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Transmission Temperature with Torque app and ELM327

50K views 37 replies 20 participants last post by  0dyfamily  
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

Thanks to 0dyfamily and some folks at the Torque forum I think I got the PID values correct to display transmission temperature on the Odyssey. I'm hoping some folks can try this out and let me know how it works. It seems to behave exactly as I expected from the other vehicles I've monitored transmission temps. A short 5-mile drive in 70° weather got it to 115° F. Applying power in drive with the brake depressed caused the temperature to rapidly rise and hold when I let off. Driving around it seemed to level off around 175° on the rural highways of northern Connecticut. I'll be adding a transmission cooler in the next week to prep for towing, and I would expect these values to decline significantly. That is, of course, IF the PID is setup correctly for transmission temperature.

Here's what I got:

Mode and PID: 222201
Name: Transmission Temp
Minimum: -40
Maximum: 300
Scale factor: x1
Unit type: F
Equation: AA*(9/5)-40
OBD Header: 18DA1DF1
Any takers? Let me know how it works out for you!
 
#2 ·
Probably should have explained a bit better for those unfamiliar. Torque is an Android app that enables you to display live data, read trouble codes, and log data from your car. It operates with a bluetooth interface that plugs into the OBD port. They can be inexpensive, and for less than $30 you can have functionality that used to only be available with $100+ scan tools.

Here's an inexpensive adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Version-Bluet...-Scanner/dp/B008UR7J6I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1430669925&sr=8-4&keywords=elm327

And the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

Here's a screenshot of what i monitor on another one of my cars:

 
#3 ·
An automatic transmission temperature between 180F and 200F is normal. So far, you are below that range. (That's a good thing.)

It would be interesting to see the transmission temperature when towing before you install the cooler. Not saying you don't need it, just that the comparison would be interesting.

Dave
 
#4 ·
You make a good point Dave, and I agree it would be interesting. My boat is 3,500 lbs though, and from my experience with other vehicles the factory cooler would be overwhelmed quickly. I didn't log any data, but it took several miles to cool from the peak of 190° to 175° on my little test run this morning. I'm no Honda transmission expert, but in general I'm comfortable with up to 230° F, and I don't think I could keep it that low with the boat in tow.
 
#5 ·
Tom, I was about to ask if you could post some additional scoop....and you deliver a load of A+ goods. :cool:

Bravo, and thanks.

Your brief data run backs up a lot of other posts (from other clubbers, and myself). The temp can rise pretty quickly, especially if you put the spurs to the gas pedal, but takes a long, long time to eek its way down. Stock Honda ATF coolers just don't have the excess heat exchange capability to bring the ATF temps back down quickly.

Then again, only now did I consider this: that's a lot of aluminum, steel and ATF...any transmission is a big, big heat sink! Another reason to get a more robust cooler; i.e., to contend with a considerable amount of heatable mass.

OF
 
#6 ·
My wife had a flat tire yesterday, which was a fantastic way to find out that the van had wheel locks and they never bothered including the key. So after a 65-mile tow to the dealer courtesy of AAA, I got the chance to monitor temps on a 30-mile drive back home. 73° ambient temperatures and it seemed to settle around 150° while cruising on the interstate at 70 MPH. During the 9 miles of back roads averaging around 35 MPH it culminated at 170° when I got back to the house. Forgot to log the data.

These things definitely don't have a thermostat like a lot of other manufacturers use, and I'm a little concerned about not getting up to temp with the cooler I'm about to install this weekend.
 
#7 ·
Overcooling the ATF is a valid concern, especially where your ATF temps are already below optimal even before adding the aux cooler.

I would add an ATF thermostat, if the planned aux cooler doesn't already have one.

Dave
 
#8 ·
Makes me wonder if the data provided by the PCM is shaped in any way (data smoothing or data value modding to match usable value ranges by other PCM functions).

