Hi Team,
suggest you remove the plunger tube--two 3/8" bolts after the floor plate is removed-- and check out the end of it--they are usually swedged over inwards at the lower end to part support the plunger--if the swedge is overdone the plunger blade may not pass thru or may need to be orientated to fit a slot the previous owner may have filed into the swagged area.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

Bingo! Putting Craig's idea that the dip stick might be broken off and the lower part lodged in the tube together with Eddie's idea of a swedge mod and pulling the tube together, i found a strange little piece of metal stuck in the tube. A small round file inserted and a light tap of the hammer dislodged it. (Thanks Eddie for how to get the tube out). anybody know what the piece is? does it need to be in there? do I need to get a new tube?
Thanks to every for the help in solving this riddle!

now that i can get a proper level I should drain the excess if I can find the drains. The book has a pic that I just need to match up with the machine.

yes it does look like it was brazed. you could be right.

i  know the dip rod for the d4 is cut off square on the end with a slight chamfer all the way round

Hi Team,
that looks like a piece of plunger cap centre and broken off square plunger rod end.
From memory the plunger tube is square cut at its upper end--I have seen plunger Caps worn almost thru from jangling about on the ends of their tubes--if this plunger cap wore all the way thru then the plunger and the centre piece of the cap would fall down the tube until it hit the swagged end of said tube--maybe the plunger had departed the cap earlier in the failure mode and is residing inside the trans. case.

Cheers,
Eddie B.