dipstick for the 42rle. 2012 liberty

wjkrostek · **Posted:** Mon Jan 13, 2014 11:04 pm

has anyone done any work to find out how long the dipstick for the automatic is and what level full is? and where low is? I'm ready just to run a wire down there and see were it is now just so I know where it is now before I have trouble and don't know where it should be later. I know temp has something to do with it but I can't see it will make that much difference. I'll take it cold and setting and if I check it that way all the time it should tell me if I lost some or got water in it. that is better than no information at all. Hope some one has figured this out already.
Bill

TrueTexUSN · **Joined:** Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:15 pm **Posts:** 104

Kinda of odd when I saw it, a guy at Midas used the oil dipstick for a quick check on mine once (after he cleaned the dipstick really well first).

Scar0 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:48 am

Rather then rewrite the whole thing again here. See this thread from another forum I belong to.
I have also heard that a dipstick from a Durango and the 42 RLE trany will work. But I have not been able to confirm it.

I would be a little leery about measuring it cold. The torque converter will hold different amounts of fluid in it and in the other parts of the transmission at different times when the engine is off.
There is a reason it is recommended to check the fluid when warm and in gear...

DREDnot · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:06 am

I just use my engine oil dipstick...it touches the bottom of the pan. I put cold and hot level scribe marks on it when it was new as a benchmark of the factory fill.

DREDnot · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:57 am

Whoa....check this out...even better when used with the chart from the nitro forum referenced above...

I just ordered one. $17 w/ free shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dorman-917-327- ... 65&vxp=mtr

Scar0 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:29 am

Cool find DREDnot!
If you follow the link posted in post 9 of the Nitro thread, it will lead you to a PDF file you can download with instructions.

Gageraid · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:18 am

Very good find.
I really like the oil dipstick idea since it's free and makes a lot of sense.
Maybe when ya get the new dipstick you can verify a few things for us.
I'll still let the dealer to with transmission fluid change though.

wjkrostek · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:46 pm

Gageraid wrote:

Very good find

I really like the oil dipstick idea since it's free and makes a lot of sense.
Maybe when ya get the new dipstick you can verify a few things for us.
I'll still let the dealer to with transmission fluid change though.

I don't understand your dealer comment. My book has no change schedule. They think it should be good for the life of the machine.

A lot of good information in this post. I wasn't the only one that misses the dipstick. Seems like from cold, as long as we have 3/4 to 1/4 inch on the stick we are at least in the ball park. have any of you put a temperature gauge in your newer Liberty? Oil temp is so important and mine only has an idiot light to tell me it's to hot. Thats like the oil light when it comes on it maybe to late. Seems like anyone that uses theirs will be smart to put a gauge in. Anything over 170 to 180 will cut you oil life in half ever 10 degrees or so (is what I remember). If you have give me some tips if you would. Thanks

Gageraid · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:08 pm

wjkrostek wrote:

Gageraid wrote:

Very good find

I really like the oil dipstick idea since it's free and makes a lot of sense.
Maybe when ya get the new dipstick you can verify a few things for us.
I'll still let the dealer to with transmission fluid change though.

I don't understand your dealer comment. My book has no change schedule. They think it should be good for the life of the machine.

A lot of good information in this post. I wasn't the only one that misses the dipstick. Seems like from cold, as long as we have 3/4 to 1/4 inch on the stick we are at least in the ball park. have any of you put a temperature gauge in your newer Liberty? Oil temp is so important and mine only has an idiot light to tell me it's to hot. Thats like the oil light when it comes on it maybe to late. Seems like anyone that uses theirs will be smart to put a gauge in. Anything over 170 to 180 will cut you oil life in half ever 10 degrees or so (is what I remember). If you have give me some tips if you would. Thanks

Oh, I thought it was in the manual somewhere?
I know the service department recommends it at 50,000 miles so I had it done right before then.

Cherrie 274 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:51 pm

Not everyone got a written manual. I think it's a CD or DVD.
But yes Trans needs to be serviced. Normal use is 50,000, and severe is around 32,00(?)
Had mine in reading it over the weekend and already forgot!

ajohns1288 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:04 pm

I got a dipstick from a 2006 KJ and it works fine. You'll need a scan tool to measure the trans temp, but if you have a scan gauge or other programmable scanner, you cab program the PIDs for it.

wjkrostek · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:12 pm

Gageraid wrote:

wjkrostek wrote:

Gageraid wrote:

Very good find

I really like the oil dipstick idea since it's free and makes a lot of sense.
Maybe when ya get the new dipstick you can verify a few things for us.
I'll still let the dealer to with transmission fluid change though.

