Aftermarket gauge install help needed

[WORKIN]

hopefully with all you experts in here, i can get some answers. I'm trying to install two temperature gauges, oil temp, and trans temp. does anyone have knowledege of where the ports are for the 1/8th probes.... my instructions don't show this.........

[GLBLWARMR]

I have not installed any aftermaket gauges in the hummer YET but have installed gauges in numerous other vehicles. You are going to have to drill and tap the holes yourself. This is at least for the oil temp. I have done water, oil, exhaust and boost and besides the boost I had to drill and tap the holes. You have to be extremely careful when doing this. Never done tranny so can't help you there.

As far as placement for the oil temp. Pick a location on the side of the pan where you are going to have enough cable to run to the gauge. Then drain the oil, remove the pan and do all of the drilling. Do not leave the pan on and try it cause you are going to need to clean the shavings out. Then tap the hole, reinstall the pan, run the cables and you should be good. Either pick up oil drain pan gaskets or some orange rtv gasket maker to use. If you are not comfortable doing this take it to a shop and have them do it. Hope this helps.

Russ

[WORKIN]

Here is a pic of the gauges install.......

[Colby]

For the trans temp, can't you splice into the line going to the trans cooler? Go to your local hardware store, in the brass fittings section, and buy the appropriate "T" fitting, and two barb fittings. Splice the line going TO the cooler and slide each end over the barb fitting and place the probe into the T. Could probably do the same if there is an external oil cooler (sorry, new to Hummer's, but this is what I've done in the past for race cars).

Colby

[Humdingah]

Workin,

Where'd you score the gauge pod? Much nicer than the $300 piece from Lingenfelter that puts it behind the steering wheel!

[WORKIN]

Originally posted by Humdingah:
Workin,

Where'd you score the gauge pod? Much nicer than the $300 piece from Lingenfelter that puts it behind the steering wheel!
YOU CAN GET THEM HERE..http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Speedhut-Hummer-H2-2-Dual-Gauge-Gauges-Dash-Pod-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43951QQitemZ8049836 006QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW It's a whole 39.00 for the pod, and fits perfect.........

[WORKIN]

Originally posted by PhilD:
You already have tranny temp and oil temp is directly related to engine temp, so I don't see the need for either myself.

That said, as Colby suggests you can tap into the cooler lines for both oil and tranny. Or drill and tap holes in the pans.

If you are going to mess with the lines, make sure you get good fittings that won't cause any problems. I did some quick splices on the oil cooler lines and dumped 6 qts of oil on the road.

If you do the latter, follow Glblwarmr's advice and make sure sure you remove the pans to do it and make sure that no shavings etc are left in there. Removing the tranny pan requires removing the exhaust also, as you can't drop the pan out with the exhaust in place.

well phil, i need more acurate gauges, to closely moniter, while pulling my travel trailer. thanks

[GLBLWARMR]

I would also through in an exhaust temp gauge as well. I like having an exhaust temp gauge because I have identified engine troubles in my other vehicles from monitoring this. It tipped me off even before any of the idiots lights came a flashing.

I have a nice Blitz Black light carbon fiber face exhaust temp gauge I am going to toss in the truck. I am just trying to determine if I am going to do it now or wait til I put a custom exhuast in. I am thinking of waiting til I get the new one and do the drilling and tapping before I install the exhuast on the truck.

[Hummie2]

While taking the temp from the pan will give you a better temp reading of the overall trans temp, you will see the trans temp rise faster in the cooler line. The cooler line comes fron the torque converter goes through the coolers and returns to the trans as lube oil. If you check the temp between converter and cooler you will see 300F. in less than a minute when the converter starts to stall. It will give a better indication of how hard you are working the trans sooner than wiating for the sump temp to rise. The converter is the source of most of heat when its not in lockup.

Shifting out of lockup is the first downshift you feel when you are in overdrive (4). When it shifts out of lockup you will see about a 400RPM rise @70mph. This means you are turning the pump side(drive side) of the converter 400RPM faster than the turbine (driven side). Its shearing the oil and will get hot pretty quick.

[H2 Bill]

Hey Hummie2 and PhilD, This is an interesting point. Maybe a dumb question, but what if you went into tow mode (on grades, etc.) wouldn't that decrease the trans temp?

[Humdingah]

Workin,

Much appreciated...

[WORKIN]

Originally posted by PhilD:
In that case I'd defintely take the readings from the pans, it will be a little more accurate than the cooler lines.

I've sometimes found that aftermarket gauges aren't any more accurate than stock ones, it's usually better to watch the trend. But i'd be inetersted to know what they say you are running at compared to the stock ones.

That's just it... I don't trust a stock gm gauge. something that only has 100 & 300 printed, just doesn't tell me much. my service tech at hummer, is going to help me with this.they say the h2 has the largest stock trany cooler from gm installed already. he reccommended lube gaurd to help keep temps down.
my trailer weight is between 7400 &7800 lbs, depending on what i'm packing... the tech, and am general has told me this is no problem for the h2, as they were purposly underated tow wise....but i surely dont wont to void a warranty, by not watching what the engine and trans are up to...

