lookin for insight, im set on gettin a trans temp gauge, but i dont really need nothin else, its all on my dash cluster. but i need some insight, do all autometer gauges come with back lights? where is a good place to order them to get a good cheap price.I know they come with the sending units, but will i require an additional wire or anything? thankis guys, let me know if you think i need any other important gauge.

 

Don't our trucks have trans temp warning lights? Right under the heater ****. Anyway, try Summit racing, Jegs, places like that.

 

i got mine from jegs, but it was the high dollar one, it'll have everything you need, however there will be one little speed bump, that being where are you going to put the sending unit? ya got 3 choices, the trans pan, in the servo port or build your own "T" fitting and put it in the trans line going to the radiator. i found the last one to be a pain, but i used the servo port on the tranny, works pretty good. if you plan on using the trans pan you'll need to drop the pan and drill a hole in it unless you have an aftermarket most of those have that already for you and your wires should be long enough, just keep them away from your exhaust and you'll be good.

 

If you ever plan on modding it more and getting an SCT tuner a A/F ratio gauge is a heck of a good investment.

I'm trying to remember... I think I got my gauges at Moe's Performance for pretty cheap.

The A pillar gauges I got from genosgarage.com It's a diesel shop, but the A pillars for all second gens are the same.

 

I was in the same boat. I have a custom ground cam in the box in my garage that is going in my truck someday. Only went ahead and got the pillar pod ahead of time cause my fat a$$ busted the factory one. When the cam goes in I want a multi-funcion gauge so I didn't want to spend a lot on my tranny temp gauge for the time being.

Picked this one up at Advance for all of $16. Matches pretty damn good and is backlit...

 

thanks for all the insight guys. and yes im gonna be puttin it in the pan. im gonna be changin the fluid and filter anyway on my tun up so im gonna do it then.

 

All my gauges are Auto Meter(trans temp, fuel press, vac/boost & 5" tach w/mem & 2stg shift light) except my a/f. Its AEM dig/an.(face is close to my ultra lites) that came with the wideband 02. Yes they all have back lights. I put the trans temp gauge in the column pod

If getting an a/f gauge, ones that dont supply a wideband o2 are pretty well useless. Will be semi accurate cruising or very light throttle. WOT they will be erratic & cant be relied on for tuning purposes.

Maybe add a fuel pressure gauge & a/f if you want to fill a 3pod A pillar pod.

Got all my gauges from Summit.

 

ok so here is my question, on installing the sending unit. either i have to drill the hole and install a bung fitting, says its a weld in fitting, well i dont have a welder, so what about jb weld on the inside and outside? and maybe a nylon washer around the bung so kinda secure it? the bung fittin is like 8 bucks. or.... spend 130 and get a new deep pan with the fitting already installed and drain. but the thing is, its also made to reduce the trans temp 20-50 degrees, so i dunno what the normal operating temp is for the trans, but if it reduces the temp. it might make it so low that the gauge cant even read it? let me know.

 

I have the mp alum deep pan (twin coolers) so I just screwed my sensor into the port supplied.
Auto Meter trans gauge has a range of 100-250* which is plenty.
Deep pan will not lower them temp enough to be off the gauge
Stock truck probably runs about 180-200* trans temp.
Maybe JB weld would work but if it doesnt is it worth the price of a trans rebuild?

 

I just put my sending unit in the servo port, nice and easy, and went with a column pod.