Trans temp guage in AW4

I got an Autometer trans temp guage and the sender is 1/8 npt. Where are yous guys putting the sender? I was looking at my trans and the only thing I can come up with is to T into the cooler line running out to the cooler. That would more than likely be the hottest fluid any way since it comes from the converter.

Hamy.

I put mine in the return line. My thought was that I would like to know what the "cool" temp that is going to the trany. Hope this helps.

Craig

I tried the inline setup first and hated it, so I went to the local plumbing shop with my sender and found a threaded bung that I welded it on a horizontal plane into the pass. front corner of the AW4 pan. It's really the only place you can install it without the sender hitting something on the valve body, a deeper tranny pan would be nice for both cooling and added fluid supply when on steep inclines for extended periods. I've though of getting another pan and grafting it onto the stock pan for added capacity................
BTW, I feel that the inpan location of the sender gives a more accuate reading of the "real" tranny operating temp. My gauge usually reads about 180 degrees, unless it's 95+ outside and I'm in stop and go traffic or rockcrawling, then it gets up around 200.

XJEEPER said:

My gauge usually reads about 180 degrees, unless it's 95+ outside and I'm in stop and go traffic or rockcrawling, then it gets up around 200.

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Are you using an additional cooler or just the radiator? What size cooler, if you are using one? I had my trans overheat on me last weekend. I was on the highway loaded down on the way to the trail and fluid was pushing out the vent. Then while on the trail, my ps was whining and I could smell trans fluid, and my temp guage was getting pretty high. So, I got a 17k gvw cooler, I'm bypassing the rad in hopes of lowering the engine temp and adding a ps cooler as well. I am thinking of removing the hood when I go wheeling to vent the engine also. I also want to remove the mechanical fan and add another electric, lower the freeze point in the rad to 0 degrees f and add Water wetter. I had pretty good luck with the later on my CJ.

I also want to remove the mechanical fan and add another electric,

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Check out the mech to elec fan swap closely before proceeding with it on the XJ. I don't know of anyone that has done it that hasn't had more troubles with it than with their mech fan in fact everyone I know of has had to switch back to the orig set up.

Bones :skull1:

I just installed mine in my outgoing line to see what the trans was realy running at. I figured thats the tuest operating temp because just because i know what the incoming temp is, that doesnttell me anything about how quickly its heating back up or if its doing any good. I figure im ahead of the problem rather than behind.
i used the fancy connector autometer sells and it uses compression fittings. I pu tthem on backwards at first but was able to turn them around and its holding fine. You could just use a t fitting in the hose near the rad too. two barbfittings and hose clamps and you'd be ok. you could even put in a second temp sensor and wire them on a switch. BTW i am running anywhere from 125 - to 235. thats just too hot for barely any work and have a cooler waiting to go in but im afraid it will run too cool more often than not. They have inline t-stats im gonna check out. Maybe i can come up with a manual bypass for cooler weather.
Right now i have the stock upcountry cooler and it doesnt help enough. Also, my swampers apparently make the tranny work harder. smae size but steel wheels opposed to aluminum and thick mud tire compared to allterrain.

Oh and after smoking my power steering fluid and getting dirty water in there and blowing the pump out hose, i stuck in a 10" cooler from currie. What amazes me is how hot that sucker gets on short road trips with hardly any steering! cant touch it thats for sure.

Bones said:

Check out the mech to elec fan swap closely before proceeding with it on the XJ. I don't know of anyone that has done it that hasn't had more troubles with it than with their mech fan in fact everyone I know of has had to switch back to the orig set up.

Bones :skull1:

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What kind of problems are we talking about?

What kind of problems are we talking about?

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The inability to keep the engine as cool as the mech fan.

Bones :skull1:

Sensor in the pan is the way to go. Another scheme is to get a B&M drain plug kit. It's a through bolt with an 1/8" NPT plug in it. Screw your sensor in place of the B&M plug.

I'm running my t-fluid through my radiator (3row GDI) and then through a 40K gvw (not sure about this rating but it measures apprx. 11"x 8") aux. cooler spec-ed for a motor home. It's mounted in front of the AC condensor, on custom brackets that bolt to the front header panel frame. After consulting with a couple of buddies who own radiator and tranny shops, I chose to use the in-tank radiator cooler to make sure the fluid didn't stay too cool, but then route through the oversized aux. cooler to make sure that it was cool enough. Seems like it balances out well.

I didn't know that tranny fluid could be too cool. What will happen if it is too cool?