not thinking with my dipstick, Jimmy

[Smokinthehippies]

so i bought a used engine off craigslist, didnt come with a dipstick.

its a 2 bolt 350 with a passenger side dipstick in the block. the dip that was in my old 400sbc as well as a new one i picked up from pep boys are both too big to fit in the hole.

like maybe a 1/8" too big in diameter. WTF? thats a stupid problem to have after swapping engines. is there a narrower dip stick i need to use here? help me please.


*ps, atleast the engine starts and runs. thats a plus

 

[Stomis]

Passenger vs driver side dipstick?

 

[Smokinthehippies]

its a 2 bolt 350 with a passenger side dipstick in the block.

passenger.

 

[Stomis]

No no I'm saying perhaps the passenger vs driver side is two different sizes.

 

[Fordum]

Yeah, dipstick too big......I feel for you man.
Had that trouble all my life....

Used engine, any chance the dip tube got crimped when they pulled the engine out?

 

[Smokinthehippies]

No no I'm saying perhaps the passenger vs driver side is two different sizes.

oh gotcha. yeah thats kinda what i'm wondering. never dealt with a pass. side block before so idk.

Yeah, dipstick too big......I feel for you man.
Had that trouble all my life....

Used engine, any chance the dip tube got crimped when they pulled the engine out?

on the block or the actual dipstick?
1 dipstick was brand new so that shouldnt be an issue. and the block appears to still be fine, didnt see any real problems with it, other then it not fitting. even tried lubing it up and still got nothing.

 

[Fordum]

I'm thinking about the tube on the block. Get a bright light and look that tube over close.
Especially the top of it.
Some of those dipsticks had a little metal cap attached to the dipstick. It might have come off and gotten stuck to the end of the dipstick tube closing off the end.

If the stick goes in at all, then I suspect a dent or crimp in the tube that is stopping it.
Usually you can try putting it at different angles until you find the way it will go.

 

[diesel4me]

Maybe the original dipstick tube busted off inside the block??...happens a lot when motors get yanked out!..

 

[Fordum]

I think we have a failure to communicate on our hands here.

Time for some basic definitions.

A dipstick is the flat metal rod that you pull out to see how much oil is in the engine.
A dipstick tube is the tube that normally stays in the engine and is what you pull the dipstick out of.

If you are trying to install a tube, then the old one may be broken off in the block.

If its a dipstick, then the tube may be damaged so that the stick will not slide in.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

I think we have a failure to communicate on our hands here.

Time for some basic definitions.

A dipstick is the flat metal rod that you pull out to see how much oil is in the engine.
A dipstick tube is the tube that normally stays in the engine and is what you pull the dipstick out of.

If you are trying to install a tube, then the old one may be broken off in the block.

If its a dipstick, then the tube may be damaged so that the stick will not slide in.

I was kinda thinking this after your last post as well but wasnt sure.

ok. i'm trying to install the dipstick tube into the block.
sounds like i need to make sure it wasnt broken off then.

 

[Fordum]

I was kinda thinking this after your last post as well but wasnt sure.

ok. i'm trying to install the dipstick tube into the block.
sounds like i need to make sure it wasnt broken off then.

Ah, that makes more sense.
I'll bet the end of the old one is in there.
Getting it out might be a real pain, or you might get lucky.

If you can get to it, a slide hammer with a sheet metal screw that will get a bite on the old tube might just snatch it right out.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

ther is nothing protruding. cuz i spent a half hour while the engine was on the stand staring at in a pissed off manner wondering why the hell my tube wouldnt go in......

 

[4X4HIGH]

The driverside dipstick and tube is completely different than a passenger side dipstick and tube and cannot be used. The hole location isn't even in the same place (driveside is at the deck surface and the passenger side is way down by the oil pan rail.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

**** balls. That would make sense since it looks like the dipstick is about a foot longer then needs to be. Where the hell do I find a pass side dip?

 

[4X4HIGH]

You can buy it new from the dealer pretty cheap otherwise hit the junk yard.