The only way for sure is to rig temp sensing gear to the ATF output and input lines of the cooler loop. I did this using a datalogger and thermocouples for a couple years. In general, my 2003 EX could settle in at 170F-180F at the ATF output line if I was very, very careful on the throttle with atmospheric temp in the 70's on very flat highways (like IH-10 through Louisiana to Florida). If I had to pass somebody just once, temps would soar to 200 degrees, and then take a long, long time to go back down.

Once I hooked up the gear on our 2002 EX, again with OEM cooling. Going uphill with outside temp in the 70's would result in ATF output temps pushing through 250-deg F. Cooled ATF was 200-deg F from the OEM cooler. I switched to a big Tru-Cool unit after that.

I'm using a MOCAL OT1 thermostat which fully opens at 140-deg F (it was a custom job; they built two of them for me). I think that might still be almost too cool, but so far, no problems. Mishimoto makes a thermostat with higher temp schedule (like 71-deg C, or 160-deg F). Thermo-stasis sells one through Bulkpart.com that has a slightly higher temp schedule than that.

I'll bet if you asked MOCAL to build one with a 70-deg C temp, they would do it. It takes quite a while, since they have to find a break in their production line to accommodate this, but they'll attempt it if they can squeeze it in.

OF
 
#9 ·
I don't know for sure if the PCM adjusts the data any, but I don't believe it does based on how it acts. I've never seen a transmission warm up this fast when slipping the torque converter. When driving the temperature remains fairly constant until the conditions require the converter to unlock, and then the temperature rises quickly. This behavior, as well as the cold soak temps matching coolant temps, is why I'm fairly certain the PID is correct for transmission temp.

In the past I used this solution on my Excursion:

http://www.amazon.com/Derale-13011-Fluid-Control-Thermostat/dp/B004XONNRQ

It worked well and maintained the temperature right around 170 degrees. Depending on how this goes I may do the same for the Odyssey. . Work is relocating us to Minnesota in a few months, so we're going to have to deal with some cold winters.
 
#10 ·
I really have to find this guy's posts again. One of our Odyclubbers noted that these later Odysseys pull temp data from the ATF as it is being returned to the sump from the cooling loop, i.e., when it is at its coolest temperature. He rebuilds transmissions, but it's not funtown89. This really has me scratching my head....very informative posts.

However, his provided information does match yours, where ATF temps match the coolant temps terms in terms of trend data.

Yes, I've also noticed fairly stable ATF temps when I can keep the TCC locked. When under normal slip and torque multiplication, man does that ATF temp rise.

OF
 
#11 ·
I don't know. I'm no expert by any means, but I've monitored transmission temps on more than a few cars and trucks. My cooler isn't huge, but it's the same size that cooled the 4R70W behind the 4.6L V8 in my Lincoln that towed my boat before. Warmest that thing ever saw was 193 climbing a 5-mile interstate grade in 94 degree weather with a 3,500-lb boat in tow.

I didn't update this thread, but I saw as high as 215 pulling the boat home with the Odyssey last August. I didn't worry much about it, but that's a good 30 degrees warmer than the Lincoln would ever see for the same use. I have a tough time believing that's the post-cooler temp, in my experience this kind of cooler should remove MUCH more heat than that. I'm operating under the assumption that the transmission in the Odyssey isn't significantly less efficient than the old 4-speed lump in my 18-year-old Lincoln or anything else I've ever monitored.
 
#30 ·
I don't know. I'm no expert by any means, but I've monitored transmission temps on more than a few cars and trucks. My cooler isn't huge, but it's the same size that cooled the 4R70W behind the 4.6L V8 in my Lincoln that towed my boat before. Warmest that thing ever saw was 193 climbing a 5-mile interstate grade in 94 degree weather with a 3,500-lb boat in tow.

