L300 - Looking for tranny dipstick

[tchp]

I have a 1989 L300, and I can't seem to find the transmission dipstick. If I lift the passenger seat, the engine dipstick is immediately visible, but I have spent probably half an hour looking everywhere for the one for the transmission. I have the owner's manual, but the crudely rendered drawing of the transmission dipstick location has not been helpful. I have read some previous posts on similar questions, which make it sound like the thing should be clearly visible. Hopefully mine is not missing. Could anyone tell me where I would mostly likely find it, relative to the position of the engine oil dipstick? Thank you.

[Green1]

maybe a silly question... but you DO have an automatic right? (manuals don't have a transmission dipstick where you're looking)

if so, the dip stick is immediately adjacent to the other dip stick, in fact many people accidentally check the wrong one when they check their oil...

[tchp]

Yes, it is an automatic. When I get home I will take another look. Thanks.

[Green1]

if it helps, the 2 are both nearly identical looking (white with a round handle) If I recall correctly the transmission one is the longer one sitting above the oil one which is a little more recessed and a bit lower.

[mararmeisto]

if it helps, the 2 are both nearly identical looking (white with a round handle) If I recall correctly the transmission one is the longer one sitting above the oil one which is a little more recessed and a bit lower.

And when you pull it out, it will be about half-again as long as the oil dipstick.

[tchp]

Well, I looked again, and I cannot see any sign of another dipstick anywhere near the one for the engine on my van. I have attached some images below. I have also attached the crummy drawing from the owner's manual, showing the tranny dipstick, and cannot find anything in the drawing to serve as a recognizable point of reference. The drawing for the engine dipstick is also crudely done, but you can see things like the oil filler cap, radiator, etc. This drawing for the tranny dipstick looks quite different.

[tchp]

This is the drawing in the manual for the engine dipstick, showing the oil filter cap, top of the radiator, etc.

[DelicaMark]

I am thinking we need an auto gasser to comment on where it is.

[docsavage]

Just a guess as my gasser is manual, but that looks like it is behind the battery, and I believe Josh had to modify his battery box to get to the tranny dipstick. That square in the lower right looks like it has a battery terminal attached.

[tchp]

Yes, I think you are right about that being a battery terminal connection. I will check the battery compartment as soon as I get home and can look at it.

[tchp]

Thanks a lot, as the tranny dipstick was indeed in the battery compartment. Never occurred to me to look inside there.

[mararmeisto]

...the tranny dipstick was indeed in the battery compartment...

Those crazy gassers!

Good that you found it, just the same. At least you won't have to guess as much as the diesels when we reach for ours: the front one? the rear one? oh yes, they're both white handled. Aaaaagggghhhhh!

[josh]

Sorry, I just noticed this thread... glad you got it all sorted out. Yeah the guys at CC had to cut a hole in the side of my battery compartment so I could access the tranny dipstick, as the body is slightly different in a diesel than in a gasser.

Glad to see that James was paying attention when I showed him!

Josh