Transmision dipstick tube

Anyone have tips/experiance in reshaping/bending a tranny dipstick tube? I am using a 700r4, the tube bolts to the bellhousing / engine bolt. Thus the tube is about 1 3/4" from the back of the head. I need the tube right up against the head for firewall clearance. I do not like the non traditional look of the flexable bradied hose tubes.

 

Any one know if a turbo 350 tube would fit properly with the 700r4 ? Turbo 350 tube fits tight to theback of the head. I belive the tube size is the same where fits in the trany gromet.

 

I've used a conduit bender to tweak trans tubes with very good results.

I had one occasion where I had a crushed trans tube that had a VERY tight radius that I could not duplicate - so I used a section from an old lawn chair that had the exact same radius as the original and welded it in place - worked perfect.

I would recommend that you mark the level on your dipstick before you start and then check it when you're finished to make sure it still reads right...re-mark if necessary.

 

the way I remember it, the dipsticks from the 350 won't fit the overdrives, but I don't remember why...I think the hole is bigger in the 350...I used a Lokar piece with good results.

 

Heat the tube red hot and bend gently, when it starts to kink, heat above or below that spot and continue slowly. It can be done.

 

You could check out the tube on a van seems like thay get close to the cylinder head. you can just cut off where needed.

 

i have never done this but i did watch a old guy do it once. he took a trans tube and plugged one end. then he packed it full of sand. and i mean he packed it! he would add alittle then tamp it down and do it again until it was full and tight. then he put it in a vice and slowly bent it. suprised the hell out of me but i still dont see how it work all that good but i was right there.when he got done he went out back and emptied it back into his grandbabys sandbox.

 

Though I've never done it, I was thinking the same thing as hemi rambler. Easiest solution with the quickest results. Invest in a cheap conduit bender, you'll probably need it again sometime.

 

look at one that came in a van they have different length and project foward more.

 

Go get a piece of conduit and a bender. Bend what you need and weld the trans tube ends onto it. Sand the galvanized off where you are welding. Finish it like any other part.
You get 10 feet for under 2.00 plenty to practice with.

You'll never get your tube's bends moved 3" over and back up without messing it up.
You could cut it and add a small piece though.

The vans don't follow the bell housing to head curve, they follow more of a valve cover to trans hole curve.

 

all good idea's but when done you need to calibrate the the dip stick again, those extra and new bend can and will effect the reading on the stick, so when done fill trans with the required fluid and check the line

 

The sand trick works well, you can heat it a little to if needed. Just make sure that you use dry sand before capping and heating.
I have done this a number of times.

 

oh yeah i forgot that part. Sorry .he did heat it up .caps stuck...

 

Thanks evryone for the advice. I was thinking of heating and bending it slowly after packing with sand originally.

 

Last one we did. We marked the amount of stick sticking out of the housing. Wrote that down sos not to forget. Chopped the tube and move the chopped pieces around to where they fit. Took some large heat shrink and shrunk the shrink tube to hold the tube in place. After checking and tweaking we cut small holes in the heat shrink and tacked with the tig. Removed the shrink and welded it up. Stuck the stick back in marked the length and spliced it to measure correctly.

 

That's the same as mandrel bending exhaust tubing. The packed sand keeps the tube from kinking.