1996 Avalon transmission oil dip stick - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

fpny · 11-30-2006, 03:52 PM

When I checked my transmission oil on my 96 Avalon, the dipstick pulls out easily but when I try to insert it back in the engine, it goes in two third of the way and then it stuck every time and it won't go any further. I have to screw around with it for couple of minutes before it will go in completely. I look at the dipstick, it didn't seem to have anything wrong with it. Did anyone else have the same problem with their 96 Avalon xls? In addition, the transmission oil level also seems to read high (it reads quite a bit above the full mark on the dipstick). Almost looks like the transmission oil is overfilled. I am not sure that is true or not because of the way that the dip stick go into the transmission. Any ideas?

sickwilly · 11-30-2006, 05:13 PM

mine goes in the same way. Are you checking the fluid with the engine on, or off, warm or cold?

avalontom · 11-30-2006, 05:13 PM

fpny,

The dipstick needs to be 'finessed'; a slight twisting motion works for me.

The level should be checked after the car has warmed up & when the engine is running.

The procedure should be in your owner's manual.

If the fluid is not red or is red but smells burnt, it needs to be changed.

Tom

***toyomoho*** · 11-30-2006, 07:22 PM

The dipstick is a flat piece of steel attempting to wind down a curved tube, it will only bend in one direction. Check the fluid when hot, engine is on, transmission in park. Some dipsticks have Cold and Hot marks, use the Hot mark.

fpny · 11-30-2006, 07:54 PM

I check the transmission oil when the engine is hot and still running. The dipstick reading is above the full hot mark. I don't know whether the reading is correct or not since I have trouble putting the dipstick back in after I pull it out. I bought the car in April this year and the transmission oil have been like that since I got the car. It read high but I am not sure it is actually overfilled or not since I am having trouble getting the true reading because of the difficulty of inserting the dipstick back into engine.

csaxon · 11-30-2006, 09:24 PM

Shift the transmission into each gear with the engine/transmission warm. Leave it in park then check the trans fluid with the engine running. This allows fluid to fill the various channels of the transmission for a more accurate reading.

Also, take the reading on the engraved part of the dipstick, not the back side. The engraved side is compensated for the curve in the dipstick tube.

sickwilly · 11-30-2006, 10:13 PM

and if after shifting through all the gears it remains high, find a shop or DIY and drop all of the fluid from the pan and fill based on the manual's specs, then see if you get a better read, and if you don't relax because you know its not overfilled.