transmission dip stick

kevMar · September 16, 2010, 01:02:18 PM

I have looked at the tech notes and cannot find a answwr to my problem. I was trying to check the level in the transmission last night .. knuckles are all busted up and cut !!! 1988 34 catalina 25 xp engine.. I found the screw 17 mm on top of the tranismission but when i went to unscrew it it is to close to the heat exchanger just will not come out to be able to check it , ... how do you get passed the heat exchanger to be able to check the level ?????? Or do you have to take off the heat exchanger to check it ... seems like a bad place to put the heat exchanger and or the dip stick ... thanks for your input in advance

Ted Pounds · September 16, 2010, 01:11:18 PM

You do have to take off the heat exchanger to check it. Fortunately it's not the sort of thing you need to check regularly (as opposed to the engine oil). If you do remove the exchanger to check it I suggest spending the extra time to change the tranny fluid. Just a thought...

Exodus · September 16, 2010, 02:06:59 PM

We were able to check mine during the survey, but it was a two man job. Very difficult to get to. I was able to reach it and twist it from the aft cabin and the surveyor was able to pull the dipstick out from forward of the engine compartment.

prh77 · September 16, 2010, 04:23:30 PM

Not to hard from the aft cabin. You just have to snake up between the HE and engine.

Clay Greene · September 16, 2010, 06:17:24 PM

You don't have to take off the heat exchanger. My wife has small hands and can reach past the heat exchanger from the top of the engine and take it out to check it. The only way I can get at it is from the aft cabin but I have her so why bother? It may be that yours has been tightened down hard enough or for long enough that you may need to put a socket on it the first time to break the seal and then it will become easier to get out in the future. It is a bad design though - I am jealous of my friend's Mark II boat because they added engine access from the cabinet in the aft cabin (although Catalina took away the side access, go figure).

WTunnessen · September 16, 2010, 08:21:21 PM

I also do not have to remove the HE to remove the dip stick. However, to check the level, I use a long tube with markings and "stopper" that mimics the dip stick since its a lot easier to get a that in / out of the well.

Mike and Joanne Stimmler · September 17, 2010, 07:34:09 AM

I don't have to remove my HX either, in fact, I can reach over the engine from the front and get to it. Maybe some of the engines or HX's are different. I know that my HX is the 3 inch one, so that's not it.
I believe that the dip stick should be tightened with a wrench each time you're done. You don't want to leave it just hand tight, it could vibrate out and cause a real mess. You DO want to check the level with it screwed out though.

Mike

Terry Forshier · September 17, 2010, 08:50:55 AM

I have an 88, 25xp the same as you. I can access the plug by the aft cabin through the bottom opening and into the back of engine compartment. I got a wrench on it and just unscrewed and lifted it out. Reading the level in that light and positi0n was the hardest part. Not easy to get yourself in there but not hard once you are down into the opening.

Stu Jackson · September 17, 2010, 09:32:01 AM

You can, of course, "check" the transmission fluid level any time you think you need to. However, unless you think you have a leak, I have found no reason to ever have to do so. The only time I take that dipstick out is the yearly or so replacement of the fluid. Yes, it is awkward to get to, but it is "doable." I replaced the old 2 inch HX with the 3 inch model and had the bracket bent down for clearance to the exhaust riser, so I can get to the dipstick from the top. There have been many, many different ideas posted as to how to get the fluid out. The wiki also has the old FAQs which include some of those ideas, other sare here on the board. Try +transmission+dip+stick for a search pattern.

kevMar · September 17, 2010, 02:15:30 PM

I had a diesel mechanic suggest to me to put a 2X4 under the plate the HE is on and bend the plate up to get more of an access to it ?????

Stu Jackson · September 17, 2010, 02:41:39 PM

Quote from: kevMar on September 17, 2010, 02:15:30 PM
I had a diesel mechanic suggest to me to put a 2X4 under the plate the HE is on and bend the plate up to get more of an access to it ?????

Not a bad idea. I've had thoughts about relocating the darned HX, maybe even hanging it off the wood piece that goes across at the aft end of the companionway white Formica piece between the upper and lower stairs. Just dreaming of course, but if the access to the transmission dipstick is all of the issue, I found it just wasn't worth the effort. However, and here's the big "BUT": the HX rubs on the bracket (at least on my engine, the newer engines have a bracket brazed onto the HX for mounting, mine has a bracket and uses hose clamps), I installed a tire tube between the HX and the bracket because I found evidence of rubbing. It wouldn't be fun to have the shell of the HX broken by the bracket and lose all cooling to the engine. Almost as bad as the hoses to the hot water heater under the galley sole (see Critical Upgrades). Hmm, might add that, too.

Ron Hill · September 17, 2010, 05:28:08 PM

Kev : I wouldn't let that "mechanic" within 2 miles of my boat. What a stupid idea to put a 2x4 under a soft copper/bronze item and bend the hell out of it!!
Also if the HX were to be moved up it now almost touches the exhaust riser and has NO place to go!! My thoughts