Dipstick Conundrum

nalu · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:46 pm

I can't open my hood w/o my tranny dipstick sticking up 2 or 3 inches. I noticed it a couple of weeks before I changed fluid in my transmission. I thought it might stop, but hasn't. Is there pressure in my tranny or has the pull handle on top lost its ability to hold it down and just the vibration is raising it up?
Thanks

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:50 pm

They all do that.

scrambledKJ · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:02 pm

mine is always sticking 4 or 5 inches out. I figure they put a hood on the crd to keep the dipstick from flying over the roof.

Travis

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:36 pm

Uffe recommended pulling the dipstick completely out - rotate 180 degrees and put it back - apparently there's some unnoticeable bend that keeps it in- if its's the right way.
(I did that - but I also still have the noise cover an it catches the edge)

CRDMiller · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:15 am

I had the same problem, and the reversal did me no good, so i just threw a hose clamp on the bottom edge of the plastic that forces the plastic to clamp against the inner rubber plug, that holds it perfectly.

It's easily removable and replaceable (as in to check fluid level) without any tools, but you do have to tighten it up pretty hard to get it to malform the plastic in the first place.

nalu · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:39 am

thanks guys!

mrkake · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:14 am

Good to know! Mine never did that until it hit about 40k miles. Now its like everyone else's sticking up every time I open the hood.

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 3:13 am

Almost 60k miles on mine, and it's not doing this at all. I wonder if you guys are checking it so often that you wore out the plug? :lol:

gmctd · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:00 pm

The transmission breather tube was plugged solid on my KJ, with result that the dipstick would always be up against the underhood insulation - I knew from that it was being pressurized out, much like an air gun - cleaned, relocated the breather, then it would rise about 2", so I velcroed it - however, next time I drop the pan I will check to make sure the end is not hitting that ledge in the pan, which would force it back out to about that dimension - I never thought to check that out at the Suncoast event, as unplugging the breather tube seemed to be the solution

Also, as mileage increases the rubber seal loses it's elasticity, reforming to the diameter of the filler tube - replacement may be a solution

CRDMiller · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:05 pm

I don't think in my case that it was pressured out, it think it was vibration, even w/o the engine running the dipstick itself was incredibly springy against the tube, so much so that i could simply thump the handle and it would spring out. That said, i'm going to have to check that breather.

Perhaps after I get my ecu-less crd up on ramps it will be easier to find.

Herk · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:04 pm