Old Apr 30, 2022 | 12:45 PM
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LagDan
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 113
Likes: 17
From: Frelighsburg, Province of Quebec, Canada.
Lightbulb Make your own permanent transmission DIPStick . . .

When I bought my Crossfire in November 2012, I was surprised by the fact that there was no friggin' DIP Stick in the transmission tube. I have made different models between 2012 and 2017 that stayed in the tool box at home, but it always bugged me not to have a permanent one that stay where it belongs . . . in the transmission tube and under the hood at all time.

Here is how I made my own. It was done with some modification to the original transmission cap itself and also to the too long dipstick bought online like the one in the first picture below. You can see in detail the final dip stick assembly in the second picture.


First, take the lock pin of the handle off, now, use a small torch and heat the steel cable at about an inch-and-a-half below the handle until the plastic get soft enough until you are able to unscrew the handle off the steel cable without damaging it. Cut clean the steel cable with a Dremel or something similar, the steel cable to the proper length starting from the end of the tip of the dip stick . . . approximately 27" was the proper length for my N/A.

Find a piece of 4" long of soft plastic tube that snug fit, but that you can also be able to slide down on the steel cable. Slip it on the steel cable far down because you will have to reheat the steel cable in order to reinstall the handle on the steel cable, later . . . Now drill the center of your original cap to a little less than the diameter of the tube inserted on the steel cable. The cap have to be able to slide on the tube but with enough resistance to support the steel cable weight.

Attention. . . the resistance between the plastic tube and the Cap is crucial because you do not want the tip of the dip stick to lay, or bend in the bottom of the pan, when the did stick is not in use . . . only when measuring the level, it should touch the bottom of the transmission pan.

Slip the cap that have been drill to the proper dimension below the plastic tube, be sure to have the plastic tube at a reasonable distance from the end of the steel cable in order to reheat the steel cable to the point that you are able to re-screw the handle back on the steel cable until it bottom down on the steel cable. A drop of crazy glue in the hole of the lock pin, re-insert the lock pin in place. Now you can slide the plastic tube all the way up to the handle, next, slide the cap on the tube.

How to use it for measuring: Slide the cap on the plastic tube all the way up to the top, just below the handle, insert dip stick in transmission tube until it touch the bottom of the pan, take it out to read the transmission fluid level.
When not in use, like when driving: Slide down the cap on the plastic tube in order to not have the tip of the dip stick touching the bottom of the pan.

In that last picture, the dip stick is in the driving position right under the engine cover. The dip stick tip is not all the way in the bottom of the pan, and it is the resistance between the cap and the plastic tube that support the weight of the entire assembly. The weight of the dip stick keep the cap tight on the end of the transmission tube. The date on that pictures is when I made it. Many bump and hole on road have tested that the dip stick stayed in place. It has proven to be just like a regular permanent dip stick. Been able to check transmission level when ever and where ever it is needed is great.

I am really sorry for my Anglais . . . I am French Canadian.

Daniel

 

Last edited by LagDan; Oct 14, 2025 at 12:04 PM. Reason: Change in Title and tex corrections.
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