Trouble reading trans dipstick

9 LIVES

9 LIVES

Demolition Expert
Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
4,051
On my 47RH I've had an issue for a while reading how much fluid is in the trans. I get the same reading when its running in neutral & when the engine is off.

When I pop the hood and pull the dip stick out its at the full line to begin with. I wipe if off clean with a towel and put it back in and pull back out for a fresh reading.....NOTHING on the dipstick!

Put it back in and pull back out a couple times and nothing....as dry as when I wiped it clean:doh:

Put the dipstick back in the tube and walk away for 20 minutes come back and pull the dipstick out. AT FULL LEVEL

So I clean it off and put it back in the tube to pull back out and it just starts the cycle all over again...DRY!

Call me crazy but I have witnesses LOL
 
Im with you on this. PITA to check it. I always flip the stick over and see if the other side has had fluid on it. look at every edge and see if it has just wiped off the tube, or it is really that high. Patience is the key.
 
Chris Mallett said:
Im with you on this. PITA to check it. I always flip the stick over and see if the other side has had fluid on it. look at every edge and see if it has just wiped off the tube, or it is really that high. Patience is the key.
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Patients...what's that? :evil Every time I "find" patients I'm on a website somewhere with my credit card out and it cost me money LOL

I just as soon not check the fluid but the converter wouldn't lock going down the road. I then knew I was a tad bit low :doh:
 
you have the self cleaning dipstick. it cleans when its pulled.LOL is it the original stick? different tube lengths? something to look at.

Joe
 
Truck came factory with nv4500. I went to the dodge stealership when I was doing the swap and bought a "factory tube & stick" from dodge for a 47rh equiped truck.
 
It sounds like your fluid is low, they are a pain sometimes. If I don't see any fluid on the dipstick I add about a quart and a half and go from there. If I think I'm getting a false reading on the dipstick I'll drive it down the street quick then stop, run it through the gears, and back to neutral, and take another reading.
 
it should be checked with the engine running and in neutral. that is how i have always checked mine.
 
BigDodge said:
it should be checked with the engine running and in neutral. that is how i have always checked mine.
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And dont you run tractor hydro fluid? The clear fluid will make it even harder to see. Im switching over from ATF to J.Deere hydro fluid myself on this new car, against the brake it would clear the fluid every other pass in the truck.......
 
9 LIVES said:
What do you mean by this?
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Once ATF reaches a certain temp., the dye boils out of the fluid. Leaving you with no color and much less lube protection. I never had it happen using the foot brake even if you had to set there much long than youd like to spool or waiting for someone to bump in.
 
You'd fry your trans before boiling any dye out of it.
I've never heard of boiling the dye out of it. But you learn something new everyday!
The flash point is 180*-190*c.
 
scottsjeeprolet said:
You'd fry your trans before boiling any dye out of it.
I've never heard of boiling the dye out of it. But you learn something new everyday!
The flash point is 180*-190*c.
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Nope. Does'nt glaze the fibers or hurt anything, Just clears the fluid and ruins its lube properties Im sure. If you continued to run it sure Im sure it would but....I dont. This build has another 4+ quarts of fluid capacity and 3 times the cooler, but the diff. is now I plan to only use the T-Brake and want to go to a better fluid, the hydro fluid is a much better and HD fluid. The only other time that my tranny guys have ever seen the fluid clear on one is the few turbo Pro Mod cars around here, and they did the same and went to Hydro fluid. Ryan
 
stock600 said:
Nope. Does'nt glaze the fibers or hurt anything, Just clears the fluid and ruins its lube properties Im sure. If you continued to run it sure Im sure it would but....I dont. This build has another 4+ quarts of fluid capacity and 3 times the cooler, but the diff. is now I plan to only use the T-Brake and want to go to a better fluid, the hydro fluid is a much better and HD fluid. The only other time that my tranny guys have ever seen the fluid clear on one is the few turbo Pro Mod cars around here, and they did the same and went to Hydro fluid. Ryan
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Why do you say hydro fluid is better...what brand or type of ATF are you comparing it to?
 
stock600 said:
I would say any of it. The properties of JD hydro fluid are far supierior to that of ATF.
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You talk as though you have some experience...what brands of ATF have you tried?
I personally have no experience with JD hydro fluid!
 
Rossler is a big Pro Mod tranny builder, they mostly build the 400 tranny like I use. Go to thier site and to the left of the page click on -Rosslers tips- then -tranny fluid info-. He wants 10w20 or 10w30 hydro fluid used in his trannys that make 1500hp or more wich would be equal to the torque of say a 700+hp diesel application. JD is the favorite with most of those guys and what I will be using. Ryan
 
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