Thread: 6 Speed ATF Temperature Sensor Location?

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Does anyone know from where in the 6 speed autobox, the ATF temperature sensor takes its readings?

On our last trip from Perth to Kalbarri, on a cool day and travelling between 80 - 90 kmph towing the 3.5T block of flats, the ATF temp went over 140C as read on the GAP Tool on a few ocassions. On the trip to NT/QLD last year we rarely saw 135C. Car has done 260K km, but box was rebuilt under warranty at 215K km/2017.

According to Ashcrofts in UK, normal operating measurements in the oil pan/sump should be between 77 - 93C with recommended max allowable for short periods eg towing up a steep hill = 135C.

For measurements at the converter outlet to cooler, the allowable temps must be a little higher as the recommended short term max is 149C.

As an aside, Ashcrofts also provide a table of the range of service interval degradation at higher temps eg up to 79C is good for 162,500 km, but if constantly operating at up to 135C ATF should be changed at 5,078 km.

Hi Gavin, If its taken from the Auto Box the sensor is in the Valve Body. Nick

Hi, so when I get program from black box solutions for nanocom currently only td5, will I be able to monitor auto temps as well?

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Does anyone know from where in the 6 speed autobox, the ATF temperature sensor takes its readings?

On our last trip from Perth to Kalbarri, on a cool day and travelling between 80 - 90 kmph towing the 3.5T block of flats, the ATF temp went over 140C as read on the GAP Tool on a few ocassions. On the trip to NT/QLD last year we rarely saw 135C. Car has done 260K km, but box was rebuilt under warranty at 215K km/2017.

According to Ashcrofts in UK, normal operating measurements in the oil pan/sump should be between 77 - 93C with recommended max allowable for short periods eg towing up a steep hill = 135C.

For measurements at the converter outlet to cooler, the allowable temps must be a little higher as the recommended short term max is 149C.

As an aside, Ashcrofts also provide a table of the range of service interval degradation at higher temps eg up to 79C is good for 162,500 km, but if constantly operating at up to 135C ATF should be changed at 5,078 km.

Gav, it's torque converter that makes all the heat, if you see figures like that you can first try sports, or " command shift" to push it into a low gear and give the coverter a break. I've never had to on mine, but boats are friendly to air resistance and mine only weighs 2t. You'll chew more juice but you'll get the heat out. If the sump if the auto is that hot. What's coming out of the coverter is probably 10c hotter minimum. You may need to look into a cooler. I personally havnt seen one for us yet

Originally Posted by josh.huber

Gav, it's torque converter that makes all the heat, if you see figures like that you can first try sports, or " command shift" to push it into a low gear and give the coverter a break. I've never had to on mine, but boats are friendly to air resistance and mine only weighs 2t. You'll chew more juice but you'll get the heat out. If the sump if the auto is that hot. What's coming out of the coverter is probably 10c hotter minimum. You may need to look into a cooler. I personally havnt seen one for us yet

Thanks Josh. Yep, know how to intervene to cool it down, but was interested that it got that warm on a straight, pretty flat road for a first time. Possible warning bells!

Suspect I will be talking soon to DazzaTD5, who has expressed a few indicative thoughts on front mounted cooler/s for the D3/4, especially as they are not required for ordinary operations. Cheers

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Thanks Josh. Yep, know how to intervene to cool it down, but was interested that it got that warm on a straight, pretty flat road for a first time. Possible warning bells!

Suspect I will be talking soon to DazzaTD5, who has expressed a few indicative thoughts on front mounted cooler/s for the D3/4, especially as they are not required for ordinary operations. Cheers

If the ECM hasn't locked it up it'll do that. You might be just under on throttle or engine load that it's happy to be unlocked. Or potentially the other way round. Your asking a bit too much so it unlocks and let's the converter do it's job rather then change down a gear.
I've never looked but can you see the lockup with your scan tool? If it says locked up and your generating heat I'd be worried. But at the same time zf make great boxes and would likely give you a speed mismatch error. I love your pro active approach . At those temps your giving your engine cooling system a harder job then it wants.

I'd watch the scan tool while driving to see if a minor input from you can help out. Maybe 5kph faster and it'll lock up?

As above ,temp sensor is in the valve body and from memory at those speeds with load, torque converter won't be locked if you're in drive .
On your gap tool you can see the state of the converter, it will go from open , regulated , to closed ( locked ).
Try to keep it closed ( even regulated will generate less heat than open).
Finally , it's definitely worth changing the oil and filter with a rebuilt box as there may be enough blockage in the filter to restrict some flow causing more heat.

Originally Posted by discorevy

As above ,temp sensor is in the valve body and from memory at those speeds with load, torque converter won't be locked if you're in drive .
On your gap tool you can see the state of the converter, it will go from open , regulated , to closed ( locked ).
Try to keep it closed ( even regulated will generate less heat than open).
Finally , it's definitely worth changing the oil and filter with a rebuilt box as there may be enough blockage in the filter to restrict some flow causing more heat.

Cheers Craig, and will do another ATF change, although its only been 10K km and last October since the last ATF change, with a double flush 21K before that (prior to the Qld/NT trip mid last year).
Will probably basically leave it in 5th for the return trip, and see what differences occur.

Originally Posted by discorevy

As above ,temp sensor is in the valve body and from memory at those speeds with load, torque converter won't be locked if you're in drive .
On your gap tool you can see the state of the converter, it will go from open , regulated , to closed ( locked ).
Try to keep it closed ( even regulated will generate less heat than open).
Finally , it's definitely worth changing the oil and filter with a rebuilt box as there may be enough blockage in the filter to restrict some flow causing more heat.

Doesn’t seem to be available on the 3L 6hp28 box with gap tool. I’ve looked at every message on the box on the topics of “converter”, “torque” etc but there is no simple view of the torque converter.