Roadranger Operating Temps

[oldspwr]

Quick question...

In my Dad's 361 I have both a trans temp gauge and rear axle temp gauge. Both gauges are made my Stewart Warner, electric, with the correct sending units. The trans gauge never moves off of its lowest reading which is 150 deg. What is the typical operating temperature of a Roadranger trans? I read somewhere that it's 100 deg over ambient.

Thanks Tom

[359Huskidrive]

I'm not an expert but I would assume bob tailing and not pulling 40,000 lbs. is not putting any strain on the trans......resulting in cooler running temps.

[Huskiedrive2]

Carl is right. You'll never see heat in that trans unless you're working the truck. The 903 360 had gauges for tranny and both rears. The highest I ever saw was about 160-170 after running highway speeds from Elmira to Harford.

[oldspwr]

Thanks Carl & Stan...

My gauge starts at 150 deg and the needle never moves. I am going to double check the sending unit. I also built a gauge tester using a potentiometer that has a range from 1 to 500 ohms which covers the 33-240 ohm typical Stewart Warner range. So I can double check the gauge as well...

[oldspwr]

Just checked the impedance on my sending unit and its 12k or 12,000 ohms. No good... it should be between 33 and 240 ohms. I hooked up my tester and the gauge is fine. I spent a few years gathering NOS Stewart Warner gauges off off eBay for my Dad's truck. I always bought the USA made ones, they are in the gray boxes. The blue boxes are Mexican made (for the most part...) This was a new Mexican sending unit, I still have the box for it, but it didn't last... Time to try a new one.

[stubnosebrock]

Pretty cool tester Tom. Now its time to hook that 361 to something heavy and let er eat.