Transmission Dipstick Replacement

eng208

eng208

New member
Hey guys, a little aggravated today. I have 4 4runners in the family. A 98, 99, 05, and an 07. All but my 98 are 2wd. The 99 transmission dipstick goes in easily and has a natural twist as it is inserted. The 98, on the other hand, was very difficult to insert even rotating it 90 degrees until it went easier and twisting it along the way. It finially broke at the top Hot level mark where the stick was cut a little thinner in the indicator notch. I ordered another according to the Toyota parts diagram and checked the number several times. However, the new one is a flat stick with different level indicators on it. I spent three hours searching and it seems others have had this same issue with no real solution but to make a note of it and feel higher than what the hot marks are. That is really not acceptable to me as I am a little OCD with things like that. I could engrave the levels and cut new marks, but why was the part superseded? That is my question. Also, if Toyota did supersede this part number with different levels marked, is there any harm in corrected the levels to the new part number marks? I got the listed 35103-34060
 
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Just replaced my 98's fluid, also fought the stupid twist & shove dance, bent the stick a couple times and know I'll have to replace it sooner or later. Following along here.
 
Was so difficult to get mine back in I haven't even checked my fluid again. I would need to psyche myself up for a few days before pulling it out again.
 
My wife's 3.4 isn't too bad(there is a small "kink" in the dipstick above the hot notches though). I don't know if that happened by accident or was intentional but I think it probably helps. I use two hands to get it seated all the way down. My 2.7 is easy to seat all the way down, but the reach is awkward.
 
Took matters into my own hands and didn't want to have to buy another dipstick. Figured I had nothing to lose and think it turned out acceptable. I carefully matched up the old and new and put new notches and then marked them clearly. Once the fluid is on the stick, my markings show much better than the factory markings do. The new stick is so lightly imprinted it is not legible.
 

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I hate my 96 transmission dipstick. Has anyone ever tried to make or modify and existing tube to accept a straight dipstick?
 
Transmission Dipstick Insertion 101

Dudes, Dudes, Dudes, Let me give you a class in Transmission Dipstick Insertion 101. Some dipsticks like our engine oil pan dipsticks can be inserted with one hand because it goes in fairly straight. If the dipstick is hard to insert into the dipstick tube due to the bends in the tube, this is when you get your other hand into the procedure. I'm right handed so I hold the trans dipstick handle in my right hand while I feed the dipstick in with my left hand right above the dipstick tube opening. When you try to shove the dipstick in just from the handle, the dipstick wants to bend on you because you have a lot of flexible dipstick between the handle and where that first bend in the dipstick tube is. When you feed the dipstick in by grabbing the actual dipstick a little above the opening, you now are working with a shorter section of dipstick that you're trying to push past the bend in the dipstick tube. The shorter section has more rigidity and thus won't bend or break on you.

There is no reason why you should break the trans dipstick. This is operator error.
 
mtbtim said:
Dudes, Dudes, Dudes, Let me give you a class in Transmission Dipstick Insertion 101. Some dipsticks like our engine oil pan dipsticks can be inserted with one hand because it goes in fairly straight. If the dipstick is hard to insert into the dipstick tube due to the bends in the tube, this is when you get your other hand into the procedure. I'm right handed so I hold the trans dipstick handle in my right hand while I feed the dipstick in with my left hand right above the dipstick tube opening. When you try to shove the dipstick in just from the handle, the dipstick wants to bend on you because you have a lot of flexible dipstick between the handle and where that first bend in the dipstick tube is. When you feed the dipstick in by grabbing the actual dipstick a little above the opening, you now are working with a shorter section of dipstick that you're trying to push past the bend in the dipstick tube. The shorter section has more rigidity and thus won't bend or break on you.

There is no reason why you should break the trans dipstick. This is operator error.
Click to expand...

