Transmission dipstick

This has been bugging me a while. Ford has the worst dipstick, at least mine is, on the market.
This thing has an oblong piece of plastic on the end of a piece of wire and every time I try to read it I get po'd.
If I turn it so that the writing on the handle is upside down it only reads full.
If I turn it so that the writing is right side up, it shows too much.
If there is a mite too much fluid in the trans will it damage the unit? I know what happens when there isn't enough fluid, but what about a small amount overfull?? Should I siphon some out?? If it's just a pint over, will it cause damage? I'm trying to get this thing ready for some long highway running and I don't want a problem with something like too much fluid. confused:I changed the filter and atf about 6 weeks ago.)

You are in luck since the new models don't have a dipstick. Are you checking the fluid level while it's cold or hot? Is it in park or neutral with the engine running? This link is in # 14 in my list of useful threads: Dead Link Removed

I read in the owners manual that your suppose to have it nice and warm and check it in Park which I thought was odd because when I had checked auto tranny's before I was told to put the vehicle in Neutral.

I've checked it both hot and cold. when it's cold it doesn't read as high as it does hot,
I have never thought of checking it in neutral. I've been checking atf in park since 1950 or so and have never had a problem. I'm sure that I have checked a few in neutral, but.......never gave it much thought. I noticed when I changed the fluid that the end of the dipstick protruded into the pan at an angle. It's just that the stupid indicator is hard to read because of the way it's made! At least that's my position.

After thinking about it a little more, we did check autos in neutral back in the dark ages. My memory isn't the only thing that's failing here lately.
I also check atf with the engine running.

when checking ATF the vehicle should be warm and you should switch between all the gears and check it in park. thats what my manual tells me. althought i dont see a difference whether its in park or nuetral

yeah, that's what I do. Warm engine, cycle through all the gears, put in park, and then check the fluid level.