ralbelt....I send you a colossal thanks!!! I did as you suggested and it allowed just enough clearance to get the tube out....not much...maybe a 1/16 of an inch but enough. I had no room to trim it down though but I got the new seal and tube in no problem.
For some reason this project really kicked my ass..! I did find some issues while doing it like the metal trans vacuum line laying on top of the fuel line effectively pinching it slightly when tightened down so I had to carefully re-bend some fuel and vacuum lines. The Army that tech last did maintenance on the truck in this area....what a hack. For whatever reason the nuts that hold the clamps for the trans vacuum lines were excessively tight and wound up pinching the trans vacuum line slightly when I removed them so I had to fix that as well.
I had to take off a lot of stuff to get the dipstick fill tube up out of the trans. CDR valve and bracket, fuel filter, fuel lines just to name a few.
As far as the bolt that holds the dipstick tube in place on the bell-housing, I was able to literally climb inside the engine compartment and get it threaded from above. What really concerned me was that it was only finger tight when I went to remove it so I will be re-torquing trans, flywheel, etc. bolts in the next day or so. I ran out of daylight today and I hate working with work lights.
A huge thanks to all for the tips....! The electrical tape on the swivel socket and long extension did the trick to get the bolt out that holds the fill tube.
Again...thanks guys for the great help!!!
Posssibly remove the 4 bolts on the TC cross brace, might lower the trans enough to gain clearance.
The last time I reinstalled my tube I cut about 3/8 off the bottom, it's not needed, and made it go in easier.
I see how to get it off based on the suggestions. Now can someone tell me the easiest way to get the bolt back in...LOL...?
