Adding A Tyranny Temp Gauge

Outbacker · October 4, 2007

My current instrument cluster does not have a tranny temp gauge, but I do have the tow package and do tow a trailer when camping. A buddy of mine has a 2500 and in the lower left corner of his cluster there is such a gauge, but on mine there is a blank space where it should be. Question is this: has anyone had the factory installed gauge installed on their truck where there was none? How much would I be looking at to get it done ($$$)? Any advice on this idea?

Thanks.

99silverado1500 · October 5, 2007

You can get a HD cluster and plug and play for your year, so 03-06 cluster will work for you, i am looking around for a cheap one because I cant see spending a lot of money on one.

MS3DALE · October 5, 2007

Like Jeff said,Its plug-n-play for you,You just need to get a cluster from '03-'06,get the mileage/engine hours set and plug'er in!

I was gonna' offer to sell you the HD cluster I had in my '04,but I noticed your in Canada so thats outta' the question!

ewiski · October 5, 2007

or you could buy a scan guage and it will give you the true reading.

larryf · October 5, 2007

I just went thru this. The cost to replace the cluster including the reprogram for milage was too much for me. There is a guy on ebay that you send your cluster to and he will add the temp gauge so the milage will be OK but I did'nt want to send my cluster in the mail. I went with the Scan Gauge and it works great. With it I can watch four things at the same time like trans fluid temp, water temp, etc.

2004GMC1500CC · October 5, 2007

My current instrument cluster does not have a tranny temp gauge, but I do have the tow package and do tow a trailer when camping. A buddy of mine has a 2500 and in the lower left corner of his cluster there is such a gauge, but on mine there is a blank space where it should be. Question is this: has anyone had the factory installed gauge installed on their truck where there was none? How much would I be looking at to get it done ($$$)? Any advice on this idea?

Thanks.

I put the cluster from an "SS" in mine, the white face guages match the white truck, and it also has the temperature guage. I put mine in with less than 600 miles on the truck, so I didn't worry about re-programming the mileage. It was expensive, but over the lifetime of the truck, it is peanuts.

pwall · October 5, 2007

I purchased a 'Interceptor' gague from Areoforce. It plugs into the OBDII connector and will scan up to 28 different engine operating parameters. I have mine set to speed and tranny temp. It'll even record your 1/4mile for fun.

http://www.aeroforcetech.com/

Here is a picture of one installed...not mine though.

Trey: I am going to have to start paying you royality fees since I use your picture all the time ??

cmoore74 · October 5, 2007

Yup, the aeroforce or scan gauge is a much cheaper and better option. Both of these gauges will read tranny temp and do so much more.

I just bought a scan gauge. They just added the tranny temp option as well as a few other GM specific readings. I will be hooking it up this weekend.

C & A s Dad · October 5, 2007

Patrick, keep those checks coming.

No problem in using my pic, since I cannot post them.

I have really enjoyed the Interceptor and keep mine set on MPG and Trans Temp. However, I do change the settings from time to time when towing to read coolant temp and trans temp. I have also used the Horsepower function although I realize it cannot be as accurate as a realy dyno test.

Have you ever monitored your Intake Air Temp? I have on occasion and it seems mine will run about 8 to 10 degrees higher than whatever the outside temp is.

win4wiin · October 6, 2007

A new cluster and programming will run you about 200 US with a core exchange. Spendy option for a tranny temp guage.

Woodcutter · October 6, 2007

My current instrument cluster does not have a tranny temp gauge, but I do have the tow package and do tow a trailer when camping. A buddy of mine has a 2500 and in the lower left corner of his cluster there is such a gauge, but on mine there is a blank space where it should be. Question is this: has anyone had the factory installed gauge installed on their truck where there was none? How much would I be looking at to get it done ($$$)? Any advice on this idea?

Thanks.

I put the cluster from an "SS" in mine, the white face guages match the white truck, and it also has the temperature guage. I put mine in with less than 600 miles on the truck, so I didn't worry about re-programming the mileage. It was expensive, but over the lifetime of the truck, it is peanuts.

Can anyone tell me the normal trans temperature range? On my DIC ('07 NBS Work Truck), by pressing the trip reset button a couple of times, it will read the trans temp, but that doesn't do me a whole lot of good without knowing what temp is too hot.

C & A s Dad · October 7, 2007

The warning on the 800 series trucks was set to come on around 250 degrees. About 40 or 50 degrees to late in my opinion. If you have the oe cooler, you will be seeing some fluid temps in the 180s or so if you are not towing and the outside temps are in the 90s. If you are towing, you could see these temps rise above 200 depending on the hills, weight and wind reistance.

If you do not have an oe aux cooler, I would strongly suggest you add one. Just be sure and get a stacked plate cooler and not the old style tube and fin.

Let us know if you have one or not. I will be happy to send some pics of my upgraded cooler if you PM me with an email address.

pwall · October 9, 2007

Have you ever monitored your Intake Air Temp? I have on occasion and it seems mine will run about 8 to 10 degrees higher than whatever the outside temp is.

Yes I have, and I see the same results as you are getting.

On a side note, just got back today from camping....long weekend here up North, Thanksgiving. It's the last camping weekend, have to winterize the trailer this week and then it goes away until Spring.