Anyone running an aftermarket trans dipstick tube?

[Whateverman]

I have a C4 in my ol pig...i think its an '84 case fill ,the stock dipstick tube got mangled somewhere along the line and won't seal for nuthin
the tube got crunched a little at the end and despite hours of tweaking is out of round just enough to let fluid seep past it even with the finest o-rings i could get from the parts store.......well.,seep is putting it very mildly

i'm getting really tired of having a lake of tranny fluid all the time and have been checking out aftermarket dipstick tubes-
has anyone put one one their ride? have any horror stories or triumphant miracles you'd like to share?

right now i'm leaning towards the flexible one from Lokar because it looks nifty and would most likely be easier to snake into place

[forrestbump]

Have you tried using what Jewelers use to straighten out bent wedding rings? It's basically a tapered piece of hardened steel about 10" long that starts off at 1/4" in diameter and ends at about 1-1/2" in diameter (for REALLY fat fingers I guess.)

Anyway, you put the bent ring on this tapered shaft and gently tap the ring down the shaft's tapered area which straightens out the ring.

I'll bet that something like that would straighten out the base of your dipstick tube making it round again. I bought one of these tapered "ring straighteners" at a yard sale years ago for about a buck or two and it's amazing how many other uses I've found for it...NO, I haven't beaten my kids with it...YET...

Or you can drag your greasy, oil dripping, trans fluid covered dipstick tube to your local jeweler and ask them to straighten it for you ...that'll go over like a belch in church I'm sure...

Sorry NO experience with any aftermarket trans dipstick tubes...

[averagef250]

Problem with trying to make steel tubing round again is it springs back. In order to cold form steel you have to bend it farther than needed because of this. To make your tube round again how do you push just the dented portions further than the rest to make it round again? That's the problem. It's possible to fix, but not easy.

I like the aftermarket tubes. Dipsticks and tubes can be made from scratch too. The flexible ones are pretty nice.

[Donnie]

You can buy replacement ends from the after market....Try Transtar Ind...or ask your local tranny shop to get you one...They are about 2" long Tig or braze them on your existing tube if only the end is bad, out of round or leaking
If you strike out, let me know your sizes & I'll check my old stock, I THINK I still have a few..there are a few diff sizes......If I do I can send you one..........Donnie

[basketcase0302]

is good stuff to know Donnie, thanks man. I've had the same issue where it got so loose no size o ring seemed to seal it also. Does the repair "sleeve" over-then tig weld it or is it a butt-weld application?

[Donnie]

Hi, yes , it is a sleve over the existing tube........cut off the bad section after measuring & slide the new end on as much as needed & weld....
I'll see what I have tomorrow...........they are only 2 or 3 inches long, but will repair the "O" ring area....This is usually where they get deformed from flexing around when pulling them..........Donnie

[Whateverman]

.....you can drag your greasy, oil dripping, trans fluid covered dipstick tube to your local jeweler and ask them to straighten it for you ...

i might do that - just to see the poor guys reaction !!!

i don't really think that nifty tool would work in this case because the tube is damaged up past where the grooves that the o-rings seat into are - but thanks for the suggestion

- replacement ends sound like a good idea too,and i might try going that route ,but i'm still leaning towards something new and streetrod-esque like the Lokar dipstick thingahooey

[Whateverman]

anybody else got anything to add???

[trick]

Hello, im using the Lokar trans dipstick and kickdown set up. After putting in the right amount of fluid in the trans, the stick said i was about 1/4 - 1/2 qt over. This was after a warm up and checking the stick. All i did was make a new mark and all is well. The trans stick mounts on the firewall or trans bolt. Comes with both. Trick

[Whateverman]

Hello, im using the Lokar trans dipstick and kickdown set up. After putting in the right amount of fluid in the trans, the stick said i was about 1/4 - 1/2 qt over. This was after a warm up and checking the stick. All i did was make a new mark and all is well. The trans stick mounts on the firewall or trans bolt. Comes with both. Trick

any leaks or stuff?