yesterday i was on my way back to laramie wy from western ks when my serpentine belt started to come apart. When it came apart it broke the handle off my oil dipstick and the dipstick vibrated down in the tube. where can i get a new handle? and what is the best way to get the dipstick out of the tube? Thanks justin

 

You are probably gonna have to take the tube out to get the stick out of it, the tube has a bracket on it that bolts to the valve cover then is held to the oil pan flange with a o-ring. I'd try a junkyard for a dipstick.

 

Beings that belt shreaded you might want to check your idler pulley and see if it is seizeing up.
There is a beveled oring on the end of that dipstick tube you might need to change.

Replacement O-rings for Ford Diesel Engines

 

A new dipstick is about $20 from partsguyed and new tube about $26 (IIRC). I just replaced both on my F350. Sure is nice to be able to check the oil one-handed again... FWIW, the new dipstick is smaller so it slides down the tube easier. I didn't realize new tube didn't come with the 'special' oring - so I put my junk back together with a 'regular' viton oring and slapped some RTV on it for good measure. No leaky yet...

 

Good point but, also inspect the tensioner pulley ...