Just purchased a 98 Ram 1500 4X4 last spring, which is what lead me to this site. First off, WOW! Awesome site with tons of great info. Thanks to everyone for all the great information I've already found on this site. Anyway, on to my question . . .
Should the orientation of the dipstick make a difference when checking transmission fluid level? When I pull, wipe clean, reinsert & then re-pull, I see a different level on the front and back of the dipstick. When I pull the dipstick with the wording on the handle orientated correctly, the level reads correct into the criss-crossed area and the back of the dipstick has only approx. 1/2" of fluid. When I pull the dipstick with the wording on the handle rotated 180 degrees, it's just the opposite. Is this normal? Is it something I'm doing?

 

Remember to check the fluid in neutral, You won't get an accurate reading in park. (it will show more than is really there.)

Just stick it in with the words in the correct orientation, and read it that way. Not sure how much of an angle it goes into the pan at..... not that much though I would think.

Welcome to DF.

 

Yes, I was in neutral. Engine running, down & back through the gears & stopping at neutral & then checking the level. It just seems weird that both sides of the dipstick are not showing exactly the same fluid level..

 

Its possible the back side is just smoother, so the fluid runs off it easier..... It's also possible that I just pulled that one out of my nether regions.

So long as the side on the scale reads accurate, I suppose that is really all that matters.

 

It could be smearing as it rubs against the tube when you pull it out.

 

Always go with the lower side.

 

Has anyone else ever noticed this? Is it something with Ram's or is it just mine?

 

The dip stick is not sticking into the pan at a 90º angle, so one side is going to be different.

 

Many tranny and engine dipsticks are like that, not just Mopars.

 

Replaced my stock tranny pan with a Mag Hytec 727-DD last weekend. Snapped this pic while I had the pan off. What you're seeing in the upper right hand corner is the dipstick entering the pan. Although it's a little hard to tell due to the closeness of the pic, the dipstick enters the pan perpendicular to the fluid. There is no angle.

I'm still not sure why the two sides of the dipstick always show different levels. After seeing this I would tend to believe the higher reading on the dipstick to be the correct one. I could see how some fluid might get wiped off during the trip through the tube which would result in the lower reading. However, I really don't see how fluid could inadvertently end up any higher on the dipstick.