Dip Stick Less Transmission

BigBody79

BigBody79

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Location
Lumberton
My wifes Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.7 V6 needs transmission service. 2009

I'd like to drop the pan and replace the filter and fill her back up.

However, the transmission doesn't have a dip stick.

Have any of y'all had to deal with the this and if so what did you do?
 
BigBody79 said:
Have any of y'all had to deal with the this and if so what did you do?
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Wife had a C230 Mercedes back in the day. Red dot of fluid on the garage floor. Popped the hood and couldn’t find the dipstick. Suspended my man card and went for the manual. Says “contact your dealer”. Traded that car in under a week.
 
I have fill tube in engine compartment. Looks like a dip stick. But you take it off and nothing there. Says contact dealer.
 
15 tundra is same way
 
It is a mercades style trans/dipstick. They use a "special" tool. Basically a flexible dipstick, with a level reading based on temp.

The tool can be purchased from OTC I believe. Service sequence is: drop pan replace filter, reinstall pan, add x amount of fluid (so trans isn't dry) start and cycle shifter through the gears stopping briefly in each, allow it to idle till correct temp is reached, check fluid level and add as necessary. Temp is very important.
 
Bmw doesn't put dipsticks for the engine oil in the mini's.
The wife wanted one, and I was humoring her until I popped the hood and saw that....."We out, let's go check out a GTI!"
 
Was just changing the oil in my Ram (2016 1500) last weekend, got curious about my trans fluid/filter situation since I just rolled 60k on the clock. Went to go pull a dipstick....nada. I did the same thing, and temporarily suspended my man card as well and consulted the manual....only mentions fluid/filter changes for the 6-speed trans. Mine is the 8-speed.

Further suspended my man card (almost to the point of shaving my beard....shame, shame) and consulted the interwebs. Turns out this is allegedly a "fill-for-life" trans. I'm almost considering trading this truck because of that chit. The filter is part of the pan, the pan must be changed, and re-filling it DIY apparently requires some stupid human tricks with a fluid pump in a hole that's between the case and the exhaust tubing while the engine is running, having the trans cycled back and forth from drive to reverse to neutral, and constantly monitoring the temp (since it has to be filled at a particular temperature).

The more I talk it out, the less I want to consider keeping this thing around. :rolleyes: It's either that, or apparently spending well over a rack at the dealer for them to do it.

EDIT: I apparently didn't read all the posts. @Monkeynono already beat me to the process. 👍
 
Scooter402 said:
Was just changing the oil in my Ram (2016 1500) last weekend, got curious about my trans fluid/filter situation since I just rolled 60k on the clock. Went to go pull a dipstick....nada. I did the same thing, and temporarily suspended my man card as well and consulted the manual....only mentions fluid/filter changes for the 6-speed trans. Mine is the 8-speed.

Further suspended my man card (almost to the point of shaving my beard....shame, shame) and consulted the interwebs. Turns out this is allegedly a "fill-for-life" trans. I'm almost considering trading this truck because of that chit. The filter is part of the pan, the pan must be changed, and re-filling it DIY apparently requires some stupid human tricks with a fluid pump in a hole that's between the case and the exhaust tubing while the engine is running, having the trans cycled back and forth from drive to reverse to neutral, and constantly monitoring the temp (since it has to be filled at a particular temperature).

The more I talk it out, the less I want to consider keeping this thing around. :rolleyes: It's either that, or apparently spending well over a rack at the dealer for them to do it.

EDIT: I apparently didn't read all the posts. @Monkeynono already beat me to the process. 👍
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I feel your pain, but heres the rub.
Dodge, GM, Ford, Toyota all have sealed transmissions in their half tons. So you can trade it, but replace with what?

The tundra forums are full of wacky work arounds for removing trans cooler lines and draining/filling there...but I dunno.
More aggravating to me is finding someone to service the transmission who will actually change the fluid, since you know, I cant inspect it and see new fluid
 
You can buy a generic NAG1 dipstick on Amazon. Check the level and mark the dipstick before you service it. Then do the service lik enormal and correct the level until it is where it was before.
I rebuilt/serviced tons of those back in the day. Should take around 4.5 quarts with filter.
 
Ron said:
I feel your pain, but heres the rub.
Dodge, GM, Ford, Toyota all have sealed transmissions in their half tons. So you can trade it, but replace with what?

The tundra forums are full of wacky work arounds for removing trans cooler lines and draining/filling there...but I dunno.
More aggravating to me is finding someone to service the transmission who will actually change the fluid, since you know, I cant inspect it and see new fluid
Click to expand...
Glad you told me that. I was completely oblivious to that fact (until now).
 
I wanted to change fluid in my toyota. The factory service instructions are about 10 pages long and there is a 30 min youtube vid on how to do it...I just spent the $220 at the dealer. Same with my 8 speed auto GMC truck with no dipstick.
 
Are most of these trans made by ZF? Seems like a pretty common thing these days. My dads 00 disco 2 doesn’t even have a dip stick. I think that is a auto ZF 4 or 5 speed?
 
At least it's not the BMW where you have to fill it through plug on the bottom side corner while running ...those suck
 
Most new vehicles don't come with a trans dip stick. It's considered "Lifetime fluid" which means once the fluid wears out (Outside the manufacturers drivetrain warranty) the unit wears out and must be replaced. But if you change that fluid you extend the life of the unit. (They don't want that. They want to sell you a new unit) Whether you pay someone to do it or do it yourself, it's a good thing to do.
 
On the wife’s 15 Altima, there is a full plug above the drain plug. Add the trans fluid (@$23 a quart) until it comes out of the full plug hole, Put plug in, start and recheck. Of course I had to also research all of that because I couldn’t find a dip stick after a line going to the cooler decided to let go and lost most of the fluid.
 
Thread derail.
When I was a kid, my pops nicknamed me Dipstick. Being a child of the early 80s, I was a Dukes of Hazzard junkie. Roscoe always called Enos dipstick.
Back to the thread.
Want me to loan you mine for week or two?
 
I would very much appreciate it. I’ve called the dealer it’s a 250 service. Can’t get a call back any where else. Few other projects have crept up and back burnered this.

i would also like to add a larger transmission cooler as well we have started to use it to tow some. Any recommendations there?
 
BigBody79 said:
I would very much appreciate it. I’ve called the dealer it’s a 250 service. Can’t get a call back any where else. Few other projects have crept up and back burnered this.

i would also like to add a larger transmission cooler as well we have started to use it to tow some. Any recommendations there?
Click to expand...
Just a typical derale type would be sufficient. Make sure the hose connections are good
PM me your addy and I'll mail it to ya
 
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