okay you're here cuz you're thinking "what's this guy doing here if he can't even check fluid levels", ... needed you're attention.

Here's the thing, ....
1. I drive around, stop, park, leave the engine running
2. Open hood, pull out the tranny level stick
IT'S BONE DRY.
3. I stick it back in the pipe and re-check, now it shows close to Max on the hot side of the stick indicator

Here's my confusion, ... which reading do i go by, and why the huge difference?
I've noticed that on the top end of the stick that fits snuggly into the pipe there is a rubber ring, ... can one assume from this that the purpose is to create some type of air seal?

So, when i take the stick out the first time, bone dry, ... level shows as empty, but does this mean that once i've broken the air seal this allows the fluid levels to rise, .... I don't know. I don't want to drive around with a dry tranny, nor do i want to overfill. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I've done this three days in a row, exactly the same result, first time out stick is dry, 2nd check shows lots.

Thank you Volvo gurus in advance

87-240DL