trackspeeder
Stone crusher.
Test port temp will be hotter than the tranny pan temp.
Traveller Smurf (Cubey's '89 van)
- Thread starter Cubey
- Start date
Well as long as it's not showing as hot like the torque converter ouput line
trackspeeder
Stone crusher.
Usually not that hot, unless there is something wrong internally.
I finally moved the pyrometer to the pillar pod today. A vacuum gauge is going to be put in it's place on the home made center mounted gauge pod that came with the van.
Wiring is almost done for powering it and the transmission gauge (both electric). I have wired up the backlights for all three gauges as switched power, same feed as powering the gauges, at least for now. I put insulated spade connectors, so I can go back later and change it, if I find it burns out the bulbs fast or is just a strain on the cheap 14awg CCA wire.
I almost never drive at night, so it's almost pointless to have backlights wired up anyway. They never were on the RV. I pretty much drove the RV one time at night in the 5 years I had it.
Rain/storm threat from the clouds had me quit for today.
I only have to do wiring from the engine side now, hooking it up to the existing battery isolator solenoid and nearby body ground. Gotta get some 5/16" ring terminals from Napa, because of course I have everything except that size.
Wiring is almost done for powering it and the transmission gauge (both electric). I have wired up the backlights for all three gauges as switched power, same feed as powering the gauges, at least for now. I put insulated spade connectors, so I can go back later and change it, if I find it burns out the bulbs fast or is just a strain on the cheap 14awg CCA wire.
I almost never drive at night, so it's almost pointless to have backlights wired up anyway. They never were on the RV. I pretty much drove the RV one time at night in the 5 years I had it.
Rain/storm threat from the clouds had me quit for today.
I only have to do wiring from the engine side now, hooking it up to the existing battery isolator solenoid and nearby body ground. Gotta get some 5/16" ring terminals from Napa, because of course I have everything except that size.
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Eh I dug up just enough to finish it this evening.
Equus (mechanical water temperature) is way brighter than B&M and Autometer. I might to put a bulb color filter on it to dim it down.
Equus (mechanical water temperature) is way brighter than B&M and Autometer. I might to put a bulb color filter on it to dim it down.
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My rent was up today at the RV park, so I headed out just 17 miles away to the national forest.
16 day limit here, so I'll probably try to use all 16. Good cellular, 4 miles away to water/dump, 16 miles away to groceries. I stocked up on groceries, but they'll last just about as long as water... 10-14 days.
The E4OD ran a bit above 160 at the test port, which isn't bad considering a bit was up a slightly steep hill the few miles, OD off in D at 45mph. It's a 55 zone but someone ahead was going slow.
16 day limit here, so I'll probably try to use all 16. Good cellular, 4 miles away to water/dump, 16 miles away to groceries. I stocked up on groceries, but they'll last just about as long as water... 10-14 days.
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The E4OD ran a bit above 160 at the test port, which isn't bad considering a bit was up a slightly steep hill the few miles, OD off in D at 45mph. It's a 55 zone but someone ahead was going slow.
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IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
That doesn't sound too bad at all.
tbowker
Full Access Member
So at the risk of being ridiculed, I'm going to go ahead and ask this question anyway. I've never pulled an unmanned vehicle with all four of its wheels on the ground before. Is there something you do to make sure it tracks behind you properly without veering wherever it feels like?
Dunno about vehicles with power steering. I know some vehicles have to be left running while being flat towed. You'd have to leave a key in the ignition and turned to unlock the steering wheel, at the very least. I'm sure you can find info online on RV forums, for specific models. Jeeps are among some of the most popular.
Look up "RV dinghy guides" for annual PDFs of vehicles that can/can't be flat towed and potential drawbacks if they can be.
The old Beetles have no power steering, so it has no problems tracking.
Plus mine is old enough, it doesn't have a steering wheel lock in the column. That was only available as an optional feature until 1968, so no key has to be inserted/turned to unlock the steering wheel.
tbowker
Full Access Member
Now that you mention it, I've seen plenty of jeeps towed behind rv's. That makes sense.
I didn't know about that, thanks.
