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Topic: Hey Dipstick...!!!

in Forum: General Non-Vette Discussion


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Hey Dipstick...!!! (1/7)
 10/8/12 9:34pm
NorskyLifetime Member
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West Burke, VT - USA

Vette(s):
SOLD - "The Toy" - '70 Convertible
SOLD - "The Beast" - '90 ZR-1 (#682)
SOLD - "Betty" - '28 Ford Model A Tudor
Still have - "BLKBRRD" - '78 Pontiac Trans Am


Joined: 1/23/2002
Posts: 7190

I have an issue on "The Silver Buckboard" - my 2001 F-150.  I went to check the oil today and the dipstick was stuck.  So I applied a little twisting motion along with a good tug and POOF - the dipstick tube came along with the dipstick.  Not the whole tube though.  I guess my twisting motion was a bit too much for the tube and it broke off right where the support brace was welded to the tube.  A call to the nearest Blue Oval parts department will get me a new tube (for $16) in the morning so I'll pick it up on my way home from work. 
 
The $64K Question is --- how do I get the bottom half of the tube out of the block...???  I'm guessing it is a press-in fit.  Is there a magic tool that will make the extraction of the old and insertion of the new relatively simple?  I've already tried a vise-grip, screw driver and a hammer with no luck in separating the tube from the block.  And in typical (brilliant) engineering fashion there really isn't much room to perform this operation.
 
Any thoughts, tips or suggestions will be most appreciated.


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Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

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Re: Hey Dipstick...!!! (2/7)
 10/8/12 10:35pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

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#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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Shocked Dang Jim....you could'a sent me a P/M, instead of callin me out in the forums.....LOL LOL LOL

This is gunna be a tough one. How much of the tube is sticking out, anyway? What engine?
IF you can get room for it, you might spray that thing down really well with WD-40, or that killer GM Heat Riser spray, and let it soak for while. Then, depending on how much is left sticking out, you could tap it DOWN into the block a little to kinda break it loose. Before using vicegrips, or anything like that, Stick a bolt down in the tube(the longer the bolt you can get in there, the better)...that way, when you clamp down on it, the tube won't just crush. A little twisting motion back/forth, along with a healthy dose of spray penetrate, and a little hammer time should get it loose enough to remove. Hopefully, the tube won't break off down in the block. If it does, the only solution will be to remove the pan, and knock it out....Unhappy


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Joel Adams
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Re: Hey Dipstick...!!! (3/7)
 10/8/12 11:06pm
NorskyLifetime Member
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West Burke, VT - USA

Vette(s):
SOLD - "The Toy" - '70 Convertible
SOLD - "The Beast" - '90 ZR-1 (#682)
SOLD - "Betty" - '28 Ford Model A Tudor
Still have - "BLKBRRD" - '78 Pontiac Trans Am


Joined: 1/23/2002
Posts: 7190

4.6L Triton V8

About half the tube is still there.  It broke just above the bracket that bolts into the block.  There just isn't a lot of elbow room for accessing the darn thing from either above or below, especially since it is a 4X4.
 
I'll try the GM spray on it tomorrow.
 
Thanks...!!!  Thumbs Up


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Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

Re: Hey Dipstick...!!! (4/7)
 10/11/12 8:58am
corvette440hpLifetime Member
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Jim, how did things "work out" for you?

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Re: Hey Dipstick...!!! (5/7)
 10/11/12 11:32pm
F4GaryGold Member
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Grapevine, TX - USA

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I think you're gonna have to buy a dipstick tube puller.

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Re: Hey Dipstick...!!! (6/7)
 11/27/12 11:42pm
NorskyLifetime Member
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West Burke, VT - USA

Vette(s):
SOLD - "The Toy" - '70 Convertible
SOLD - "The Beast" - '90 ZR-1 (#682)
SOLD - "Betty" - '28 Ford Model A Tudor
Still have - "BLKBRRD" - '78 Pontiac Trans Am


Joined: 1/23/2002
Posts: 7190

Working on the truck outside Monday night wasn't too bad as it was in the lows 60s.  Tuesday was a different matter as a cold front came through overnight and the temps were in the low 40s after work.  After cussing at the darn thing for two nights and not making any progress my bride strongly suggested taking it to a mechanic.  Made a call after work on Wednesday to a local shop and they could work on it today (Thursday) so over to them it went.
 
They had more trouble putting the new tube in than getting the old one out.  Guess they had to pull the exhaust manifold which turned out to be a real P.I.T.A. due to rusty bolts.  So that is done and over now.
 
I also asked them to replace the inner tie rod ends (the right one was shot) and then set the alignment.
 
The next project will be to source a couple of exhaust manifolds and an EGR tube to get rid of the exhaust leaks and EGR problem that keeps the "Check Engine" light on.
 
*** UPDATE ***
After doing some web crawling for exhaust manifolds I discovered that shorty headers were only about $30 more than OEM replacements so that's what I ordered.  Swapping out the left side was pretty easy becuz the shop had already loosened everything up.  The right side was another matter.  I was able to get all four top bolts loose as well as the back bottom bolt.  The front bottom bolt was rusted beyond recognition and wasn't cooperating.  I couldn't even see the next bottom bolt and I couldn't get a socket on the third bottom bolt because part of the engine mount was in the way.  So after a frustrating Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago I took it back to the shop and let the pros swap it out.  Turns out my exhaust leak on the right side was caused by a rusted out manifold.
 
Then last weekend a new battery and altenator got plugged in.  All that cost me was the parts and some gasoline chasing down the parts.  Nice to have a quiet ride again and a healthy electrical system.


|UPDATED|11/27/2012 8:42:46 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

Re: Hey Dipstick...!!! (7/7)
 11/28/12 1:32pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20126

I love a story with a happy ending!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    

My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)
             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Our Sponsors help support C3VR