I purchased and installed the Glowshift 3-in-1 diesel gauge recently. Drilling and tapping the intake was 'exciting' to put it mildly. All went well and the gauge now functions showing EGT on the analog sweep and Boost in the digital box. The transmission temperature probe is just hanging under the dash right now.

Before I order the fitting to install this in the cooling lines, I thought I would ask if it is possible to install this to a "test port" and see if anybody on here has ever done this??? I did a bunch of searching and found very little on the 545RFE or any temperature gauge installs. Pulling the pan and adding a port to it is an option that I could do. (And add a drain plug at the same time.)

TIA for any input!

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2006 CRD GDE ECO/HOT Tunes and TCM swap and HD Mopar Torque Converter, EHM
2003 Jetta TDI 155K all stock
1957 International V8 Diesel

You can buy bulk head fittings that will do the job on a steel pan.
Since the roughest off road I do is construction sites, I went with the PML pan to better cool my trans. The PML pans all have a place to drill and tap for the trans temp probe. Locating the probe in the pan tells you the fluid temp being drawn into your trans pump. Who cares what the temp is going to the cooler?

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2006 Pearl Green CRD
Magnaflow 2 1/2" Cat Back
KJ Extra Leg Room Brackets, Carter Lift Pump, V6 Airbox, ORM
Fuel cooler, Oil Separator, Progard 7
Gauges EGT Boost Trans Temp Oil Pres, Michelin LXT AT2 245 70 R16
7,000# Draw Tight hitch, PML EX Deep Trans Pan
Centrifuge, SunCoast, Transgo, RAM TCM, InMotion Stage 2
Wife's 99 TDI VW Beetle

I looked hard at the PML pan, but I just don't think I can afford to lose that much clearance. I don't wheel this thing hard, but I do occasionally get into situations where it could make a bad day really ugly.

Will probably go with the bulkhead fitting or just weld one in when I pull the pan.

On my motorhome I put the gauge on the line to the cooler. Hot side- not the return. I would think that this point would be the hottest temp in the loop, but I may be wrong... never been into an auto before.

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2006 CRD GDE ECO/HOT Tunes and TCM swap and HD Mopar Torque Converter, EHM
2003 Jetta TDI 155K all stock
1957 International V8 Diesel

I just used a B&M standard transmission pan fitting, that is tapped for 1/8NPT which suits most temp probes, and yes it can be used as a drain when required (just unscrew the prove). Make sure you put some RTV around the probe when you screw it in.

BTW, here is a good idea to allow you to read both the hot side and cool side of your transmission and cooler with a single gauge. Buy a second probe and run both probes through a switch that will switch both wires to the gauge (these usually have six attachment points - double pole double throw I think). Install one probe in the pan and using a T fitting install the other probe in the cooler return line (easiest way is to use barbed fittings in the rubber line as it moves form the cooler to the hard tranny line to return to the tranny - just behind the raditor stack at the bottom). I found it very useful to be able to see how well the tranny cooler (and auxiliary if you have one) is working to shed heat. Mine drops the return fluid temps by up to 50F in the right conditions.