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QUESTION: Automatic Trans fluid dipstick broke off and...


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Hello all.<P>Quick question to make sure if everything is okay.<P>I was checking the automatic transmission fluid on my 1994 Buick Roadmaster Wagon and the peice of the dipstick broke off (about 1.5-2" long) as I was sliding it back in.<P>Now, I already asked a Canadian Tire mechanic and he said it is okay but should have it removed. I don't really trust these guys and I need a second opinion.<P>Should I be worrying about this? Logically speaking, the filter will see the piece of metal first before the transmission (unless for some reason, the filter is located after the transmission)!? So when the time comes to change the trans fluid and filter, the piece of metal should be in the filter?<P>Thanks,<P>James<P>P.S. I can't believe the trans fluid dipstick broke while sliding it back in!

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I somewhat doubt it'll hurt anything. Plus, there should be a magnet in the pan to catch metal particles in the fluid as the fluid circulates and that magnet would hopefully attract the dipstick part.<P>The older Turbo400 and some of the Turbo350 dipsticks used to be prone to breakage near the end, but they were made differently down there and did not have the series of bends that later ones do. Instead of putting the dipstick in at an angle, try to get it pretty much inserted more vertically before you fully insert it in the tube. That might be difficult with the hood interference, but it will also keep that end from bending so much.<P>NTX5467

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Thanks NTX,<P>The pipe is quite 'twisty'. And always required a little bit of force to push the entire dipstick back in. Since the dipstick is quite flexible, I never even conceived it breaking off. However, it broke off at one of the weakest points (high fluid level mark). <P>Right now, I broke off the rest of the dipstick so that I can still use it as a cap. The pipe is so twisty that the broken dipstick can only go in about 12" or so inches before it gets jammed (that's when I learned the tip must have broken off in the process). I tried to sand down the kinks of the broken tip and carelessly bent it to make a small round tip, but no success. <P>Thanks again.<P>James<BR>1994 Roadmaster Wagon

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