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Trans Temp Warning Light

September 23, 2016, 06:52:27 am

Yesterday while driving, and was using the Trans retarder on 2nd step, the Trans temp red light came on, although the temp gage was around 200 degrees or a little less.  This is the first time I've seen this.  Once the retarder was removed temp dropped back to around 150 and light went out.  I understand that the retarder increases tans temp, but when should the warning light come on?  Could the temp gage be inaccurate?
Thanks, Mike

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Re: Trans Temp Warning Light

Reply #1 – September 23, 2016, 07:09:55 am

I I run about 165-175 most times regular running and with the retarder up to 240 or so rarely but with no light.  Mist of the time the high us no more then 210 on long steep grades.  You should not get the light at 150.

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Re: Trans Temp Warning Light

Reply #2 – September 23, 2016, 07:35:57 am

Ours runs close to what John just posted as he hit the button faster than we did, but here is some things to look for.

You may have a  trans. temp. gage, gage temp. probe, or your retarder temp sensor starting to go bad.  If you un hook the wire that is on your temp probe ( this is on one hose coming out of the trans. going to the cooler, should be right under the drive shaft) your dash gage should go all the way hot and not drop the light on the dash or trigger the alarm. ( You have to have the key in the run position but the engine can be off to do this)  This connection most likely will be covered with grease and yuck due to its location so make sure you clean it up and tighten the spade connector before you plug it back in.  This should prove your gage is working and may lead to the retarder temp. sensor. It feeds through the ECM and should give you the alarm and if the retarder temp continues to go up it is designed to start shedding load. (this sensor is located on the retarder housing)

Pamela & Mike

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Re: Trans Temp Warning Light

Reply #3 – September 23, 2016, 08:54:36 am

250 on mine before the light/buzzer comes on.

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Re: Trans Temp Warning Light

Reply #4 – September 23, 2016, 09:22:31 am

Transmission Warning Light (Right Now)   

Happened last May. I still don't have an solution. I called FT and James told me the same thing. Look for loose wire on sensor etc. It has not happened (the warning light) this current trip. But this just happened yesterday.

I finally got VMSPC working the past few days ('nuther story, even Roger tried to help me)  First gauge I created was a Retarder Temp gauge. This is my experience yesterday.

Retarder on, mostly flat terrain, highway speeds. I approached a small grade and pulled the joystick back to slow down. The VMSPC immediately showed temps rising from 175 to 220 within seconds. Reading the above posts it seems to me that something is not right. I got the same results without using the joystick (retarder on) when applying the brakes for red lights. Temps would instantly rise to 220 or so. It would take a few minutes to lower back to 175. I did not have any long grades to see if the temps would go higher and I didn't want to find out right then anyway. Analog transmission gauge on dash remained almost constant at around 200 (not accurate) What concerns me is the rapid rise in temperature

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Re: Trans Temp Warning Light

Reply #5 – September 23, 2016, 11:46:58 am

It is likely your dash trans gauge shows fluid temps as they come back cooled from the transmission cooler, so you may not be seeing the real high temps of fluid.  Years ago we changed our dash gauge sensor from the return line to the outbound line to the cooler.  We see temps about 300 degrees on long down mountain runs, like on Raton pass on way to GrandVention from New Mexico.  The light may be triggered by the transmission ECU which is aware of the temps right at the retarder.  The ECU is supposed to reduce retard setting automatically when it reaches some set point, but we are not aware of this every happening to us.

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Re: Trans Temp Warning Light

Reply #6 – September 23, 2016, 12:35:50 pm

The relocation of your sensor and its correct reading of the retarder temp would scare most owners.  Probably why foretravel did not mount the sensor there.

My old info was that load shedding occurred above 300 F.  Not sure where the temp info was taken from although.

I tested ours in purpose to get the buzzer to come on and it did it at 250 degrees.

I think there are two temp senders on the trans,  one seems to hooked up to the gauge and the different one to the warning system

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