Dipstick

[sxewhodey]

Since everything else has its own little trick on this car, Is there a trick to getting the transmission dipstick out? I have tried pulling the dipstick straight out and broke the tip of the handle off it. I havent been able to get it out since I bought the car and I gotta get in their cause its whining while changing gears. Are you supposed to twist, push down, or say aba cadabra? I also did a search and couldnt find the tranny fluid it uses. I believe I read in here that I should use dexron 3? If the dipstick is just stuck is there any other way than brute force to get it out? Thanks in advance for reply

[svxfiles]

If you cannot pull the dipstick out of the tube by twisting, you might have to remove the dipstick tube from the transmission. I'll look at my "spare" 4EAT when I get home About 6:20. And yes Dextron 3 is correct. Tom

[huck369]

The 4EAT has 2 dipsticks on it, one on the passenger side for the front diff, gear oil (which I'd check if it's whining), and one of the driver's side (left side) which is for the tranny fluid (Dextron III), they both should pull right out, but the O-ring, if it's been in there a long time can stick, and make it difficult to remove, you might be able to gently pry it out with a small screwdriver....

[ensteele]

If it was me, once I got the dipstick out, I would change the fluid in the tranny and the front dif if you have not done it yet. Good luck.

[svxfiles]

Originally posted by ensteele
If it was me, once I got the dipstick out, I would change the fluid in the tranny and the front dif if you have not done it yet. Good luck.

Yea, what He said.
You can never change the oils too often.
In answer to your original question, yes both dipstisks should pull strait out, if they don't it's ok to twist them. If the plastic breaks then you absolutely have to change the fluids before the plastic parts get chewed up and end up where you don't want them.
The automatic trans dipstick, on the drivers side, usually sticks more because of the greater heat. It is right behind the head, and above the starter.
If the transmission is whining as it changes gears, I would drop the transmission pan and change the filter,(the tube going up into the trans has an O-ring, and there is a 1/4" U-shaped tube that must come out before the filter, 2 black bolts) and pan gasket. Be sure to chech for metalic shavings/debris on the circular magnet stuck in the bottom of the pan. Good Luck. Tom

[sxewhodey]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Ive never changed or knew anyone to change the front differential lube. Whats the process for that? Im not all ignorant although this post makes me feel it. Can you pick up one of the filter kits at autozone for cheap? Im sure they wont have it under svx but maybe pathfinder ro legacy 4eat tranny? Does this whining(almost turbolike sound)mean that my tranny is probably bad? It jerks a little but has been that way since I got it 6,000 miles ago. Just wondering if anybody else has the same problem? Thanks again for all the help. Maybe I can take some pics and I can get advice/experience/help in assembling a how to document for the diff change?

[svxfiles]

As for changing the front diff lube, jack up the car, use jack stands , remove the big hexagonal drain plug in the bottom of the finned differential housing, (I'll see what size when I get home) drain it into a pan, after you re-tighten the drain plug, refill it with 1.3 us quarts of 75/90 gear oil. The cheap stuff is $3.00 a quart, and Mobile 1 is $8.82 a quart, the rear diff takes .8 us quarts. Those drain and fill plugs have a 1/2" socket cast into them. I would go the extra $12.22 to get the good stuff.
Advance Auto Parts has it, pn;FK280 ( with the 7/8" pickup tube) for $25.48, so your auto store should be able to get it, but bring in the old filter to compare/ match up.

[Whoru465]

According to the manual, the rear takes 80w/90 oil. Is there a problem with using the 75/90 in both?

[Earthworm]

Originally posted by Whoru465
According to the manual, the rear takes 80w/90 oil. Is there a problem with using the 75/90 in both?

I use 75/90 in both the transmission and the rear diff.

[svxfiles]

I checked out my spare 4EAT, the auto trans dipstick tube is held in by 2 bolts, a 14mm on the tube bracket, going into the transmission, behind the bell housing, and a 10mm bolt, strait down at the bottom of the tube. The front diff drain plug is 17mm. Tom

[svxsubaru1]

Originally posted by Earthworm
I use 75/90 in both the transmission and the rear diff.

Hoepfully you have a 5spd, or you mean in the front diff.

[Earthworm]

Originally posted by svxsubaru1
Hoepfully you have a 5spd, or you mean in the front diff.

The answer lies within my signature.

[sxewhodey]

got frustrated too much trying to take the dipstick holder out so I tried one last good tug with a twist. Pulled out with a big popping sound. I smiled; big. The stick actually had dried up particles on the end. There has not been enough fluid in that thing even to register on the dipstick since I bought that the car. I changed the filter and it wasnt clogged much but theyre were a lot of shavings on the magnet. The fluid wasnt that dirty looking though. Ive seen far worse in my ol 66 nova. . Im slowly adding tranny fluid but I have to drive to work tomorrow so I hope I have enough in there to not burn it up. If my tranny works perfect Ill be incredibly happy. Its a rarity automobiles have easy cheap fixes but maybe itll come through this time.

[svxfiles]

If you belive it's been a while, (like never) since the oil was changed, then do it, like three times in a row. A quick pan drain is like 5 quarts, times $1.50 each, it would take less money than a half hour at a strip club!......Mmmmmmm, strip club