4L60E trans dip stick

[LS short box]

So as I was putting the final touches on my LS/4L60E swap I struggled with my options for a trans dip stick. Lokar makes two types, one short and one long. The short one attaches to a bell housing bolt. The long one attaches to the firewall with sheet metal screws. To me the short one is difficult to reach behind the head. The long one is too long and I don't want to use sheet metal screws to attach. Plus the Lokar dip sticks are $80-$100.
So here's what I did. I bought a TCI 4L60E dip stick ($28) which does stick up above the head quite a ways. So I measured the amount the dip stick sticks out of the bottom of the TCI tube which is 1 1/8". Then I cut the top side tube so the top of the dip stick is even with the top of the head. Then I cut the dip stick to go back to the original 1 1/8" length sticking out of the bottom tube. Could be done with a stock tube if you want to go junk yard shopping.

[biketopia]

After you did that did you pop the pan off and mark your full mark at the top rail of the trans? Pretty much every single aftermarket dip stick I've used or come across was inaccurate, usually almost a quart low.

[LS short box]

I did not but the dip stick I used matched a stock 4L60E dip stick I had as far how much it stuck out of the dip stick tube. The outer tubes on both matched.

[biketopia]

But where is your "full" mark? I've had dip stick be the same length, but the marks were off, my trans guy set the mark on every dip stick and the amount of them that are off will surprise you.

[LS short box]

I took a file and made a low and full mark on the shorten dip stick. I am just getting the truck running and I know for sure that there is 12 1/2 quarts of trans fluid in the trans so tonight I will fire it up,let it warm up a bit and then check to see where the fluid comes up on the stick.