26-Inch Flexible Steel Oil Funnel with Filter for Transmission Fluid and Oil

If you are topping off automatic transmission fluid through a dipstick tube that sits behind the intake, under a coolant hose or down beside the exhaust manifold, a short plastic funnel is the wrong tool. This 26-inch funnel has a bendable carbon steel neck that you shape once to snake around whatever is in the way, and it holds that shape while you pour with both hands. It also works for engine oil, gear oil, coolant and brake fluid on trucks, older cars, motorcycles and RVs.

What this funnel does on a transmission job

Most automatics with a dipstick are filled through the same narrow tube you check the level with. Fluid has to go in slowly, a little at a time, with the engine idling and the transmission warm, and you recheck after each pour. A short funnel forces you to hold it at an angle in the tube, which is how ATF ends up on a hot exhaust. The long neck lets the bottle sit out in the open, above the engine, while the tip stays seated in the tube. The stainless mesh screen in the mouth catches grit, label scraps or a piece of a foil seal before it can drop into the valve body, and the funnel unscrews into two pieces so you can wash it out between fluid types.

Problems it solves

• ATF spilled on the exhaust or down the block while topping off
• A dipstick tube too deep or too buried for a standard funnel
• Debris or bottle-seal fragments getting into the fill tube
• Cross-contamination between gear oil, coolant and ATF from a dirty funnel
• Plastic funnels that crack or soften from hot fluid and solvents

How to confirm you need to add fluid first

Do not pour anything until you know the level is actually low. On most dipstick-equipped automatics the check is done hot, on level ground, in Park with the engine idling: pull the stick, wipe it, reseat it fully and read it again. The difference between the marks is often only about a pint, so overfilling is easy. Our automatic transmission fluid change guide walks through the check, and the ATF color and smell chart tells you whether you need a top-off or a real service. If your vehicle has no dipstick, it uses a fill plug and a level procedure instead, and a pressure fill pump is the better tool.

Fitment

This is a universal shop tool. The neck is 26.2 inches long and bendable, and the tip is narrow enough for a standard transmission dipstick tube and most engine oil and differential fill openings. It is not a fill adapter for sealed transmissions that have no dipstick and only a side fill plug; for those, see the 3L pressurized ATF fill pump. For a stubby offset funnel for top-mounted oil caps, the Lisle 18232 offset funnel is the shorter companion tool. Browse the rest of our transmission tools for fill and drain equipment.

Use and care notes

• Bend the neck to its final shape before you open the bottle, then seat the tip in the tube and hang the funnel by its hook if there is a lip to catch.
• Pour in small amounts and recheck the level each time. Fluid takes a moment to drain down the tube, so wait before reading the stick.
• Use only the fluid your owner's manual specifies. Mixing in the wrong ATF or adding additives can change shift feel and clutch friction; our ATF fluid types guide covers which fluid goes where. A multi-vehicle fluid such as Valvoline MaxLife ATF is only correct where its label lists your spec.
• Unscrew the two halves and wash them with soapy water after use, and dry them before storing. Keep one funnel for ATF only if you can.
• Wear gloves and eye protection. The fluid and the engine are hot during a level check.

Will this fit down a transmission dipstick tube?

Yes. The tip is narrow enough for a standard automatic transmission dipstick tube, and the 26.2-inch neck bends to reach tubes buried behind the intake or near the exhaust.

Can I use it on a transmission with no dipstick?

Not really. Sealed transmissions are filled through a side fill plug with a pump while the level is set at a specific temperature. Use a pressurized fill pump with the correct adapter for those.

Does the bent shape stay put while I pour?

Yes. The neck is carbon steel, not a soft hose, so it holds the shape you bend it into while the bottle is full.

Can I use the same funnel for oil, coolant and ATF?

It handles all of them, and it unscrews into two pieces for washing. Clean it thoroughly between fluid types so you do not mix coolant or gear oil into the transmission.

How much fluid should I add at a time?

Small amounts. On many automatics the span between the add and full marks is only about a pint, so add a little, wait, and recheck with the engine idling and the transmission warm.

• How to Change Automatic Transmission Fluid
• ATF Color and Smell Diagnosis Chart
• Complete ATF Fluid Types Guide
• How to Do a Transmission Drain and Fill