[WORKIN]

Originally posted by Humdingah:
Workin,

Much appreciated...

Anytime.......................

[Hummie2]

he reccommended lube gaurd to help keep temps down.


Anything you can do to drop the trans temp will extend its life. I have installed a larger cooler in my truck and I know Phil has too. It makes a noticeable difference in both the transmission and coolant temps. I got mine from NAPA, its the largest Hayden-Rapid Cool they had listed in their cat. Looks just like the stock cooler except its larger. I was able to mount it in place of the stock cooler with a slight mod to the stock brackets. It has double the surface area and 3X as many tubes as stock. Also considering adding an external spin-on filter in the cooler line too.

[Hummie2]

Anyone know how is the tranny cooling pump is driven?


The torque converter IS the pump for the cooler Phil. Oil flows from the trans pump to the converter into the pump section fins of the converter. The oil that is thrown off the pump fins hits the turbine fins and starts it to turning driving the input shaft of the trans. Oil that exhausts the turbine hits the stator assy. and is redirected back into the pump section gaining velocity and giving torque multiplication at stall.The stator has a oneway sprag clutch that allows it to turn with the pump & turbine once the turbine gets upto speed with the pump as it is nolonger necessary and it would impede the flow of oil at that speed. Once the both sections of the converter near the same speed the lockup clutch can engage and mechanically lock both sections togather making the converter 100% efficient.

Its when the lockup clutch disengages under load and the converter starts to stall to some degree (about 400rpm @ 70mph in this case) that the oil is sheared and generates all of the heat.

Sounds complicated as hell, but is really pretty simple. Think of the converter assy. as 2 box fans sitting face to face. One plugged in and running (pump) the other not running (turbine). After a while the fan that is not running starts to turn also because of the air that blows across its fan blades.

[Hummie2]

Don, do you have any pics of your tranny cooler, or know which model it was?


Hayden Rapid Cool #1-7511. Its supposed to be for motor homes towing over 10K lbs. I bypassed and plugged the radiator tank cooler altogather after Auggie gave me a "heads-up" on several splitting the heatexchanger in the radiator tank and dumping coolant into the trans and frying the tranny. Mine is out of warranty and I don't want to buy/rebuild a trans if I don't have to.

So far my trans runs about 1/2 to 2/3 the previous temps @80+F ambient and hasn't exceeded its previous normal temps on the hardest pulls. Coolant temps now stay well below 210. Remains to be seen if it will be sufficient when the ambient temp hits 100F and 95%RH. Might be necessary to add another in series similar to your setup Phil.

Here is the best pic I could get without pulling the grill:

[Hummie2]

Originally posted by PhilD:
Okay, so in theory the atf will be getting more cooling at higher rpms. But I'm presuming that would be offset by the fact the tc may not be locked up?

When I've towed, I've noticed that the TC rarely stays locked for long, even with tow/haul on. Does two/haul help lock it up at all, or simply play with the shift points, in which case I'm guessing that the tow/haul mode does little to help with cooling?

That pretty well sums it up Phil. I never noticed any better cooling in tow/haul only higher RPM shift points. It still kicks out of lockup and comes back on the converter under a hard pull.

[H2 Bill]

"When I've towed, I've noticed that the TC rarely stays locked for long, even with tow/haul on. Does two/haul help lock it up at all, or simply play with the shift points, in which case I'm guessing that the tow/haul mode does little to help with cooling?"
Thanks PhilD, I thought that the TC locked up more in the Tow/Haul mode more...I did the same additional trans cooler per your post and it really works great. Thank you again!

[Hummie2]

Originally posted by PhilD:
One last thing, how did you bypass the main rad, make new lines, or just looped it out?

I ran new lines from where the stock line entered the lower fitting on the rad tank to the cooler. Plugged fittings in rad tank to stop coolant leaking out if old tank cooler ever does split. The return line has a coupling close to this point, popped it loose and ran new line from cooler back to that point. BTW- the factory flare on the line makes a great hose barb. Did a similar flare on cut line to the cooler to create a similar hose barb.

Also while still on the subject, I question how much pressure is on those lines (need to do some further pressure checks). I noticed all hose moved back slightly until clamp/hose rested against the barbs with clamps tightened properly. Had I not done the barb/flare thing the line would most likely blew off. Something might be going on here with the pressures and be the underlying cause of the stock tank coolers to split/rupture (shouldn't be that much pressure).

I questioned why only trans cooler splits and not eng. oil cooler. It seems over 1800 T-coolers have been reported under warranty and only 2 known eng. oil cooler failures warrantied. They both are very similar in construction I believe.

[WORKIN]

Well i have to say, this thread provided a wealth of information......thanks all for the input. keep it coming.