While dinking around in the engine bay I noticed an unexpected gap, maybe 1/8 of an inch on the top passenger side of where the transmission connects to the engine. So, I look a little closer and notice that the connector for the transmission dip stick is out in the open... It doesn't spin around and connect to anything that I could see right away. Here's an image, is this normal, or was there a transmission swap somewhere along the line?

The bolt down connector (can't think of a good name for it) for the dipstick is just above the oil filter. The grey tube to the right of it is the transmission dipstick tube

Thanks in advance,
Tim

 

I also noticed that a bolt was missing from transmission housing (i think thats what it is) right in that area as well.

 

the standard automatic tranny is the AW4, so start there by seeing what model it is. Should be a stamped/printed plate somewhere on it with a serial number and all that jazz.

 

Gaps, missing hardware, etc, could very well be factory options, through on a 15 year old vehicle I doubt it. What makes you think the transmission has been swapped out and not the engine?

 

Now at least two confirmed missing bolts through it, and the fact that the dipstick hardware didn't seem to mesh with anything.

 

Alright 1976Mustang, I hope your proud... You made the fat guy maneuver beneath the jeep lol

The transmission has a green tag with an AISIN tag on it. On the left I see 30-43AB. On the right side it says 5210 and directly beneath that it says 4210AB.

Thanks again you guys, I really appreciate your help

 

More pics please. Are you saying you have an extra transmission dip stick tube that goes nowhere? Alot of times the dip stick tube wont come out so people just leave it where it is. I would guess your trans was replaced and they just left the old one in and put the new one in anyway. Also the missing bolts, where exactly are they, might be for the inspection plate or something more serious.

 

The strap that holds the dipstick in place doesn't seem to have any place to connect, it seems out of place to me. There's no bolt through it, it's just there by the fact that it's connected to the transmission.

 

Should bolt to the engine block.

 

After further reading, it almost sounds like the 30-43LE is the 2wd version... But it sure enough has an np231 attached to it.

 

I have and 85xj with 2.5l and noticed that the dipstick tube on it is like yours, the tab that should hold it to the block just sticks out in space attached to nothing. Mine is the A904 Chrysler tranny, but sounds like the dipstick has the same problem.