't imagine the cost exceeding $150 to install both the SCII and Blend Mount. The only work here is running the SCII cable under plastic trim above windshield and over to left, and behind the A-Pillar plastic trim on down left side of windshield to under dash and to OBD port. It took me about 1.5 hours to mount, run cable, and program trans temp.

Here is where I purchased mine:

Scan Gauge II



Blend Mount BSG-1000

[jeffengle]

Where is the temp sender on the trans that the scan gauge gets its info from? Why is the trans temp different wheather in tow/haul or not at the same speed?

[Mich_F]

The Logans wrote:

Well, for one thing, we no longer have to use Tow/Haul, we just put the 6 speed in cruise control, and the computer completely controls the speed both up and down hill. We borrowed a plug in gauge, and the temps were in the 185 to 202 range while running at about 62, with the outside air temp at around 90.

Thanks for the quick response. I don't often use the tow/haul feature. It looks like my temp running 60ish is close to yours, although my lowest temps at that speed are the upper 190's. It usually takes 20 min. or so of driving to get up to those temps. I frequently don't use cruise control, thinking (perhaps incorrectly:B) that I can get a little better fuel economy by not using it.