I FINALLY have the time to work on replacing the leaky tranny pan gasket on my 240. I heard the dipstick tube was the hard part, but it's proving to be impossible! I was able to loosen the flange nut on the tube side, but does the nut on the pan side turn too? It looks like it should, but I can't get it to budge. I can turn the tube nut for several turns, then it stops. I'm strating to round the edges. If I could get the other nut to turn, it would probably come off. Any advise?

Courtney

Okay. It appears that whomever did this job in the past, cross-threaded the flange nut. It's not coming off! So, I guess I'll have to remove the entire tube. Are these two bolts the only thing holding the starter on? I REALLY don't want to mess with the starter! I got the bottom bolt out, but I don't want to mess with the top bolt until I know for sure. I am considering cutting the top bracket with the ol' Dremel. Then, I'll rig something up to hold the tube later.

Two bolts hold the starter in. If you decide to remove it I would disconnect the battery first.

In the past I have read that some people have actually cut the tube. To reinstall they have inserted both ends into a piece of hose and clamped it on each side of the cut.

I would clean up the tube and flush it before reinstalling it to insure no metal fragments from the cutting operation remained.

Good luck

Randy

Yeah, I just cut it. I'm going to figure something out later. I got the pan off, changed the filter and cleaned up for the day. Gotta leave for work soon. Oh, how I hate second shift!!!!

The inner hex is a counter hold. If you don't put a wrench on that to hold it stationary you risk breaking it off from the pan.

As mentioned you can drop the pan with the tube in place, but you must remove the lower starter bolt to get it off; and that is no picnic either. Pick your poison.

If the nut is rounding over perhaps you are not using the correct tools? Even with the proper sized wrenches it can be impossible, but I have found that once I get the nut to turn (in your case two revolutions?) I can work it off by applying penetrant (PBBlaster or Kroil) and alternate turning it back clockwise and then counterclockwise to get it off.

In reinstalling it I use a goodly amount of teflon tape.

Good luck

Randy

I'm using an adjustable wrench. I don't have access to a metric that large. Yeah, I'm gonna use some penetrating oil and work it back a forth today. I did remove all the pan bolts and that helped a little. thanks for all the tips guys!

The tube itself can be stuck on the turning nut or jammed in the receptacle. Loosen the pan bolts--which you'll need to do anyway--so the angle of the tube as it enters the pan changes. You may have to loosen the bracket bolt (starter) and pry or whack the tube to loosen it from being stuck. Use a proper size wrench on the holding"nut" built into the pan and an equally proper size wrench on the turning nut. -- Dave

Don't bother. Just lower the pan with the tube attached. :-)

-Ryan
--

Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 314k, Dog-mobile
1990 245 DL 134k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars, GT Braces, Draco Wheels
1991 745 GL 300k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars

Finally a post i can vouch on!!!

As ryan said, I ended up lowing with the d-tube... and it was fine.

Kinda difficult to get in there to change out the filter but sucsess none the less.

Peace
Joe

Thank you everyone! I got it all back together today. I filled it with Dex III, fired it up, and no leaks! Then, I took it for a drive. It seems to shift smoother and when I got back home, still no leaks! Good deal. Thanks again for all the help!

Also, there was a magnet in the bottom of my pan.(?) Is this factory, or did someone stick it in there? I left it in just to be safe. I figured it would't hurt anything. At least it hasn't yet.