Well, in my case, I think the dipstick was stress fatigued from flexing many times while being inserted. I do guide it in to prevent it from bending above the tube but the stick willl still flex repeatedly along its length due to resistance while being inserted past the bends. It is thin steel which doesn't take well to repeated flexing and over time, will break at the level notches. When mine broke, I wasn't forcing it and was guiding it. It simply snapped at the upper HOT level.
 
eng208 said:
Well, in my case, I think the dipstick was stress fatigued from flexing many times while being inserted. I do guide it in to prevent it from bending above the tube but the stick willl still flex repeatedly along its length due to resistance while being inserted past the bends. It is thin steel which doesn't take well to repeated flexing and over time, will break at the level notches. When mine broke, I wasn't forcing it and was guiding it. It simply snapped at the upper HOT level.
Click to expand...

I don't know. Maybe our 3rd Gens are different. I've just never had a dipstick break on me. Maybe the previous owner overstressed the dipstick with poor dipstick insertion technique. They could have benefited from my class.
 
Well, I have been inserting my dipstick for many years and feel like I know how to put a dipstick in. This one seems to be a good bit tighter than the other......:hiding:
 
mtbtim said:
I don't know. Maybe our 3rd Gens are different. I've just never had a dipstick break on me. Maybe the previous owner overstressed the dipstick with poor dipstick insertion technique. They could have benefited from my class.
Click to expand...
Well....I must BE a dipstick because I just broke my dipstick. After 18 years of jacking around inserting the AT dipstick, it finally fractured leaving the end in the tube (or pan?) somewhere. I was going to order a new one - I think the P/N is 35103-35350 for my 2000 SR5 3.4L 4WD Federal. They have another part number for the Cali version. Can anybody confirm as there appears to be some issues getting the right one.

I am going to try and separate the dipstick tube at the o-ring connection and see if I can fish out the end. If not, then I will have to drop the pan. I expect it will be stuck to the magnet. Any suggestions welcome.

On the plus side, I did fix the leaking, rusted out trans cooler line in relatively short order which was my original project. Per normal procedure, I have now broken something else. I guess I was just having too much fun to stop.

Buckaroo
 
Now that I own a 98 and 00 4runner, I apologize for my previous post. There is a definite difference between the years. My 2000 AT dipstick inserts relatively easy. My 98 on the other hand is a nightmare and requires a lot of force. I even bought a new one thinking the one on the vehicle when I bought it was the wrong one. The new one is just as hard to insert. I have since figured out the optimum insertion position of the dipstick so it will go in without bending, but the dipsticks on the earlier years have been the hardest AT dipstick to insert that I've ever experienced. There's no doubt you need two hands and the right angle to get this dipstick in without bending it or breaking it. Toyota obviously made an improvement for the later years.
 
Yep. There is a huge difference between my '97 and 2001 and 2002 models. The '97 requires concentration and a slow feed.
 
I have experience with a 97 and a 99, both are definitely difficult to get the dipstick back in but I've done it so many times now, I have it down to an art.

If it doesn't feel like its going in right, try pulling it back out some, turn it 90 degrees and try again. That is how it works for me.

I really don't have any issues anymore getting it in but again, that's because I've had that stupid dipstick in and out probably a 100 times in the last year or so.
 
just broke my AT dipstick. :(

Anyone ever figure out why some of the new dipsticks don't line up? I'm gonna call camelback toyota tomorrow and give them my VIN so I can get the correct one hopefully. How hard is it to just pull the dipstick tube? How likely am I to have to pull the pan?
 
Removing the top portion of the dipstick tube is super simple. If you follow it down, there is a little bracket that holds it to the block/head (can't remember which one it is). I believe it is a 12mm bolt that holds it on. Remove that bolt and pull the tube out.

The bottom half of the tube is permanently attached to the transmission pan.
 
APhelps said:
just broke my AT dipstick. :(

Anyone ever figure out why some of the new dipsticks don't line up? I'm gonna call camelback toyota tomorrow and give them my VIN so I can get the correct one hopefully. How hard is it to just pull the dipstick tube? How likely am I to have to pull the pan?
Click to expand...

I went to my local dealer and had them order three since they all had different part numbers. All three of them were different lengths.

I had typed my VIN on Toyota's official parts site and that dipstick was incorrect (too short). The dealer came up with another which ended up being the right one. It helps to have your old dipstick to compare the fill lines because they will differ on the others. It's a nightmare, but got what I needed.
 
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