I didn't update this thread, but I saw as high as 215 pulling the boat home with the Odyssey last August. I didn't worry much about it, but that's a good 30 degrees warmer than the Lincoln would ever see for the same use. I have a tough time believing that's the post-cooler temp, in my experience this kind of cooler should remove MUCH more heat than that. I'm operating under the assumption that the transmission in the Odyssey isn't significantly less efficient than the old 4-speed lump in my 18-year-old Lincoln or anything else I've ever monitored.
Its probably not a good idea to compare transm oil temps when transm oils are different. FWIW, my feeling/experience with my 2014 (without a way to monitor temps) is that the DW-1 honda atf degrades much faster than some other brands of atf.
DanaH
 
#12 ·
Man, I would tend to go with your observations. If you had 215-deg F return temp, I can't even imagine what the temp feeding the cooling loop would be.

Then again, I've seen 200-deg F returning to the transmission while towing nothing, but we were going up the Cajon Pass up I-15 in mid-70's F for temps. This was the stock cooling loop (finned tube), not any sort of plate-and-fin cooler.

I really want to find out how our fellow forum member figured this out, but his name escapes me because my age-induced CRS is kicking in. :(

OF
 
#15 ·
No one answered djpmark's query; mark, judging by your sig line, you have a 2001. I don't think Honda released PID info until 2007, and by then they were using the CAN data protocol (ours and your earlier Odys use ISO) for OBD II compliance.

maddog, that's amazing...did Honda make some changes, thus requiring a new PID on a ScanGauge? I have heard nothing on newer PID info.

OF
 
#16 ·
FYI - I was able to get this working on a 2014.

I found that you need to turn the headers off in the vehicle profile.

To do so you select Vehicle Profile | Edit Profile | Advanced Options

Towards the bottom there will be a field for ELM327 custom configuration string. Enter the following code exactly as written:

[FONT=&quot]atsp7\natshda1df1

[/FONT]
As soon as i did this I got the transmission temp which is definitely de-coupled from the coolant temp.

Found in the Torque Pro forums. First post so I can't post a link but if you search there you can find a thread that talks all about it. Thread title is "Transmission temp for an Odyssey"
 
#31 ·
FYI - I was able to get this working on a 2014.

I found that you need to turn the headers off in the vehicle profile.

To do so you select Vehicle Profile | Edit Profile | Advanced Options

Towards the bottom there will be a field for ELM327 custom configuration string. Enter the following code exactly as written:

[FONT=&quot]atsp7\natshda1df1

[/FONT]
As soon as i did this I got the transmission temp which is definitely de-coupled from the coolant temp.

Found in the Torque Pro forums. First post so I can't post a link but if you search there you can find a thread that talks all about it. Thread title is "Transmission temp for an Odyssey"
FYI - I can confirm that this also worked on my 2017 SE with Torque Pro. I had just bought 2 elm327 adapters a couple of days ago, and I was not able to get the engine coolant temp, and what was showing as ATF temp seemed to be consistent with engine coolant temp behavior (heats up rapidly even when not moving, doesn't go above 175-180 on the highway, etc). After entering the above string, I get engine coolant temp, and the new sensor shows the ATF temp. What was previously claimed to be the ATF temp (method 1?) is no longer working.
I can also confirm that bluedriver will not give you ATF temp.
 
#17 ·
Sorry if I piggy back on this
Can I download all the Torque info on to my phone
Do I have to do it as it makes the data or does it have some kind of a storage for later downloads?
 
#22 ·
I tried reading the trans Temp with torque lite on my 2008 EX-L with a

Super Mini ELM327 V1.5 Bluetooth With PIC1825K80 OBD2 Diagnostic Tool ELM 327 V1.5 Bluetooth(Blue)

That I bought online from that a to z place.

I could not get it to pull the transmission temp at all, and even regular readings were spotty at best. The app seem to have a hard time finding the ECM.

Before I spend the money on the full version of the app I wanted to try it out. does the paid version of the app work better?

