Is it hard to add a tranny temp guage? Are cetian brands better - Auto Meter?

 

I installed a B&M Cooler in front of the radiator using some 1/2" aluminum tubing and drilling and mounting the tubing to the top and bottom support frames behind the grill. I then bolted the cooler to the tubing. I spliced into the transmission supply line to the stock cooler and inserted the new one in series with it.

The install turned out clean. Sorry I don't have any pics.............as I am not sure how to post them here.

 

Well I sent Griffin Radiator an email who makes the direct replacement raidator with 25% more capacity for our jeep, asking them to come up with a custom or direct replacement and they got back to me, they want me to send them a trans cooler/ air cond and they will come up with something better. So I'm going to see how much it is and probably order one. I'll let everyone know what they come up with. I'd rather not add another thing in front of the air cond/cooler and radiator now if I dont have to. I dont want to block the airflow.

 

Sounds like you got mud caked on the fan. I had the same thing after a muddy run through Trabuco. I pressure washed the fan from inside the engine compartment and everything was fine afterward.

 

I would stick to AutoMeter or Faze as far as gauges go. If you are mechanically inclined at all it isn't hard to install the tranny temp gauge.

 

I've done gauges in the past - not tranny temp gauges. It's a lot different working on 68 chargers and road runners than on 2007 and 2008 computer controlled beasts. On the JK in particular, I was wondering if I could remove the stock sending unit and use the one that comes with the autometer gauge or should I drop the pan and mount the sending unit? My main concern would be screwing up the ECU or having idiot lights on all of the time by disconnecting the stock sending unit.

 

I have an unlimited auto with 35s and the stock 4.10 gears. I believe that JKs equipped this way are the most at risk for overheating trannys and worse with lower gears. When a shift is made going up a hill you will notice that it takes a while for the RPMs to match the speed meaning either the TC or clutch packs are slipping. Either way the result is increased heat. I was ascending a mountain road in no particular hurry and 3/4 or the way up I smelled something like a burning clutch. I pulled over and it was definately coming from the JK. I don't think it hit the 230° threshold for the warning ding and the PO218 (overheating trouble code, I may be wrong on the code) was not stored. I was bummed since I was under no load special loading and not going fast.

I decided to install a cooler and gage. Problem solved and easy install (for the transmission cooler at least). I picked a VDO gage because the sweep of the gage was from 6 oclock to 3 oclock or 270° of needle movement. The autometer sweep from 10 to 2 or about 90° of needle movement. I don't have power windows so I mounted the gage in the dash between the two AC ducts where the window controls would go. Looks clean. The transmission cooler was a Hayden rapid cool from pepboys. I think it was around $60. Easy to install and keeps the tranny cool, maybe a little too cool. It rarely breaks 150° but going up the same mountain road that caused it to nearly overheat and it never got over 190° proving that ascents with an auto are demanding on the transmission. The gage mounting took considerably longer. I ended up removing the transmission pan and drilling a hole to mount the sensor directly in the oil bath. This will give the most accurate reading but I was a little skiddish about drilling into the pan.

If I were to do it all over again, I'd skip the gage install and only install a smaller cooler. For reference, the cooler was added in front of the AC condenser. It is about the size of a piece of paper. I will attempt to include pics if anyone is interested.

 

Yeah post some pics of where you hooked into the trans lines too thanks

 

Yes. Pictures please. And maybe a write up of what you did and what you used.