87 K5/SBC 5.7 Sticky Dip Sticks

[MIKESMONZA]

After being away,for any Lenghth of time and being cautious;from past experiances,
Some with Relatives and Critters,
example,Birds, Squirels,rats.mice and rattlers looking for them!!!
I live in a Rural East Texas,go figure!
I always check all of the under hood stuff,

H2O/Coolant Radiator/Tanks,Oil, Brake Fluid,,Transmission Oil level's Battery conection's ,clamp's/Cable's,
Belts and Hose condition's
then while cold,, 40-45 degrees,,no wind chil,!l

I went to check my Oil Dip Stick,,, and it would not budge,
It has never gave me A problemn in the past

,I slightly twisted it and wiggled still it would not buge more than a 1/4 inch,,
I tried starting Motor and Letting it Warm Up,,
and tried again,,, then put a Screw Driver Handle to pull it out,,,,,
then the Gray (7/ 8th circle) handle came off in My hand !!!

Now I am trying a Pair of Locking Vice Grips on the part that is left,
Still no movement ,

I would next try a small Dent remover tool hooked to the Pliers,
Should I try some Oil?
or has someone also had a simular problemn?
or fix ,,,,,,just short of RnR ,,,the Whole tube assembly?

I also need a measurement,,,,, tip to stop,,, on stick to repair or find a simular stick with same measurement's????

also There is no noise coming from running motor while,Twisting and Pulling!
Mike

 

[4X4HIGH]

I have no idea why it would be stuck like that but at least changing the whole dipstick and tube assembly is real easy (assuming there isn't some kind of weird problem with the tube being bent up inside the block). Just remove one bolt on the head that holds the tube bracket and easily pull the assembly out. There is no O-rin or seal of any kind on the tube.

 

[MIKESMONZA]

Scott; after it warmed up outside,
I added some oil thru the dipstick
thinking it Might be a Friction problem in the DipStick Tube,,
Wiggled it again,,The Gave up!!

I then removed the 10mm headed 1/4-20 bolt supporting the Tube assembly to the Head,,
and started to pull it up and out, twisting it slightly,,

when I saw a small shower of sparks,,,
near pan and starter,and exhaust

I took the Battery Ground Disconected It ,
for now!
I feel Two things could of caused this,
a conductive tool,,, or a Metal piece,,,Radiator Clamp,
or Something Simular!
is intermitently
touching the starter Solenoids Positive Cable Stud

And has Arc-ed thru the dipstick Tube Assembly,,
and is Causing Problems

I will wait till later to find out for Sure, and add to this post!
As the Weather Here is uncortabaly cold to "Proceed",,
and Thanks for Now,
Mike

 

[4X4HIGH]

I then removed the 10mm headed 1/4-20 bolt supporting the Tube assembly to the Head,,
and started to pull it up and out, twisting it slightly,,when I saw a small shower of sparks near pan and starter,and exhaust I took the Battery Ground Disconected It for now!

Well certainly you have a positive cable shorting out against the dipstick tube (which welded the stick to the tube). Keep that cable disconnected until you replace the positive cable and figure out how and why it was able to short out (don't need any fires).

 

[79rustyk10]

Im suprised that didnt cause any other noticable issues, being its TBI.

 

[BB350]

could have had some water in the oil and its rusted in place

 

[MIKESMONZA]

After removal of broken dip stick and tube assembly,,,Two seperate pieces,4 parts in all ,,
here are some pictures,,
Mike

 

[dhcomp]

Find where it was shorting?

 

[4X4HIGH]

Find where it was shorting?

He sure did, right where the piece is melted in half.

 

[MIKESMONZA]

A,,note;
the first picture has the burnt end raised 3-4 inches up from the orignal Location

After being ridiculosly cold,,,it warmed up,,
now,,,It has been raining,,
I am being "Cautious",and have found nothing big or Conductive
Visualy and blindly Probing!

I am searching With a Flexy 18 inch Magnet,
I have Several Variants,,
>>even a Monster Mag colapsible "ally'tube stick MAC tools To try and retreve something,,

But all I found,, that made a Resonable Noise as I pulled it out from exhaust manifold area between #8 and #6 and off top on starter,

I Heard it hit frame and drop to ground under 4x4,
then fished it with same magnet off the ground.
It was;
A Spark Plug Wire Clamp Bracket, 1/2 x 3/4 sheetmetal "L" bracket,,
but has Paint all over It, no Arc Marks or burned paint!

That looks like it droped in there when I added the Clips from the
Help Line,,"Motormite"Brand,,

Found
the 1/4 x 20 hole in head is empty,,above #8 #6 plug holes
Maybe it was the Little 1/8th Rod 2'' -3'' Long on a bracket?
maybe it was broken,,
and droped in there,,
(Any body Know if that "hole" had a bracket)????

The "dp-stk" tube is 3-4 inches away from Positive Batery Cable at Stud on starter solenoid,at least maybe More

A friend at The Trans Shop had a Swapped out
5,7 Vortec Motor,long block,,
partialy disasembled on top! and has a posible crank problem,,or noise!

So while there,,, I borrowed the dipstick assembly and It looks almost corect in Lenght and
the "Tube" is Same,,bracket and Bend's+ lenghth!
It has the >>>"Yellow T handle",, and Extra Holes punched in Tip,

Waiting on the weather
>>>>> next pulling the starter and looking for the Mystery Conductor may help me Sleep at night !
Mike

 

[gone huntin]

There's no wear through marks on the starter positive cable? That's where I would've thought it was from.

 

[MIKESMONZA]

My fellow CK5 Group

With all of the right time to Work "Weather Delay's" and Computer Problemns,,,Its been awhile, The Problem is fixed
Gone Hunting Was Right !! my thanks for His insight

>>>The Positive Cable to the Starter Asembly ,

If facing the Starter was Clocked wrong at 1-2,, "Oclock" and was causing the cable to rub the
OilDipstick Tube into two Pieces !

It should have been 10 -11- O'clock!

I installed a Used Vortec 350 Dip stick tube,,,
>>It fit with a Little Gentle Bending and a lot of Coaxing To seat it!
,,,And a Dipstick Bracket to Head Replacement ,,,

,,,Support Bracket at #2-4,,Exhaust Port Area,,1/4''- 20tp'' hole,,in Head!

( Used Vortec Dipstick had broken Bracket)

I also intalled a Solenoir Relocation Kit, with a Solenoid on firewall,
Near the Fuel Pump Relay for Safety and Ease of Maintenance,,

I.E. Bumping the Starter, with out Helper,
Now for some Pictures!

Some BBQ Cable,
And thanks Mike

 

[gone huntin]

This happened to me waaaaaaay back in high school, that's how I knew.