anyone know the temp sender specs on a VDO temp gauge?

Question

I've got a VDO 400F trans temp gauge in my truck, I have not seen it come off the peg, I was thinking it should get over 200F as soon as the engine is warmed up. Do the VDO gauges have high resistance at low temps and low resistance at high temps as one would expect? (that is, can I ground the sender wire and see what happens for a rough check?) It is possible that I am not getting an accurate reading as I did not braze a bung into the pan, I installed the sender in a pressure test port on the trans so it might actually not be warming up properly.

Also, it appears that on my trans (Ford E4OD) there is a hole in the middle of a pan to be drilled for a drain plug. Anyone know if there is a piece of metal inside there that can simply be tapped for a pipe thread or is there more involved than that?

nate

Pete C. · Accepted Answer

"VDO Ohm range sender (10-180 Ohms)" and  "US Ohm range sender (240-33 Ohms)" Also found is:   Where you should be able to lookup the gauge model number and see what sender it is intended for use with.

Nate Nagel · Answer

I think those are for fuel level senders, the 240-33 sounds suspiciously like what my memory banks recall as being a Stewart-Warner fuel sender spec

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I'd found that, and I already have the sender, but I still haven't been able to determine the ohm range... oh well, I guess I can always just tap it to ground and see what happens, *hopefully* nothing will blow up...

thanks for looking

nate

Pete C. · Answer

> > See above link. That is the ohm range listed for a VDO 400 degree trans temp gauge. NP.

Nate Nagel · Answer

hey, thanks again... your first link led me to this:  which answered my question.  now I have something to do tomorrow after  work! :) nate

Pete C. · Answer

Also:

Mike · Answer

I don't believe there is any fluid flow in a test port, that's why you don't get a reading. Here are some links to the VDO website that show the info for testing your gauge and sending unit.

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I have never seen a pan that wasn't just thin sheet metal, never saw one with a chunk of metal inside that could be drilled and tapped.

anyone know the temp sender specs on a VDO temp gauge?

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