Tranny temp sender in pan??

[Byrd91]

I've seen those bolt in train plugs, can I do the same thing with my tranny temp sender fitting...drill a hole, bolt in from other side with some sort of gasket?? Thats all those plugs do....but what would the gasket be...

Thanks fellas.

 

[X24]

My tranny temp sender would just screw right into the side of the pan if you drilled it and tapped it. I put on a remote filter and put it on that. Much easier I think.

 

[SteveVB]

Weld or braze

You can weld or braze one in from the outside. I started a pan where we welded a piece of plate (I think it was 3/16") to the pan and then drilled and tapped it for the sender- 1/8 npt. You could also use a thick washer. I havent finished putting the pan together yet so I don't know how it works on the explorer, but I ve done similar sender placements on other oil pans/ tranny pans. You need to make sure the sender is in the fluid though, and the bottom of the Explorer pan is prone to scraping if you wheel so I put mine on the side.

A nut on the inside I think may be a hassle- if it ever got loose you wouldnt be able to retighten it without dropping the pan. If you want to try you can buy gasket material at any parts store and cut your own- dont use RTV.

 

[aldive]

I would recommend adding a remote filter and the filter housing is already ready for a tranny temp gauge.

See Dead Link Removed

Plus you add an extra quart of ATF.

Good luck.....

 

[X24]

Why cant you drill a hole and weld a nut to the outside of the pan? Why does it have to be on the inside of the pan?

 

[Byrd91]

98 Ford, good idea. Thanks for all the input fellas. I already have a remote filter, but when I installed it the easiest way to install it put it in the return line from the coolers and that still seems like it might be more hassle to switch around. Also seems like the pan would be more accurate.

Does the A4LD have a pressure port. Peterson's just did an article called manumatic or something about a Chevy trans, and they stuck a pressure fitting, and temp sender, and something else right into the pressure port, which was 1/8 NPT on that tranny.

 

[SteveVB]

Pressure Take Off port

The take off port is right next to the linkage on the driverside. Its a couple inches back from the linkage right above the pan rail.

I havent heard of that, but its a good idea if it works- let us know.

 

[Byrd91]

Steve, thanks for that info.I'm going to try it today or tomorrow and I'll let you guys know how it goes.

 

[Byrd91]

The plug in the pressure port is not deep enough for the sending unit. A 1/8" NPT nipple and uhh.... the thing with 2 female ends and it'll work good. Too bad I hacked into my sending unit thinking it was solid brass and I could just cut it shorter, now I'm waiting for a new one from summit, but it should work.

 

[Byrd91]

Pressure port seems to work. I picked up yet another sending unit today from NAPA. The second Autometer one wouldn't read about 105 degrees or so, so I took everything out and tested it in my basement, and sure enough the sending unit was reading about 40 degrees low. With the NAPA unit I'm running about 150 all the time, which is fairly accurate from what I tested in the basement. I did notice this reading doesn't waver as much as other peoples readings have. Uphill, downhill, OD or not, I get pretty much the same reading. I haven't offroaded yet, but we'll see how it goes.

 

[X24]

Yesterday I was running 91* doing 65 on the highway. If I turned O/D off to go up a hill it would jump up to around 105* and then cool down again. It was 30* out. In the summer it goes up to around 170* if I'm gettin on it.