just bought a Autometer trans. temp. gauge and was wondering where the sender goes int the tranny. I've got a 02GT with the AODE Trans. The passenger side has 4 plugs all the same size?

 

Im going to be getting a Lentech Oil pan and putting it in there. It has two threded bosses, one for draining, the other for a sesnor. I was going to put it into the oil line, but that turned out to be a pain.

 

on the left side of the tranny right above the pan is a plug unscrew it and screw the sender into that. It gives you the temp of the fuide as its running threw the tranny.

 

I talked to a few people about this and we need to review the options here.

1. First we will talk about the option I posted which is putting the sensor into the pan. Awhile ago I went to a transmission shop and asked them about welding a bung into the stock pan and putting the sensor there. They told me it almost always leaks and I should put it somewhere else. So the next option is to find a pan that already has a boss threaded into it for a sensor. Lentech sells/ sold one exactly like this, however, they stopped selling them because so many other people make a pan for the 4R70W. So this option is pretty much out of the question for me. Just as a side note, I talked to Flo Bee (Matt @ www.matthillmotorsports.com ) who is a certified SCT tuner and knowledgeable person. On this option he said, "There's debates on where to tap for the trans temp, but Len and I both go with the actual pan temp."

2. The next option is what spike_africa said. This sounded like a fine idea to me, but before I go out and do it I decided to talk to some people about it, especially since Ive never heard of anyone doing that. Well I talked to Darrin (www.bc-automotive.com) and he said hes never done this. I also talked to Johnny Langton about this and he said "That port is also a path for fluid flow internally, and if you install a sensor that's deep enough to block the flow to any of the accumulators or other hydraulic systems, then you'll ruin the trans." After hearing that, this option doesnt sound like a good idea to me, especially since there are better ways.

3. The last option, the most common way, and my original place to put it is in the feed line (hard line going AWAY from the tranny). On this option Johnny said, "I don't like installing any temp gauges into a place where there is not fluid flow at all times." This means that the tranny pan isnt ideal. He also said that the fluid in the feed line is the hottest fluid that the transmission will see. Obviously we are installing these to read that temperature, so this makes sense. Darrin ALSO recommends putting the sensor here. This was my original plan, however, when you do this you need to ground the block so the sensor can read the tempurature. My problem was that I couldnt solder the wire onto the block. So I was going to use the Lentech pan, but now I cant even get those so Im back to my original plan. I will be getting a 3/8" Brass T to hook everything up. And Ill be able to solder the wire onto the brass.

 

"T" in the tranny cooler line like the last person said is the best option and is where Im going to put it when I get around to it.

 

Just so everyone knows, on the 4R70W's the TOP line is the return line, the BOTTOM line is the feed line (the one you want to tap into). On AOD's its the opposite.

 

the plug on the side of the tranny where i put mine in the f150. Is where ford made a inspection port for tranny guages etc.. I was told this by a ford tech freind of mine. It worked well with my truck. But most people just tap the pan as its the easiest.