Trans dipstick tube

[chrisinkanata]

Anyone had to remove/replace the trans dipstick tube? Check the trans oil this morning only to find the dipstick is holding the tube together. Tube is crack near where it mounts to the back of the right cyl head. How difficult is it to get the tube out of the trans?

Chris

[chrisinkanata]

I spent some time yesterday replacing the broken tube. Of course, the old one came out without an issue. Took the RF tire and fender liner off which gave excellent access to the back of the engine where two 13mm nuts on studs hold the tube bracket to the upper bellhousing studs.

Installing the new one is a bit more challenging. Got it in place from either top or bottom, no big deal there except that when the bottom is almost in a position to be inserted into the seal on the trans pan flange, it needs to go up about 1/4" for that final little bit. NO WAY to do it that I can see. Either have to bend the new tube (not gonna happen) or bend a flange on the firewall that is the interferance point - very had to get at.

Solution - remove the trans mount and lower the trans 1.5". The tube will slip right into the seal now. Raise the trans back up, re-install the cross member and your golden!

I played with trying to get the end of the tube into the seal for about an hour. From pulling into the garage to reversing out, took about 2 hrs. It could have been done in 35 -40 min , had I thought to lower the trans pan from the get go.

Good luck.

Chris

[Mark Rinker]

Thanks for the fix-it update!

Any idea why it broke in the first place?

[chrisinkanata]

The top part of the tube vibrates a lot when the engine is running. The metal just above the bracket eventually fatigues and snaps.

Also, to be clear in terms of my update post, it's the whole trans that has to come down, not just the pan.

Chris

[More Power]

Thanks for the info! It's a bit odd that the Allison dipstick pipe would have this problem, given the 1990s 6.5/4L80 dipstick pipe also has/had this very same problem. They didn't learn.... Not all of them were affected, which leads me to suspect it's a problem related to a variability in the level of engine vibration between trucks.


Jim