Topic: Trick to pulling dipstick tube on auto?

[oldjeep]

Is there some magic trick to removing the trans dipstick tube from a 97 TJ?  I've pulled on the thing as hard as I can, next step is to just leave the silly thing on and finish dropping  the trans.

[Jeffy]

Maybe someone jammed it in when it wasn't twisting the right way.

[oldjeep]

Maybe someone jammed it in when it wasn't twisting the right way.

I don't understand?  It is installed at the correct depth since the tab that mounts to the bellhousing was mounted up.   Does it unlock with a 1/4 turn or something, or just pull straight out like every dipstick tube I've ever run across.

[jagular7]

There is an o-ring that secures and seals the tube to the hole in the trans housing. The tube is secured to the top side bolt of the trans via a small flange.

What I did when I swapped my trans, drain as much trans fluid out of the pan (sucking through dipstick and using gravity to drain - get clear tubing some 6' long, remove dipstick, put into fill tube till it bottoms, crawl underneath making sure clear tube hangs below trans level....start sucking till you see trans fluid coming down the clear tube, put clear tube into container to catch fluid). Once trans is empty, put hood against windshield, crawl on top of engine, wrap small rope like an 'X' around flange, rest head on hood, and pull straight up. Took a little but it does come out. I rest my head to keep center of gravity over top of tube and balance, otherwise, once it lets go with the pulling power, you'll probably get hurt falling backwards off top of engine all the way to the ground.

Work smart.

[oldjeep]

There is an o-ring that secures and seals the tube to the hole in the trans housing. The tube is secured to the top side bolt of the trans via a small flange.

What I did when I swapped my trans, drain as much trans fluid out of the pan (sucking through dipstick and using gravity to drain - get clear tubing some 6' long, remove dipstick, put into fill tube till it bottoms, crawl underneath making sure clear tube hangs below trans level....start sucking till you see trans fluid coming down the clear tube, put clear tube into container to catch fluid). Once trans is empty, put hood against windshield, crawl on top of engine, wrap small rope like an 'X' around flange, rest head on hood, and pull straight up. Took a little but it does come out. I rest my head to keep center of gravity over top of tube and balance, otherwise, once it lets go with the pulling power, you'll probably get hurt falling backwards off top of engine all the way to the ground.

Work smart.

My draining method was quicker,  3/8" bit through the bottom of the pan.  Never dropped a trans pan that I didn't weld a drain plug into

Good thought on pulling the dipstick, I'll try that.

[Jeffy]

I don't understand?  It is installed at the correct depth since the tab that mounts to the bellhousing was mounted up.   Does it unlock with a 1/4 turn or something, or just pull straight out like every dipstick tube I've ever run across.

It pulls straight out.  Shouldn't be any different then the oil dip-stick.

[grumpygy]

My draining method was quicker,  3/8" bit through the bottom of the pan.  Never dropped a trans pan that I didn't weld a drain plug into

Good thought on pulling the dipstick, I'll try that.

you just gave me a great Idea.  I need to pull the trans pan on my truck and the drain plug is frozen in or Loctite was used.  Have a new on sitting here so I will just drill a hole like you did and change pans.

[oldjeep]

wrap small rope like an 'X' around flange, rest head on hood, and pull straight up. Took a little but it does come out. I rest my head to keep center of gravity over top of tube and balance, otherwise, once it lets go with the pulling power, you'll probably get hurt falling backwards off top of engine all the way to the ground.

Work smart.

That worked super easy - used an old piece of extension cord.

Thanks

[jagular7]

Great.