Hello, Can anyone of you tell me how to tune a flexible dipstick on my Oldsmobile TH350 transmission ? When I receive it, the setting was not the same of the stock dipstick, and I saw a screw on the ****on. I looked for some videos but always with the oil pan removed, isn't there a way to tune that without remove it ? Thanks for your help !
Tune it? I installed one just like that on the wife's 32 and didn't see any reason to tune it. I know what your talking about. I pulled it on the new 4l60e we installed and the fluid is on the mark where it belongs.
The only way to know if it is really accurate is to drain the trans completely, then add the specified amount of fluid. Then adjust the handle to suit.
I suppose if you knew the level was correct with your old dipstick, you could compare the new one to it but I would remove the pan, verify the position of the new dipstick, replace the filter and put new fluid in it until it came up to the new dipstick's full mark. Simple and reliable.
If you have the original OEM dipstick available, measure from under outer tube shoulder to the full mark and then compare that dimension on the new dipstick. But ..... I believe that you've already done that and you need to know how to adjust the new one to suit. If it's a different dimension, there's a good chance that either the OEM or the new dipstick doesn't match the TH350 transmission ..... it's important to have the correct fluid level for the TH350. If possible, contact the new dipstick manufacturer to confirm its compatibility before performing and adjustments. Good luck, I appreciate/understand how difficult these issues can be when you're living in a different world continent.
Here's an old thread. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/th350-fluid-levels-hey-shifts-crosley-others.59496/ So the answer is "it depends". However, I would consider what the stick is measuring. If you have serviced a few TH350s, you know the level when off is above the pan gasket. That isn't much help. Consider the fluid (and dipstick check) when running, pump pumping and at temp. You want it to completely submerge the filter (no ****ing in air) but not so high it's also submerging the drums and allowing them to churn the fluid. With the pan off and the dipstick installed, you should be able to see the rough height described. I'd check that and know that once they are about a quart low, they slip (bad). That should give you a pretty good range to use. If you still have a stock stick and tube, you could measure the tube from it's sealing surface to the end, then the stick and how far up the add and full marks are. Maybe someone here has done this and can provide these measurements.
Here's an old listing with pics of different setups. https://www.ebay.com/itm/295443363807 The 2 pics with sticks poking out of the tube seems to show the add mark up inside, with the length of the tube at 2 1/2 inches. Subtract a bit for the seal and a bit above the ADD and it's 2 to 2 1/4 inches from the outside flange in the case for the hole. As you can see, the tubes look like different lengths.
Of course, this is the better solution, but what about the oil in the converter ? When the trans is completely empty, can I fill it with the manufacturer quan***y, when I know that the converter is close to be full ??
Like said, drain the pan and remove it, measure the depth of the pan, add for gasket, insert new dipstick, And check the length from the pan rail down to the bottom of the stick, if too long remove the stick from the handle and make the cut on that end not the bottom where the fill marks are. Reinstall handle, pan and gasket, refill.
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