ATF doesnt cling to the dipstick correctly & o-ring is stuck

[T-Keith]

GMs are fine to check in Park, some Chryslers recommend neutral. This a common occurrence on some dipsticks both engine and transmission. Usually the lower reading is correct and the higher one is fluid that gets on the stick when pulling it out. Try fully wiping the dipstick and waiting a minute or two before reinserting it.

-T

 

[rgl]

If the o ring is anything like that on a Ford F150, the tip of the plastic clip from the cap on a Bic pen works fine to dig it out. A plastic knife of the picnic kind is also fine although a tad more brittle.

 

[JHZR2]

My truck is a 98 S-10 ZR2. 4.3Lv6, 4-speed auto.

The last time I dropped the pan to change, I did it, took off the old filter, but the o-ring was stuck in there. Fearing that I'd break something, I left it, and put the new filter on the old o-ring. I want to get it out next time, which may be a year from now, but I'd like to know, while its on my mind, the best way to remove the used o-rings from the filter mounting tube.

Second, I cannot get a consistent reading on the transmission dipstick. I do everything right (drive until its up to temp, shift through all the gears, etc). I always get the level on the two sides to be different. Sometimes the one side has a flud level and the other side has none. Other times one side is way overfilled and the other side shows it to be underfilled. I put in the suggested 4.5 qts, per my manual. The truck shifts fine, no issues at all. But it worries me to not have a good reading. I use castrol GM-certified Dexron III fluid.

Any suggestions on what my issue is?

Thanks,

JMH

 

[jeepzj]

You're doing everything right. I know for my Jeep I need to have the transmission in Nuetral when I check the level. Try checking in Nuetral with e-brake on.

 

[olympic]

On my Montanas, the O-ring is cylindrical and made of rubber coated metal. It's pressed into the orifice and very difficult to remove. I use a screwdriver and hammer to remove them. Hold the screwdriver as horizontally as possible, place the blade on the outer lip of the O-ring and gently tap it inwards with the hammer being very careful not to score the aluminum. The O-ring will collapse and then you can reach in and pull it out with a needle-nose pliers.

A small scratch on the outer surface is nothing to worry about, no sealing occurs there anyways. You just want to avoid scratching the inner bore of the hole that the O-ring presses into.

 

[JHZR2]

thanks for the replies...

olymipc, I bet that our overall trans/filter setups are neary identical, snce they are the sme gm 4-speed auto trans family, just differing by which wheels get driven. Just one question... you say to tap the outer surface of the o ring with a flat screwdriver. And, that a scratch on the outer surface is no big deal, but a scratch on the inner surface of the bore is a problem. Honestly, I can't see how I could scratch the outer surface since the o-ring is inside the bore of the tube. I definitely see howit would be possible to score the inner tube and that would be a

I might try with rgl's method first, as a pen is less likely to do damage the first try around. But, if needs be or after I get comfortable with doing it, Ill use the screwdriver method.

Thanks for the suggestions and the clarifications. I think Ill be all set to do this now.

JMH

 

[rgl]

Mine are pure plastic or hard rubber, a tan color, so I don't know if my method would work on an o-ring with a metal core.