I hope someone has this info without having to open the hood, but how long is this dipstick, or I guess more importantly, how far is it from the top of the tube opening to the full line? I'm beginning to think mine is not original and somebody before replaced it with ???. Much appreciated.
Overall length is 21.25. Top to fill line is 20. Add maybe 1/4 inch for the "cap" part of the stick.
For some reason pictures aren't uploading but the stick says Hydramatic and Cadillac on it.
Jeff R
Thanks, Jeff!! I'm not near the car tight now, but will check it tomorrow. I know it didn't say Cadillac or Hydromatic on it.
Jeff, The dipstick is indeed a replacement someone else put in, but they did their homework and it is 21.25" long. Just so we are not comparing apples to oranges, I assume that when you say "fill line", you mean the line where you need to add a quart, not where its "full". That point seems to be in between on my fake dipstick, although I have never heard that a pint one way or the other is that big a deal.
This all leads to ask about a strange thing when re-filling. My mechanic removed and cleaned the oil pan, then filled. According to the Service Manual, you add 7 quarts, then idle, and begin adding 2-1/2 to 3 quarts, checking the dipstick at each quart. My filling after the initial 7 would take only 1 more, even with that being slightly over what I would perceive to be the full mark. Strange. I would think cleaning the pan (which the service manual doesn't assume) would require more, not less fluid (capacity is 11 quarts). Any thoughts why?
Thanks again.
Just dropping the pan does not drain all the fluid from a transmission. Unless it was properly and fully drained, you'll always have leftover fluid in it.
Thanks Dan, I guess they didn't do that. I guess its true that to do the job right, do it yourself. But with no access to a lift and an old body that can barely bend down, much less crawl under a car - no other solution.
55 Transmission has two points to drain. The oilpan and often unknown the screw in the flywheel. There you will find the differenz to 11. If you only change the oilpan you have a mix.