Hi Everyone:

I actually have a 1985 Ranger, with a 2.0 L, 4 cyl, 4 spd engine.

When I cleaned my engine to find the oil leak, it was leaking at the base of the dipstick tube. I was told the tube just pulls out and is an easy replacement.

I pulled on it, and it broke off in the block. It was already cracked and leaking, so I guess it was pretty weak.

Now, I am told by the dealership that I can no longer purchase a new tube, and that there are no after-market tubes available at the parts store.

I am wondering:

1) ...if there's a tube of the appropriate length that might work.

2) ...what is the best way to get the piece of tube out of the block, if it must be taken out.

Some people say, just knock it down into the pan and it will be caught by a filtering system. Others say, take the pan off and knock the piece of tube out the other direction.

I was hoping for a quick, easy, but good fix--without having to jack up the engine.

Any suggestions are most appreciated.

 

 

I am wondering if you could get a long round head screw-one that would barely fit down the hole. You could grind the head a little if you had to. Put some vise grips on the threaded end, and push it down the broken tube. The tube may stick inside the pan prettty far so get a long screw. When you get it in there, try to hook the head of the screw on the end of the broken tube and try to put it out. You may have to jerk on it a little. the tubes I've seen are swagged out where they go into the block, to keep them going in too far and throwing the reading off-so I don't know if it's possible to drive it into the pan or not. Then change the oil after you put the other dipstick tube in, and don't put the last quart in. Start the engine for a little bit, and then after the oil runs back to the pan, verify or mark the new dipstick with a line signifying add oil. Then put the other quart in and that will be the new full mark.

 

>I am wondering if you could get a long round head screw-one
>that would barely fit down the hole. You could grind the
>head a little if you had to. Put some vise grips on the
>threaded end, and push it down the broken tube. The tube
>may stick inside the pan prettty far so get a long screw.
>When you get it in there, try to hook the head of the screw
>on the end of the broken tube and try to put it out. You
>may have to jerk on it a little. the tubes I've seen are
>swagged out where they go into the block, to keep them going
>in too far and throwing the reading off-so I don't know if
>it's possible to drive it into the pan or not. Then change
>the oil after you put the other dipstick tube in, and don't
>put the last quart in. Start the engine for a little bit,
>and then after the oil runs back to the pan, verify or mark
>the new dipstick with a line signifying add oil. Then put
>the other quart in and that will be the new full mark.

Thank you for your timely response. I truly appreciate it.

I have tried using an "easy out" but found nothing easy about it. It simply stayed in there. The space I have to work in makes it awkward. I used my vice grips with the easy out...but perhaps I just need smaller vice grips or something.

The other thing is, I am not sure this tube is the original one that came from the factory. There's a lip on it about 1/2 inch from where the tube was meeting the block. I wonder if they are all like that, or if this was a case where the previous owner hammered it in and it wouldn't go down clear to the lip, and in their effort to get it in further, they cracked it, initially causing the leak.

Do you know if they normally have a lip around them that acts as kind of a stopper to keep it from going into the block too far?

 

All of the ones I've seen,have it.


Dennis https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/sizeimage.php?&photoid=1733&.jpg
[i][font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font][i]





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