3rd Gen Sanded Dipstick

Back to the topic of sanding the dip stick. I sanded mine and was helpful in reading it. Also, I check my oil level after siting all night. All the oil has settled in the pan and the level on the stick is accurate. Just pull the stick out and read it, don’t wipe it and stab it again. All you are doing is dragging oil up the tube if you wipe and stab it again. It’s a poor design but it is what it is.

 

Also spraying the dipstick down with some brake parts cleaner will help the oil stick to it so you can read it properly.

 

I agree with pretty much everything you said. Sadly it will likely go over some people's heads.

 

See, it happened anyway. Another damn oil change, engineers know best, what I do is better than what you do, blah blah blah thread.

Didn’t know about the sanding that’s why I heated mine.

What mileage should I change…..lol never mind. We’ve already went off the cliff.

 

What else are you guys sanding?

 

Yep…….been doing it like that for 40 years

 

I have a shit-ton of respect for Toyota Engineering but I don't buy it makes sense that omitting a dipstick in a very expensive automatic fucking transmission was a good move. I'm also not sure I buy that preventing the possibility of not properly filling the fucking transmission up completely at the factory is recommended. Although... what do I know? Did they put a dipstick in the Gen-4 automatic transmission?

You may have noticed, Shit Happens.

 

I really like my Taco (my first Toyota) but it stills bugs me there is no dip stick for the transmission. Why eliminate a way an easy way to check the fluid level and to check the color of the fluid to see if it is healthy. The dealer told me they will not service the transmission as far as a fluid and filter change. I’ve been told there is a way to check the level but it is a pain in the ass. The logic of this design escapes.

 

I am definitely going to sand my dipstick, why didn't I think of this? When the oil is clean that thing is a bitch to read.

 

I'm talking the 60's-70's even so, I can't recall any filters that were below the level of the oil pan therefore, only losing the amount of oil in the filter.

 

The only one I can think of is an air cooled VW engine.

 

I had a 67 beetle, it had no oil filter at all. Just a screen that you could take off and clean. Also it had an oil bath air filter.

 

6 pages of sanding your dipstick and other assorted chest thumping Bullshit. I like synthetic oil from Costco and factory type filters on a 4-7k change interval. DIY because I can. I also drive 2nd Gen but like slumming over here just for entertainment.

 

Awwwww, Bless your heart

 

It’s a dipstick, it’s nothing new. They are all like this. It’s not rocket science. Years ago, many dipstick tubes were straight. These didn’t have the issue of dragging oil up.

 

Yes, it’s a dip stick. Yes it’s straight, I never seen a dip stick that wasn’t straight. Think about it, when you have multiple forums and comments on checking the oil in a Tacoma, that says it all. The design of the dip stick tube is piss poor.

 

Can you imagine if there were TRD dipsticks? With a special “EZ-Read performance coating”? Toyota would sell a shit tonne.

 

Ha, check out Bugs. He be counting that stack of cash, lol

 

I thought everybody knew that if you wipe the stick off between your legs it will read right everytime...try it

 

Yea, the word tube was left out.
It’s not rocket science. Many here are making more of an issue out of this than it is.

Wow…..this is so hard. Pull it out and read it.