Have a 95 F-150 with a 351W that is supposedly out of a 96 van.

The PO said the dipstick tube was loose so he took it out and plugged it.

Will any dipstick from the same era/motor work as a replacement?

 

No dipsticks are not the same they are specific to the vehicle type and a range of years. A van motor probably has a slide in dipstick tube in the timing cover, other locations include a slide in tube in the side of the block or a screw in tube in the side of the oilpan and all of these are different length and shape of course.

 

no. went though this with a 70 bronco i picked up with a windsor in it.

 

Thanks I'll check it out.

 

Finally found where the old dipstick would have been, in the pan on the driver's side. Where to get a tube and dipstick?

 

dealer or salvage yard

 

Any aftermarket options? Yards don't have any around here and dealer's been no help. Suggestions?

 

The aftermarket MAY have something available but generally not much for stock replacement AFAIK.

Dorman has a "Help!" line of parts that includes many small parts that are no longer available from dealers… they may have something.

Have you gone to or called the dealer's parts dept. and asked if they can order one for you? If I had a shop that would be my first stop. I spent six years in sales, service and parts at a Ford store and we would order any part for our customers… OEM or aftermarket.

Otherwise Google is your friend.

 

Put a "want to buy" in the classifieds here- thanks to all for the help.

 

My dipstick broke off my 87 f250 with a 351. It was one of the ones that screws into the pan like yours. I did a ton of searching and found that the only ones that are screw ins are about $80, and are made of flexible line. Needless to say I wasnt going to pay $80 for a dipstick tube. I ended up making my own in just under an hour. If you go to your local autoparts store you can pick up 3/8in fuel line for cheap. Cut the flares off and put a 5/8in compression fitting on the end of it. I used JB weld on top of the compression fitting just for extra leak protection. Then cut/bend it to the same shape as the old dipstick so you dont have to re-mark it. Then just find a place to mount it to up top (I used one of the valve cover bolts and put a small metal clamp on it) so it doesnt wiggle loose. It cost me under $25 and only took about an hour. Easy fix! Plus the dipstick secures just as good as a stock tube since its the same diameter

 

Awesome information thanks!

This one seems to screw into the block though, is that uncommon?

 

Nice job --- you should be in school at UTI and thinking about working for NASCAR !!!

 

Nope thats fine. Ive heard them going into the timing chain cover, the block, and the pan.

 

Thanks haha that would be a dream of mine!