I just edited the name of the post from "3VZE transmission dipstick location?" to "3VZE transmission dipstick routing?" to better reflect the issue I am having...

Where on earth does this go? Right so this sounds like a complete moron newbie question, its not what it seems. I don't know where it actually goes and what it bolts to...

I got this 1994 4Runner about 3 weeks ago for a pretty AWESOME price. It is super clean. But, non-runner. The transmission was partially installed, and a second one in the back. A few bags of bolts, and a bunch of random brackets, driveshafts, etc.

So, I have never worked on one of these before, and I wasn't the one that took it apart. Alldata (professional shop version), Google, and the factory manuals aren't telling me anything.

Specifically, where does the upper half of the dipstick tube route? The transmission is back in, pan and lower tube installed. If the upper tube routes behind the crossover pipe, I can't get it to feed through... I haven't been able to find any pictures that show the actual tube placement.

I have found two pictures (finally) that show it coming out near the oil dipstick. I have a feeling the tube coming out of the transmission pan is bent to the wrong spot... If you are looking forward from underneath, it is routed to the RIGHT side of the driver's side exhaust downpipe. I can't see any routing that lets the two tubes meet here and end with the trans dip near the oil.

Closer inspection of the trans pan tube though and it looks like the tube is bent, potentially to the wrong side of the exhaust. It is pretty close fitting to the block. And there is a mounting hole on the block that matches up closely to the lower mounting hole on the upper tube. Hence my thought that is where it goes... But if that tube is supposed to be on the other side, that "mounting hole" would have to be for a bracket or something else.

I still have a handful of brackets in the trunk that I haven't sorted out. While I think I have an idea of where it might be going, I still am missing the whole picture.

I hate trying to put something back together that I didn't take apart. Oh well, if it goes beck together and runs, it will have been well worth the struggle!

any chance you could post the 2 pictures you found here for future reference ?