Need some advice/ help

[gbodyfan]

I have a 98 Chevy 1500 5.7. I want to put a trans temp gauge in it and have been searching for the last 2 days on how to do it. I keep finding diff ways to do it. Does the 98 have a sensor for the computer to read it or is it just the newer ones. I have seen people say hook up a scan tool or tech 2. I hooked my matco scan tool up and didn't see anything about trans temp in the live data. I use the truck for pulling my car trailer so I would like know what is doing so I don't burn up the trans.

Originally I was going to get a pillar mount with a trans temp gauge and a vacuum gauge.

Did some searching found the bully dog watch dog. About the same money and does more stuff. Thinking about going that route but cant find anybody else who has used one. I don't think the watch dog will read trans temp with out additional sensors.

Then I seen people talking about putting newer Denali clusters in with a stock trans gauge will those work?

Also has anybody used the hypertech max energy programmers? I would like to change my shift points. I know get the black bear tune, I have thought about it. Problem is I only have the stock computer and no one near hear really does much for custom tunes. So I don't really feel comfortable with something I have to send in incase it ever causes problems or I have to bring it to a shop to get worked on.

 

[454ss]

get another pcm off ebay or junkyard and send that to get tuned so you still have the stock one to swap in if needed and you wont be down waiting. that's what I did.

 

[volunteerff21]

I put a sensor into the pressure test port on the transmission. I used the Autometer Z Series and it came with the correct sensor that you need. I mounted mine on the "A" pillar. Pretty easy install. Took maybe an hour.

EDIT: Sorry missed the part in your first post about the pillar mount. IIRC none of the GMT400's came pre-wired with any sort of trans temp sensor (if i'm wrong here someone chime in). Pillar mount might be your only option.

 

[gbodyfan]

I talked to bully dog they said it would prob need a sensor docking port to hook up to the watch dog then a sensor for trans temp