No dipstick?

[walnutman]

My 2023 Harley Heritage has a regular old dipstick.

 

[drizler]

Had a BMW Z4 that would check the oil and show the level on a scale in the dash cluster.
Lots of newer motorcycles going to a sight glass. My Kubota has a sight glass for hydraulic oil and a dipstick for the engine oil. I had to put a dye in the hydraulic oil to see it reliably.

Ahhh, so you discovered that too. I had a sight glass on my Yamaha in the 80s then wondered why no one else seemed to use that nice simple monitor. All those years later I get one finally on my Massey and thought how nice! Then I noticed you can’t tell low fro overfilled . Put on the backhoe and it’s a event . Now I’ve got to add dye just to read it

 

[4Liberty]

Never change transmission fluid especially on an old high mileage car

If it’s never been changed or unknown that’s true to a point.

 

[Ronald G]

All my vehicles have dipsticks even my lawn equipment.
I wouldn't buy it unless it did.

 

[Aquabird]

Newer? My 1976 Kawasaki KZ900 used a sight glass. No dipstick. I don't know that they were the first but all the 900's and KZ1000's used a sight glass. The Z1 was the first of the 900's. Sight glass is right above the brake pedal on this Z1b.

Loved those Kaws.
My 02 TBird had no dipstick for the Tranny. Shocked me when I first found that out.

 

[Gregster613]

This is a burr under my saddle for sure. I’ve got a 2018 Ford Escape with the 1.5 Ecoboost. At the time we got it I decided that I’d have it dealer serviced and not touch it. Was a dealer I’d previously worked at and left on good terms. Until the day one of the new service writers tried to sell me a transmission flush on our 2012 Focus. It’s a stick. There were a bunch of other things they tried snake behavior on so I started service myself. Turns out if you read owner manual 30K is the service interval for the Transmission and they never mention the PTU if you have AWD. I was told “lifetime fluid”. It’s not, the filter is. They want to be able to sell $8,000 transmissions. I have since dropped my oil changes to 3500 and I change my transmission and PTU at same time. Cheap insurance and lessons learned. There’s other stuff they dont tell you too that doesn’t apply to transmission. Fords customer service has gone in the bucket a while ago.

What do you mean by PTU? I know that AWL is all wheel drive, but am unaware of PTU. Thanks, Greg

 

[4Liberty]

What do you mean by PTU? I know that AWL is all wheel drive, but am unaware of PTU. Thanks, Greg

It’s bolted to the transmission right side front axle goes into it. It’s like a transfer case, sends power via driveshaft to rear axle. Can hold it in one hand when it’s removed, holds 1/2 quart of oil and almost touches the cat. Cat cooks the fluid in it and junk. The dealer never even mentioned it, because of course they want to sell you one. Regular fluid changes prevent that. It’s infuriating.

 

[Jstpssng]

Never change transmission fluid especially on an old high mileage car

I believe that's an old wive's tale.

 

[Hodado]

The manufacturer doesn’t want you to change your fluid they’d rather sell you a new model

 

[aircommuter]

My experience is it started in the mid nineties with European cars, they had a tube but the dipstick was sold as a tool. Then like many have said fill in the pan with a pump until it overflows from the pump adapter. The fluids are also coming in green and blue for identification.
I started in my dad’s shop in the late fifties, when I asked why did they make something different but of lesser quality he said when you’re working on cars just think money. He started in a Detroit auto factory in the thirties and made tanks from 41-45. Including the Chrysler 5 engine model.