I didn't know that about the effect of power steering on towability. I've had a couple of different Beetles at one time or another. I like those cars, should have kept them.
I don't know if it does, but it might? Power steering without the pump running makes it very difficult to turn the steering wheel. But with the wheels turning, it's easier.
I had a 91 Corolla that blew out power steering so I removed it's belt and never fixed it. The RV had to be driven a couple miles (off road basically) without power steering once due to the new pump being assembled wrong so I had to order another. I had to dump the tanks and fill water, so it got driven without any power steering that once until I got the new pump on.
Geo Trackers are also popular to flat tow, because they're pretty lightweight. The A/T 4WD can be flat towed IF it has the manual front locking hubs. I guess some got electric hubs, which can't be.
I slightly wish I had gotten one instead of the bug, for the AT, if nothing else. But I'm attached to the bug now.
If you want a car that's light weight and a bit more modern without power steering and with manual transmission, a early 90s 3cyl Geo Metro is a good option. But it'll have locking steering, so you'll have to leave a key in and turned. They're capable on the interstate to 65-70. I drove one 4500 miles round trip with a blown head gasket once. It was burning oil and coolant, but never mixing. Still got 35mpg. Had to refill both every 100-150 miles but it never let me down. And it was a 3 speed automatic, not a 5 speed manual.
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tbowker
Full Access Member
Ha ha, that's impressive. They ought to use that story for a TV commercial.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
As far as I know, there's no difference between flat towing something with power steering and without. The tow vehicle does all of the hard work of turning the wheels and keeping it tracking straight. The guy who owned the shop I used to work at used a tow bar on A LOT of vehicles. The biggest down side, at least to our trucks, is that the power steering fluid gets pushed up, out of the cap on top of the reservoir and makes a big mess when the front wheels are turned without the engine running.
About 30 years too late!
I came back to the same spot in the woods today (went to an RV park again last night to shower, dump, etc) and the trans gauge was a bit higher. But i wasn't stuck going 10mph behind a truck this time, so maybe that's why, I was going faster (35mph) uphill. Dropped to 2nd manually with OD off for the shortish 8% grade. I wasn't pushing it since no one was behind me.
What's weird... the transmission gauge read about 190°, but the old ac condenser that is plumbed as the transmission cooler was basically cold to the touch, all over.
Furthermore, the bottom of the radiator, where the transmission is plumbed in for cooling, was barely warm. The hard line going to the ac condenser cooler was a bit warm but nothing was too hot to touch. One line to/from the radiator was a bit warmer than the other, as one would expect.
It's like the cooler & lines are barely warm, yet the transmission gauge was at 190 (at the test port). The radiator would presumably be around 190 coolant wise similar to the engine. It's fins were warmer but not burning hot. I didn't check the top of the radiator, but presumably it was hot as one would expect.
I didn't crawl under to feel the transmission pan because I didn't want to crawl around in the dirt. And i was too lazy to get a tarp out.
Off hand, I don't know if the radiator cooler is plumbed in first or the condenser cooler.
What's weird... the transmission gauge read about 190°, but the old ac condenser that is plumbed as the transmission cooler was basically cold to the touch, all over.
Furthermore, the bottom of the radiator, where the transmission is plumbed in for cooling, was barely warm. The hard line going to the ac condenser cooler was a bit warm but nothing was too hot to touch. One line to/from the radiator was a bit warmer than the other, as one would expect.
It's like the cooler & lines are barely warm, yet the transmission gauge was at 190 (at the test port). The radiator would presumably be around 190 coolant wise similar to the engine. It's fins were warmer but not burning hot. I didn't check the top of the radiator, but presumably it was hot as one would expect.
I didn't crawl under to feel the transmission pan because I didn't want to crawl around in the dirt. And i was too lazy to get a tarp out.
Off hand, I don't know if the radiator cooler is plumbed in first or the condenser cooler.
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The_Josh_Bear
Full Access Member
I don't know anything about the E4OD system but if the trans cooler is cold then sounds like no fluid running through it. Should be helping to keep that temp down, 190* certainly isn't crazy. What were ambient temps?
