Fu#$%% $ Transmission Dipstick...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Fu#$%% $ Transmission Dipstick...
Installed the transmission dipstick this evening.. A task that seems to be a 10 - 20 minute task took me almost 3 hours...
:I converted from manual to automatic transmission and there was never a dipstick in that location.. There was a stud and bracket that were riveted to the body, holding a thick ground wire... The bracket wasn't accessible from below the car.. I tried without success to slide the dipstick from the bottom to the top, bypassing that stud.. without success.. I finally determined that it was impossible to get the dipstick in with that stud in place.. I ended up drilling out the rivets (from inside the car) and cutting off the ground wire with my dremel cut off tool... Finally I was able to slide the dipstick in.. However, getting it into the correct location was another difficult task.. but after playing around with it, I finally got it in...
I was actually planning on re-doing the fuel pressure regulator setup, but the tranny dipstick had other plans with my time
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
I hear you...nothing (almost) ever goes as it should.
Changing my starter has turned into a major project. Trying to re-solder a fusible link...upside down...with hot solder dripping on my face. A 30 min. job has gone on for two days now.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Changing my starter has turned into a major project. Trying to re-solder a fusible link...upside down...with hot solder dripping on my face. A 30 min. job has gone on for two days now.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
I'd think you'd just go and buy a Lokar flexible replacement. 
I have a BOP dipstick on my 200-4R, doesn't fit the Chevy engine at all and doesn't clear the hood. The chopsaw fixed that problem.
I have a BOP dipstick on my 200-4R, doesn't fit the Chevy engine at all and doesn't clear the hood. The chopsaw fixed that problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I rmember when I fixed the 700 tranny for the 3/4 clutch pack some 2-3 years ago....I put the tranny in and forgot the damn dip s hit tube....fought it for 30 minits, and hell with it, cut the damn thing into two sections, and slipped a rubber hose over it to join them, and so it's been that way for a long time now...
it works, case closed....
GENE
it works, case closed....
GENE
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,758
Likes: 3
From: Surrey
Don't I just know this one! 3 hours? You were lucky. How about 2 days when I did my 200-4r? I put a post up on hints & tips for installing a 200-4r which should still be in the archives. Highly recommend anybody installing one should find that post as those ****ing dipsticks can drive you insane.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,342
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Area Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08
According to Hoyle does not apply to anything, car repair, plumbing, electical, etc.
Murphy's law usually works better.
I usually guess about how long it should take and then multiply by 1000
Murphy's law usually works better.
I usually guess about how long it should take and then multiply by 1000
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Brett Foote
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,758
Likes: 3
From: Surrey
Originally Posted by guppie
I usually guess about how long it should take and then multiply by 1000
It's more realistic to take the estimated time in hours & convert directly to weeks!(edited due to incompetence!).
Last edited by UKPaul; Jan 27, 2005 at 06:58 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,128
Likes: 3
From: Deltona (son of Deland and DAYTONA) FL
I know the feeling. You think you have the project licked when the motor mounts match up to the frame. 
It's the little stuff that drives ya nuts.
When it comes time to replace my converter, I'm seriously thinking of yanking the motor out instead of the tranny
I KNOW how do that job, and all the little conversion stuff has been taken care of.
It's the little stuff that drives ya nuts.
When it comes time to replace my converter, I'm seriously thinking of yanking the motor out instead of the tranny
I KNOW how do that job, and all the little conversion stuff has been taken care of.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
If I would've known what a pain this would be, I would've gone with the flexible Lokar piece...
Now I'll still have to attach the transmission cooler lines
Will try to do that tonight... Have to get the right fittings first..
Now I'll still have to attach the transmission cooler lines
Will try to do that tonight... Have to get the right fittings first..
Sounds like it was money well-spent.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 88,393
Likes: 2
From: eville in
Originally Posted by mrvette
I rmember when I fixed the 700 tranny for the 3/4 clutch pack some 2-3 years ago....I put the tranny in and forgot the damn dip s hit tube....fought it for 30 minits, and hell with it, cut the damn thing into two sections, and slipped a rubber hose over it to join them, and so it's been that way for a long time now...
it works, case closed....
GENE
it works, case closed....
GENE
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by 74FLCONV
I hear you...nothing (almost) ever goes as it should.
Changing my starter has turned into a major project. Trying to re-solder a fusible link...upside down...with hot solder dripping on my face. A 30 min. job has gone on for two days now.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Changing my starter has turned into a major project. Trying to re-solder a fusible link...upside down...with hot solder dripping on my face. A 30 min. job has gone on for two days now.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
mvftw, the car will probably see more track time than street time, even though I'm going to still drive it around town.. Value was never a consideration. I already got approx. 80k into the car and I wouldn't even get 20k for it if I'd sell it...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by LOTAHP
"O", jobs tend to take 3x longer when you are in a rush. OH yea, when I switched from an M-20 to a TH350, the Lokar dipstick took about 20 minutes to install.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,446
Likes: 2
From: Not Correctly Restored Stingray Fla.
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I wish I would've known before what a pita the install would be.. I'd have used the lokar dipstick for sure!!
