1991 300d, 111k

1) Has anyone discovered the mystery of how to put the transmission dipstick in properly? Mine always goes down 1/2 way, then stops, and I have to take it out and play with it again and again until it goes in.

2) There's a short, hard rubber hose, maybe 1" in diameter, that goes from the air filter flex hose, to the top of the valve cover, near the oil fill cap. What is its function, and is that rubber supposed to be hard or pliable? I'm assuming hard. Mine isn't 100% tight on the valve cover. If I wiggle it, it will moves some, which is probably normal actually, but I don't know.

Thanks,

Jeff