Remote Transmission Dip Stick Aftermarket Support?

[Grumpaw]

Final got to go for an extended drive yesterday to get my transmission up to temp. Using my phone and Torque Pro, the highest I got on the highway was a stable 190 degrees. After I pulled off the highway it went up to 195 by the time I got to my driveway. It was 77 degrees out so I quess even with the stock pan there is some cooling do to air flow.

Anyway, checked the level. It's really tough to get a good read with the hot fluid being so thin. Best I can tell is I'm right about the 5 mark. So it looks like I could add a little to get it to the diamond between 4 and 5. Not as low as some but borderline.

Has anyone come up with a trick to get the level easier to read on the stick?

OK, guess I'm the first to "mod" the stick.
I had some 400 grit fine paper and scuffed THE BACK side of the stick reading area...side with the cross hatch....NOT the side with the numerical markings. Just scuffed the area equivalent to the number markings. Left the number marking side alone as I believe Mike printed the ### on that side and didn't want to risk sanding them off.
Made it easier to read the level and seems to "hold" the fluid better.
Just scuffed it enough to remove the "shiny" from the stick tip.

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[The Last Ranger]

OK, guess I'm the first to "mod" the stick.
I had some 400 grit fine paper and scuffed THE BACK side of the stick reading area...side with the cross hatch....NOT the side with the numerical markings. Just scuffed the area equivalent to the number markings. Left the number marking side alone as I believe Mike printed the ### on that side and didn't want to risk sanding them off.
Made it easier to read the level and seems to "hold" the fluid better.
Just scuffed it enough to remove the "shiny" from the stick tip.

I will try this myself as I couldn't get a good reading with new fluid at less than 5k miles.

 

[Grumpaw]

I will try this myself as I couldn't get a good reading with new fluid at less than 5k miles.

I would NOT use any paper coarser than 400 grit. I had some 800 and 1000 grit but it didn't cut the steel stick, so went to 400. Just a few swipes to scuff it, tried, re-scuffed a bit more till it was easy to read the fluid level....Cross hatch area is still easy to read.

 

[airline tech]

I would NOT use any paper coarser than 400 grit. I had some 800 and 1000 grit but it didn't cut the steel stick, so went to 400. Just a few swipes to scuff it, tried, re-scuffed a bit more till it was easy to read the fluid level....Cross hatch area is still easy to read.

Cool, I am glad the idea worked out, my thought was a small file but if 400 Grit sandpaper works., less chance of going too deep. even better idea. (Sometimes Less = More) ?‍

 

[Grumpaw]

Just a heads up.....I just did this today, and it worked well with the cold fluid. I haven't driven the Ranger today, so don't know how well it will work with hot fluid, but I believe it should help.
With cold fluid it was much (at least to me and my reading glasses) easier to read.

 

[gov cheese]

I'm guessing he is glad that you are okay with him making a profit. ?

What i was trying to say was set FitzStick price then add shipping to it.

 

[Msfitoy]

OK, guess I'm the first to "mod" the stick.
I had some 400 grit fine paper and scuffed THE BACK side of the stick reading area...side with the cross hatch....NOT the side with the numerical markings. Just scuffed the area equivalent to the number markings. Left the number marking side alone as I believe Mike printed the ### on that side and didn't want to risk sanding them off.
Made it easier to read the level and seems to "hold" the fluid better.
Just scuffed it enough to remove the "shiny" from the stick tip.

Sounds like I'll have to give this a shot...

 

[Grumpaw]

Sounds like I'll have to give this a shot...

Sid, you only have to scuff up the area on the end below the cross hatch area. If you look the lower end of the cross hatch area coincides with the #4 on the number side. So if the fluid on the cross hatch side is at the lower edge then it's the proper level, between 4 & 5.

 

[Blue Streak]

Sid, you only have to scuff up the area on the end below the cross hatch area. If you look the lower end of the cross hatch area coincides with the #4 on the number side. So if the fluid on the cross hatch side is at the lower edge then it's the proper level, between 4 & 5.

Steve got a picture of your scuff work.

 

[Grumpaw]

Steve got a picture of your scuff work.

Here...may be hard to see as 400 grit isn't very aggressive. But it took the "shiney" off, dulled it up a bit so red fluid is easier to see. Just scuffed up to the cross hatch area.
The bottom of the cross hatch area exactly matches the #4 on the reverse side.
The stick looks dark, but it's just in the shadow of the phone/camera.

 

[Big Blue]

Here...may be hard to see as 400 grit isn't very aggressive. But it took the "shiney" off, dulled it up a bit so red fluid is easier to see. Just scuffed up to the cross hatch area.
The bottom of the cross hatch area exactly matches the #4 on the reverse side.
The stick looks dark, but it's just in the shadow of the phone/camera.

Will give it a try! Thanks

 

[Fitzmotor]

I thought about doing something like this, but I did not seem to have as much trouble reading the stick as some members here, but my fluid is not new.

Any scuffing will work best across the stick, I may play around with this, I have some new sticks that are damaged, I will see how it goes, thanks for the input?

 

[Grumpaw]

I thought about doing something like this, but I did not seem to have as much trouble reading the stick as some members here, but my fluid is not new.

Any scuffing will work best across the stick, I may play around with this, I have some new sticks that are damaged, I will see how it goes, thanks for the input?

I may go back and scuff across as you suggested. May hold fluid better and easier to read/see the level.
Anyway, not hurting the stick and fun to experiment while not affecting the original purpose.

 

[The Last Ranger]

I thought about doing something like this, but I did not seem to have as much trouble reading the stick as some members here, but my fluid is not new.

Any scuffing will work best across the stick, I may play around with this, I have some new sticks that are damaged, I will see how it goes, thanks for the input?

Perfect Mike , as I will wait to do according to your findings, thx again!!

 

[Grumpaw]

I thought about doing something like this, but I did not seem to have as much trouble reading the stick as some members here, but my fluid is not new.

Any scuffing will work best across the stick, I may play around with this, I have some new sticks that are damaged, I will see how it goes, thanks for the input?

I just took the stick and used some 220 grit and scuffed it across the blade. Seemed to help reading, and the 220 just rough's it up enough....better than 400.
All it is doing is cutting the glare from any light, just makes it easier to see where fluid line is.
Nothing major but it helped with mine and my eyes.
Just to re-emphasize I'm only roughing up the lower area on the back/cross hatch side, below the embossed crosshatch....just the unmarked area.

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