Regarding the tranny fill tube. I was in your same situation about 9 months ago. I considered pulling the starter bolt and the tube mounts but then decided to go 'all-out' in getting the tube seperated from the pan with wrenches.

After several attempts with conventional 8" adjustable wrenches, I finally succeded in using a pair of adjustable wrenches with 14" handles on them. (they look like the big brothers to a regular adjustable wrench) I put them on so the handles were close together and squeezed as hard as I could. I also used lots of WD-40. If I had been thinking better, I would have used PB-Blaster instead of the WD-40 but I didn't want to run to the store that afternoon. -I just wanted the pan off.

Lots of mechanical advantage did the trick for me. Patience too, as it was my 5th attempt before they finally budged. I may have been the first person to remove the pan since the car rolled off the assembly line. It was worth the effort since the pan had a lot of sediment in it and the magnet was totally covered.

God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
--
'87 Blue 245, NA 214K

your going to kill yourself.

Breadman -

You've done a lot of the labor required to change the U-Joints. Do you have a large bench vise? U-Joints are easy using certain sockets and a bench vise.

BBRD has had many posts about problems with the dipstick tube. Catman is right.

The o/d solenoid on a AW70 is on the LH side. A single wire goes up into the shifter well. Is that the wire you encountered? Or, doyou have a stick shift? In that case, catman is right.

I'm going to be making a list of the PVC fittings I have for doing the seals. I'll post when it's ready.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

Dude, be very careful with that tranny dipstick fitting. I tried to remove mine once to take the pan off and it stripped the threads!! Try removing the bolt that holds it and the starter in place before you try and loosen it at the pan. The wire you feel is most likely the OD wire to the solenoid. If you are under your car, the solenoid is on the opposite side of the dipstick fitting near the top of the tranny kinda. there should e a connector there to separate the wires, I think the connector is white. Good Luck!

CAT
'88 240DL 293K
'89 240DL 182K