So do we have a measurements for the dipstick?
Two numbers would me of interest (to allow for cross checking) (preferably for both 25 and 80 degrees C)
For a dipstick that touches the bottom of the oil pan:
1) the level of transmission fluid, i.e. from the tip of the dipstick to the level)
2) from the level of transm. fluid to the top of the dipstick (where it touches the rim of the dipstick tube)

I need this to calibrate my DIY dipstick, just a peace of plastic coated cable.
many thanks.

 

These are the measurements taken on my Ebay dipstick:

It is important to be sure that the tip of the dipstick has hit the bottom of the sump when inserted. I have measured 704 mm from the tip of the dipstick to the top of the dipstick tube when the dipstick reaches the bottom.

I would use a bicycle brake cable sleeve if I were to DIY one. It is necessary to provide some kind of short sleeves over the section of the dipstick that immerses in ATF to prevent the fluid being wiped-off while pulling it out. Perhaps something like this:

 

I see some contradicting information when reading back this topic.
So I question myself (and you) which of following contradicting statements is correct:
1: The 722.6 dipstick has a stop that prevent the stick from going in all the way to the bottom of the pan. (So upgraded pan gaskets won't influence the reading and the dipstick won't bend along the pan which could be giving an unjustified overfill reading)
2: The 722.6 dipstick should touch the bottom of the pan. (in that case, mine won't go in that far as it is stopped by a recess in the tube. Can force it pas but does not feel like performing a proper task on sophisticated german engineering;-).)

Thanks for clarifying this topic (for sake of all, including me:-))

Regards Rob

 

The tip of the dipstick has to touch the bottom of the sump to get the correct level reading. I have not seen any info contradicting this method.

The dipstick does encounter some resistance about 5 cm before hitting the bottom but I managed to overcome it with wiggling, moving the dipstick up and quickly down at this point and with a lot of patience. When I did this the first time, my gearbox was empty and, after overcoming the mentioned last resistance, I could hear a distinctive "bonk" resonating from the sump bottom. Pulled up just a bit and pushed the dipstick down a few more times, listening to the hitting sound, to be sure. Then I marked the dipstick with red paint against the top of the dipstick tube. On my Daimler Super V8 (same engine/gearbox as the XJR) The mark is at 704 mm measured from the tip that contacts the bottom of the sump. Having set the ATF level in this way, my gearbox has been running flawlessly for about 3 years now.

 

Thanks for quick reply,
It seems there is 2 types of dipstick that I was unaware of.
I have the OEM type (That Avos also refers to in old post up in this topic)
You must have the other type on right side of the picture?

 

The proper MB tool will stop about 10mm before the pan bottom!!!

I inserted the correct tool and then a .060" wire and the wire went down 10mm deeper.

 

I have the type as shown on the extracts below - 1st picture shows instructions from the Jag manual, 2nd from the MB 722.6 manual. Both state that the dipstick should contact the "fluid pan" or "gearbox bowl".

 

Another useful document:

 

Now I am lost again..
This cant be right. Maybe an error in Jaguar docs? But you say yours reaches the pan bottom (which I believe also), so could it be year or even car model specific?

 

Look at the picture, it still has the specific shape so it stops at the right place AND NOT on the bottom of the oil pan.

Bowl is still still a good description, and does not mean bottom of oil pan..

So, no need to be confused, Mercedes does know what they make; by design the dipstick needs to stop at the upper stop, period.

 

The second instruction I posted is not Jag specific, probably MB or general. It states "After putting the dipstick on the bottom of the gearbox bowl" and not "After putting the dipstick on the bottom of the dipstick tube bowl". The term "bowl" possibly came from a not so good translation from German but, in the absence of any reference to the dipstick tube, or to any restriction at the bottom of the tube, I can only take it to mean "gearbox sump".

In any case, the Jaguar manual is clear stating "tip contact with the fluid pan". Mercedes or other cars using the 722.6 have different dipstick tubes (and probably different shapes of the sump) so some dipstick tubes on these cars may have restrictors at their bottoms to stop the dipstick before its tip contacts the sump (better solution in my opinion). However, the XJR dipstick tube does not have any bottom restrictor, from what I remember when I once removed the tube on my Super V8 and according to the pictures posted in one of the earlier threads here:

 

The stop is NOT in the tube, but in the bowel of the gearbox, good design imho.

 

I would like to know what is the source of the drawing (attached again below) showing that the dipstick shown at the left does not actually contact the bottom of the sump with its tip. If this drawing (which appears to be drawn by somebody selling the other type of dipstick shown on the right) is correct, then the information in the Jaguar Workshop Manual stating "tip contact with the fluid pan" is wrong.