Thanks
 
#23 ·
First time posting, but since this information is all over the place. I finally decided to maybe ask the question:

In the formula you can see that the sensor is from -40 to 300 (that makes me think is an RTD), I try to find that out but no luck. Since this is a Honda I am guessing they use celcius. Therefore the formula needs to translate the value from Celcius to Farenheit. Based on this I would change the formula at the end to -32 which is the correct formula to change from C to F.

Any comments, I know is pretty old post but a lot of Odys out there...

If anybody know what the header is... I would appreciate it.
 
#24 ·
In the formula you can see that the sensor is from -40 to 300 (that makes me think is an RTD), I try to find that out but no luck. Since this is a Honda I am guessing they use celcius.
Don't know anything about the app, but that range (-40 to 300) is almost certainly in Fahrenheit degrees.

At 300F, an automatic transmission would have suffered permanent seal damage and would be at risk of imminent failure. It would probably die before the temperature got much higher.

The normal transmission operating range is 180F to maybe 220F, with the lower end of that range being ideal.
 
#26 ·
I may be missing something...but I thought that to change °C to °F, you do the following:

Tc = temperature in Celsius
Tf = temperature in Fahrenheit

[Tc(9/5)]+32 = Tf

Whenever I was overseas and got the local temperature in°C, I just doubled it, subtracted 10%, then added 32 to get °F.

OF
 
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#28 ·
Mode and PID: 222201
Name: Transmission Temp
Minimum: -40
Maximum: 300
Scale factor: x1
Unit type: F
Equation: AA*(9/5)-40
OBD Header: 18DA1DF1
Any takers? Let me know how it works out for you!
I also made sure overrides PID was set too "Does not override any PIDs"

After combing through what felt like 100's of posts on many forums, I have finally gotten this to work on my 2015 EX-L. After installing my obd2 adapter, torque pro was giving me coolant temp instead of ATF. Applying these settings gave me no reading. On a different forum, i read that some users had to add "ath0" without quotations to the very advanced section in the vehicle profile.

Others had to add either "atsp7\natshda1df1" or ATCAF1

Here is the adapter I am using:



155638
 
#33 ·
Hi everyone,

Thanks to 0dyfamily and some folks at the Torque forum I think I got the PID values correct to display transmission temperature on the Odyssey. I'm hoping some folks can try this out and let me know how it works. It seems to behave exactly as I expected from the other vehicles I've monitored transmission temps. A short 5-mile drive in 70° weather got it to 115° F. Applying power in drive with the brake depressed caused the temperature to rapidly rise and hold when I let off. Driving around it seemed to level off around 175° on the rural highways of northern Connecticut. I'll be adding a transmission cooler in the next week to prep for towing, and I would expect these values to decline significantly. That is, of course, IF the PID is setup correctly for transmission temperature.

Here's what I got:

Mode and PID: 222201
Name: Transmission Temp
Minimum: -40
Maximum: 300
Scale factor: x1
Unit type: F
Equation: AA*(9/5)-40
OBD Header: 18DA1DF1
Any takers? Let me know how it works out for you!
I'm going to reply so I can find this easier in the future in case my settings get wiped again. I used this for my 2007 and it is working great. Thank you very much!
 
#35 ·
You guys should look into lubegard transmission protectant.
+1.

Jerry O (who seems to have left the forms a while ago) revealed to us the benefits of Lubegard transmission protectant many, many years ago on this forum.

Best I can tell, I've been using it for over 15 years in all of our cars (over a dozen, we have a "family fleet" now that everybody is driving).

I don't know how it enhances ATF heat exchange, but it does, as @white2015 says. I was in the chemistry field in the pre-internet era, and for the most part we find out about which compounds do this by accidental observation. That's true even today (we had a current graduate level chemist pop onto the forums, and even with the e-search tools available, he couldn't find anything definitive on "why" the wax esters in Lubegard do what they do for us).

OF
 
#37 ·
Also the Torque version I had didnt have that PID anymore for 3rd gen. It has method 2 but that always stays empty.

I also put a AT cooler on the 08 ody after having woes on the 2nd gen. Been working out great. I even put one on the avalon.