Engine keeps eating dipsticks
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Westminster, Colorado
Engine keeps eating dipsticks
I have rither a 360 or 390 Engine (FE block)......When I bought the truck the engine oil dipstick was located in a little hole just above and behind the top of the oil filter bracket (This is the left front side of the engine under/behind the Power steering pump.) I assume it is here because I have a Front Sump oil pan. Every dipstick I leave in the tube eeventually comes out missing a litttle bit of the end.
Is this the wrong location for the dipstick?
What is bitting the ends off?
Will the ends do any damage before I replace the pan?
Is this the wrong location for the dipstick?
What is bitting the ends off?
Will the ends do any damage before I replace the pan?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: South Central Boise
Engine nomes. They like to bite stuff off. They are everywhere in my trucks. Just can't get the buggers out! If you can, get a good angle and look in the hole to see what is in there. It sounds like the dipstick is coming in contact with the crankshaft. Have you swapped oil pans recently? My oilpan dipstick tube is located about in the middle, but I think I have a rear sump 4x4 pan.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Are there any noticeable rattles in the engine? The only time I've ever seen this is when a bearing is about to let go, or you have the wrong length of dipstick in there. Either way, it's not a good situation, and I'd be pulling the pan to inspect, as well as get the dipstick tips out of there before they cause any damage.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
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From: Ohio
I would assume it's the front crank thru that is catching it.
Pretty much every(not all) FE has the dipstick in that location.
Pull the stick and check it for straightness. It seems that if it is bent up at all it will curl up and into the crank throws. I had this issue with a 428 with a factory style windage tray. It would tweak upwards and get caught in crank. After some sutle bending of stick it would run down into oil and be fine.
As for chunks, they may be okay for 10 yrs, then again it may get into pump and lock it up. Try changing the oil and see what falls out.
Pretty much every(not all) FE has the dipstick in that location.
Pull the stick and check it for straightness. It seems that if it is bent up at all it will curl up and into the crank throws. I had this issue with a 428 with a factory style windage tray. It would tweak upwards and get caught in crank. After some sutle bending of stick it would run down into oil and be fine.
As for chunks, they may be okay for 10 yrs, then again it may get into pump and lock it up. Try changing the oil and see what falls out.
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Westminster, Colorado
I did see the bending you spoke of before the end actually disappeared....I figured it was wrapping on the crank or something in there. I do have a REAR sump pan to replace my current one, but I need to get new headers so it will fit(there's always something else!), and the dipstick is located in that pan, so I will be able to get rid of the old one....I don't know that I've ever had the correct dipstick there...I just wanted to make sure it wasn't some hole the previous owner had put there himself....Thanks for all the input!
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From: nevada
2 dipsticks!
When I first popped the hood of my '72 many yrs ago, I saw 2 dipsticks. One in the usual spot, and 1 into the oil pan. I never was sure of which one to believe, so I went with the front one. When I did rebuild, we welded pan stick hole shut, and did a volume test on pan to see what it was. It was holding about 9 qts, before it would touch bottom of crank. Is there any spec's on how far oil and crank should be apart from each other?
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From: Westminster, Colorado
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Christopher, I hope this link will transfer, if not copy & paste. You can see the proper tube between the oil filter and manifold. http://forums.ncfto.org/photo_album_...My_new_390.jpg
I have been using 5 qts. with filter for nearly 40 years. Hearing now that some engines want 6. You will have to use IE to view it.
John
I have been using 5 qts. with filter for nearly 40 years. Hearing now that some engines want 6. You will have to use IE to view it.
John
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Originally Posted by Unimog005
That's my problem! Mine is much more diagonal than vertical....Probably why the ends are getting nipped.....Thanks
Sounds like the tube that initially sticks in the hole in the block is bent. If you convert to the 4x4 pan, make sure it clears the axle under suspension compression. There are "frost plugs" available to plug the forward dipstick hole, I just used JB weld on my last 390, and never had a problem with it.