I don't understand your dealer comment. My book has no change schedule. They think it should be good for the life of the machine.

A lot of good information in this post. I wasn't the only one that misses the dipstick. Seems like from cold, as long as we have 3/4 to 1/4 inch on the stick we are at least in the ball park. have any of you put a temperature gauge in your newer Liberty? Oil temp is so important and mine only has an idiot light to tell me it's to hot. Thats like the oil light when it comes on it maybe to late. Seems like anyone that uses theirs will be smart to put a gauge in. Anything over 170 to 180 will cut you oil life in half ever 10 degrees or so (is what I remember). If you have give me some tips if you would. Thanks

Oh, I thought it was in the manual somewhere?
I know the service department recommends it at 50,000 miles so I had it done right before then.

I was wrong. I looked in the back of the book and it says to change the oil and filter at 120,000 miles unless your a taxi , cop or do a lot of trailer pulling then cut in half. Thats of course due to heat but if you don't know how hot it gets you have no idea. crawling over rocks will heat her up fast.

Gageraid · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:28 pm

ajohns1288 wrote:

I got a dipstick from a 2006 KJ and it works fine. You'll need a scan tool to measure the trans temp, but if you have a scan gauge or other programmable scanner, you cab program the PIDs for it.

Doesn't work with my ScanGauge2, unless this is some way I don't know of.

TrueTexUSN · **Joined:** Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:15 pm **Posts:** 104

DREDnot wrote:

Whoa....check this out...even better when used with the chart from the nitro forum referenced above...

I just ordered one. $17 w/ free shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dorman-917-327- ... 65&vxp=mtr

Paid for it with eBay bucks, cost me $.27!

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 9:02 pm

Keep us posted on how it goes!!

wjkrostek · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 9:21 pm

DREDnot wrote:

I just use my engine oil dipstick...it touches the bottom of the pan. I put cold and hot level scribe marks on it when it was new as a benchmark of the factory fill.

that was a good thought about using the oil dip stick and this is what I found. still warm after sitting a couple of hours and not running. transmission level was just at 3 inches on the stick . then I ran it. put it in r and then p went around the block but not warmed all the way. with it in P and running I dipped it and it had just a little over and one inch. (1 1/8 inches) If some of you will check yours and post it here we can come up with what is right at least for the newer liberty with the 42rle . Then we can all just use the oil dip stick. Hope yours compares to mine so we have some information we can use. If it comes in scattered all over the place we know at least where our's is. Should be the same. (I hope) Bill

DREDnot · **Posted:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:44 am

ajohns1288 wrote:

I got a dipstick from a 2006 KJ and it works fine..

I did that first thing. It doesn't fit in the tube as the KK tube is a smaller diameter than the body of the KJ handle.

Barrie · **Posted:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:29 am

My wife has a 07 Dodge Dakota with the same motor and trans, when I get home later today I will try the trans dipstick out of her truck and let you know if it works.

Scar0 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 11:14 am

Barrie wrote:

My wife has a 07 Dodge Dakota with the same motor and trans, when I get home later today I will try the trans dipstick out of her truck and let you know if it works.

Cool deal. There are a bunch of folks who would be interested.

wjkrostek · **Posted:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 2:24 pm

wjkrostek wrote:

DREDnot wrote:

I just use my engine oil dipstick...it touches the bottom of the pan. I put cold and hot level scribe marks on it when it was new as a benchmark of the factory fill.

that was a good thought about using the oil dip stick and this is what I found. still warm after sitting a couple of hours and not running. transmission level was just at 3 inches on the stick . then I ran it. put it in r and then p went around the block but not warmed all the way. with it in P and running I dipped it and it had just a little over and one inch. (1 1/8 inches) If some of you will check yours and post it here we can come up with what is right at least for the newer liberty with the 42rle . Then we can all just use the oil dip stick. Hope yours compares to mine so we have some information we can use. If it comes in scattered all over the place we know at least where our's is. Should be the same. (I hope) Bill

I didn't mean to imply that the stick fits like it should but it will reach the bottom with an inch or two left over. Just insert it until it hits bottom don't push all the way down, it's too long. Then take your measurements and but it back in the engine oil hole for storage. No need for an extra stick. Screw your cap to the trans back on and your done. hope this helps some of you and some of you will send your measurements in so we all can see.

dipstick for the 42rle. 2012 liberty

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