Transmission Fluid
 

So, I have not had the car for long(83 300sd automatic), and for some reason my Park gear does not engage. Checking the auto tranny fluid is a pain in the... Well. I have tried checking it so many times. Car cold, start engine change gear from park all the way down and back up to park. Leave car running, remove dipstick, wipe, reinsert dipstick, and check. Well there is no discernible line of fluid at all, I mean it looks like there is a little fluid up and down the whole dipstick, but no real indication of the level. Fluid kinda hangs around the bottom of the dipstick where the loop is, but I can't get a good reading on the level. I put 1 quart of fluid in, rechecked 30 mins later, same results. Can it be that my tranny is just that low on fluid, or am I just not reading right. I am parked on a level surface.

... you are supposed to check it at normal operating temperature, on a level surface.

^ Agreed.

I would add make sure the TRANNY (not just engine temp) is at operating temp. Take it on highway for 1/2 hour, stop and idle for two minutes or so, then read fluid level.

It can be a pain when you're first trying to read it, but you'll get the hang of it.