Defender 300tdi Auto Conversion - Transmission Warning Light?

[Grizzly_Adams]

Hi all,

For those of you who have converted their Defender 300tdi's to Automagic's from the Disco 1's - have any of you rigged up a Transmission Warning Light or temperature gauges?

Considering I regularly tow a 1.2 tonne camper up and down the Toowoomba ranges I would dearly like to know how my automatic is handling it, at the moment I'm feeling a little blind.

I've spoken to several auto mechanics and auto sparkies but they're not really sure - I've had everything from "it'll be fine their rock solid" to "where do you want the gauge? In the bottom of the auto sump or in the oil cooler line or somewhere else?"

I'm not mechanically inclined enough to make such a choose and would appreciate the community feedback.

[jbell110]

In my 130 I drilled & welded a bung for the temp. sender in the side
of the auto pan near the bottom. It is handy while towing.. Put the gauge
where the non working clock was..


Jeff

[alan48]

Hi guys,
I have just done a brand new disco auto onto my 130 big cab 300tdi and we put the sender into the auto pan and it tends to run at 70 degrees after a long run--when short trips it sits around 50-60. Mounted teh gauge into a raptor dash.
Alan

[sadbenn]

After all the trips you have done now your worried about oil temp ??are you having brain strain due to all the rain:D

[Grizzly_Adams]

After all the trips you have done now your worried about oil temp ??are you having brain strain due to all the rain:D

I've always been worried about it, it's just that I've never been sure where / how to fit one :(

[Bazzle218]

Troops looking at doing this mod dont want to steal your post but do the auto conversions match your expectations with towing ect and also rough cost if you dont mind
Baz

[Grizzly_Adams]

Troops looking at doing this mod dont want to steal your post but do the auto conversions match your expectations with towing ect and also rough cost if you dont mind
Baz

Cost was about $2.5 -$3k from memory (including fitting - you could save about $1k by fitting it yourself) and loved it ever since. Matched it with cruise control and she tows and performs off-road beautifully, the auto keeps her in the turbo rev-band so no more running out of puff.

She's only a 300tdi so with 1.2 tonne of trailer on the back she notices any inclines but that's about it. As the topic of this thread implies, my biggest concern is cooking her as the ZF gearboxes don't like getting hot. I've got a good size oil cooler on her but I'd like a transmission warning light or some sort of gauge to let me know how hard I'm pushing her.

[George130]

My temp guage is in the pan near the front. Guage is in the centre of the dash. You will have to get to know what is the normal temp for your box.

Mine was done before I got it but over the times my box was cooked I have replaced the sender and guage, cooler, cooler fan and most of the box.

[Grizzly_Adams]

Does anyone know if there's a wire or something already on the transmission that the factory automatics use to elluminate their transmission warning light that I can plug into to see what the transmission thinks or do I just have to put my own gauge in and learn her limits?

[danialan]

The Disco temp sender is attached to the auto oil cooler. It triggers the warning light at temps above 135C - which is already too high.

Ashcroft transmissions has a guide on auto oil temps here: Transmission Oil (http://www.digi-panel.com/digidevicesweb/trannyoil.htm)

I would be interested in what auto oil coolers people have mounted in their Defenders? I currently have a RX7 oil cooler which fits perfectly in between the chassis rails, but the temp still gets up to 120C plus on hilly dirt roads (this is the temp where I stop to let it cool down). On the hwy with the tc locked up it sits on about 70C, and in heavy traffic 80-90C.

I am now planning on fitting a P38 Auto Oil Cooler, with a 6inch thermo fan, for slow going. Though I am concerned about the effects of pre-heating half the radiator/intercooler with a hot auto cooler infront. Any one have a better solution?

Thanks,
Alan

[Didge]

just a side question folks, if you don't mind. How does the auto affect the economy. At the moment my 300Tdi gets around 9.5l/ 100km (checked numerous times) and I'd like to keep that economy but would like an auto. cheers Gerald