A very odd and scary problem.

[K10 KRAWLER]

I purchased a gm performance 350 crate engine. but I can not find the proper dipstick for my engine. I have tried a few, new and used from a wrecker (all from older chevies) and something inside the engine is cutting off the tips of the dipstick!!!!! it ends up cutting off about 2 inches from the end. I now have to pull my oilpan and remove 2 or 3 pieces of dipstick. Has anyone ever encountered this problem? where did you find the dipstick and what part number?????????

 

[GsxrMike]

Pull the tube and look down in the hole with a flash light while someone bumps the engine with the coil wire off. See if you can see anything.

 

[4xcrazy]

well, since you said you are already going to be dropping the oil pan, that is the perfect time to test fit a new dipstick and see exactly what is going on in there.

oil pan removed, install new dipstick, turn over engine by hand,,stop when something is about to grab it.

 

[gone huntin]

What style block? Left or right side dipstick? One piece or two piece rear seal?

 

[wasted wages]

gm performance 350 crate engine

if it has a windage tray,,It may be rubbing against it and cutting it off..

nothing would surprise me after what I found in my GM crate 454HO...

installed brand new engine,,,,pre-primed it and was concerned with the oil pressure it built with the drill motor turning the oil pump.

I called Chevy's performance group,,,and the rep sarcastically told me that every engine is thoroughly tested and that my drill could not possibly spin the pump fast enough to make good oil pressure. He said drop in the distributor and fire it up.

I did,,,,the engine cranked,,made 70 lbs pressure and immediately fell to 0...
I shut it down,,checked everything and cranked it again with a new gauge,,,same thing happened.

The Chevy rep said "you must have done something wrong,,,bring it to the dealer and let them check it out..." I asked if that was going to be free,,
he said I would have to pay for the inspection etc.."

I thought **** that,,,,I could have the pan off in 10 minutes...I was suspecting an oil pump problem or pick up tube.

I dropped the pan down,,but it was hung up on the pickup tube,,so I decided to use a wrench and drop the pump into the pan.

While I was unbolting the pump,,the wrench slipped and fell into the pan,,
I reached into the bottom of the pan to pick up the wrench and came up with a handful of plastic wrap and a 6x6 piece of cardboard that was left in the pan during installation. It was getting sucked up against the pickup screen when the engine cranked.

I called the "rep" back,,,told him what I found,,and demanded a new engine. He "asked " me to button it back up ( they gave me a new pump/pickup/gasket ) and fire it up and see what the o/p was.

It built 70-80 psi,,,and was fine,,,we agreed that they would warrenty the engine for 3 years/36K

lesson learned,,,trust your own instincts...

 

[K10 KRAWLER]

ok, thanks guys! il have to take a good look, it came with both driver and passenger side dipstick holes and I used the passenger side tube, i guess ill have to try to use the drivers side hole. gone huntin, im not sure what block it is, im guessing a pre 88? block? the seal is a 2 peice, does that mean its the older style block?

 

[4X4HIGH]

I can't remember what style of dipstick is used with the twin dipstick blocks for the passenger side but i know for a fact the driver side uses an inner tube to prevent the problem you're having. Is the passenger side dipstick hole way down near the oil pan rail?

 

[colbystephens]

if it has a windage tray,,It may be rubbing against it and cutting it off..

nothing would surprise me after what I found in my GM crate 454HO...

installed brand new engine,,,,pre-primed it and was concerned with the oil pressure it built with the drill motor turning the oil pump.

I called Chevy's performance group,,,and the rep sarcastically told me that every engine is thoroughly tested and that my drill could not possibly spin the pump fast enough to make good oil pressure. He said drop in the distributor and fire it up.

I did,,,,the engine cranked,,made 70 lbs pressure and immediately fell to 0...
I shut it down,,checked everything and cranked it again with a new gauge,,,same thing happened.

The Chevy rep said "you must have done something wrong,,,bring it to the dealer and let them check it out..." I asked if that was going to be free,,
he said I would have to pay for the inspection etc.."

I thought **** that,,,,I could have the pan off in 10 minutes...I was suspecting an oil pump problem or pick up tube.

I dropped the pan down,,but it was hung up on the pickup tube,,so I decided to use a wrench and drop the pump into the pan.

While I was unbolting the pump,,the wrench slipped and fell into the pan,,
I reached into the bottom of the pan to pick up the wrench and came up with a handful of plastic wrap and a 6x6 piece of cardboard that was left in the pan during installation. It was getting sucked up against the pickup screen when the engine cranked.

I called the "rep" back,,,told him what I found,,and demanded a new engine. He "asked " me to button it back up ( they gave me a new pump/pickup/gasket ) and fire it up and see what the o/p was.

It built 70-80 psi,,,and was fine,,,we agreed that they would warrenty the engine for 3 years/36K

lesson learned,,,trust your own instincts...

dude. that. is. insane. you are more patient than me. i would've had that engine back out and on a pallet to ship back in a heart beat.

 

[K10 KRAWLER]

Yeah its good the diddnt try to not give you warranty becasue you took it apart

 

[70jimmy]

When you are getting a new dipstick are you getting the tube with it? My old 350 had a very short dipstick, it was a 76 model, my other 350 had a 2 to 3 inch longer version and the one on my 93 5.7 TBI is huge.

I would pull the block # and research it to see what it came out of then order the dipstick and tube off of that and check it to see for proper length when you have the pan off.