I bought my 02 XLT a few months ago. It's a V10 with 4.30 gears, 4x4, f250 springs, Hellwig rear sway, Timbren SRS, Bilstein rear shocks, and urethane front bump stops. It's a towing machine, now! I just towed by bumper pull 30', 10,000 race trailer 3500 miles. It was amazing how well the gas truck performed!

I leave tomorrow for a 4,000 tow. I was getting it ready today--changing the oil when I discovered the dipstick tube have rust away. I went to the dealer and picked up a replacement. Removed the bolt and pulled like hell. I can't get this thing out of the pan. The dealer can't look at it before I leave.

Any one have any other ideas? I has fresh oil and didn't burn any on my last trip. Should I just go with it? Do these trucks have low oil level lights? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,
-bj

 

Hopefully this isn't as serious when it happens on the 7.3....btw, on the 7.3 the engine MUST be removed to replace the dipstick.

I'll get this down the the V10 forum stat....

 

I never had to tackle with it , but here what my repair manual says;
.................................................. ..........
SECTION 303-01B: Engine — 6.8L 2000 F-Super Duty 250-550/Excursion/F-53 Motorhome Chassis Workshop Manual
IN-VEHICLE REPAIR Procedure revision date: 06/21/1999

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oil Level Indicator and Tube
Removal

Remove the engine air cleaner (ACL) (9600) and the air cleaner outlet tube (9B659); refer to Section 303-12.
Remove the left exhaust manifold (9430); refer to Exhaust Manifold—LH in this section.
Remove the bolt and remove the oil level indicator tube (6754).

Inspect the oil level indicator tube for damage.
Installation

To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Replace and lubricate the O-ring seals with Super Premium SAE 5W-30 Motor Oil XO-5W30-QSP or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M2C153-G.
Install the left exhaust manifold; refer to Exhaust Manifold—LH in this section.

Good luck.
Ken

 

Thanks guys. That thing must really be rusted in place. Looks like it's not going to get fixed until I get back from my trip. Bummer.

-bj

 

More like pressed in. alot of spray lubricant(i.e. liquid wrench, pb blaster). Just be careful not to snap it off in the block, or you'll be trying to find a way to tap it out.

I've mentioned this before, if the base doesn't look to bad, you can cut it across about 2in above the point it meets the engine, and then cut the new tube the same length as the newly removed piece, minus an inch, get you some fuel line 2in long, 1/2in down and 1/2in up; if you can still put the bolt in, then the tube is the right length and the stick will give accurate measurement.

 

I had mine break at the block when installing headers. With no luck trying to extract the piece still in the block, I went with a different approach.
I had some steel brake line around that had an OD that matched the dipstick tube's ID. I used it as a splice. Pressed the brake line into the dipstick (on the bench) and "crimped" the dipstick tube a bit to stop it from going all the way in, then just wiggled it into the place in the block. Worked for me.

Now, you can buy a dipstick tube and cut it -- making another cut on the piece in the motor (high enough for you to reach) and either apply the same technique that I used, or even simpler; just use some rubber hose and clamp it together.

 

IF IT BROKE RIGHT AT BLOCK!!

I had the same on 2003 f350 v10 6.8l. I needed a few tools,time,and patience.
1) Kobalt 4-Piece Hook and Pick Set * Item #: 239658 * Model #: 324621N (lowes)
2) Dremel Flex-Shaft Attachment* Item #: 94685* Model #: 225-01 (lowes)
3) dremel to fit flex shaft( I had one, a 345) (lowes)
4) Dremel 3/8" Aluminum Oxide Grinding Stone* Item #: 94729* Model #: 952(lowes)
5) Digital Inspection Camera Item # 67979 Manufacturer: Cen-Tech (harbor freight)
6) guide wire for drop ceiling, about 3 feet
7) foam ear plug
8) flexible magnet stick
9) 12 inch 3/8" ratchet extension
10) craftsman awl
11) Harbor freight has long pipe cleaners the size of largest oil tube

buy a new tube so you can see what it looks like. you will see it is tapered at the end. THE HOLE IN THE BLOCK WAS THE SIZE OF THE LARGER PART OF TUBE ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON MINE!

First thing is to remove tire/ remove plastic wheel well, be careful of the plastic push buttons holding wires on engine compartment side./use camera down through the exhaust manifold, behind the engine mount and look for the hole. Reach around the engine mount that holds oil filter( you need small hands like mine, this is a very tight spot). push ear plug in the hole. this will stop things from dropping in. use flex dremel with grind wheel to grind the top of tube off.you can now see the seam between tube and block with the camera. use a drywall screw to remove ear plug.DRAIN OIL AND LEAVE BOLT OUT. side guide wire through tube and down to bottom of oil pan. use small piece of wire to snake it out of drain hole. use awl and place it in seam between tube and the block and tap it down folding tube in a LITTLE.you should have to do this at 4 or 5 locations or so around hole.I had to use a 1 foot piece of3/4" rigid pipe to tap it because of the little room between manifold and mount.spray with pb buster spray heavily and leave overnight, spray again and again.now use straight awl from Kobalt kit. do the same as awl, but this time use 1 foot 3/8 ratchet extension through the exhaust manifold and place on top of Kobalt awl, hold ext on awl with one hand and use hammer to tap the extension from the top down a little more then the first time carefully, don't break it. move it to different spots between tube and block. you should have to do this at four locations or so. It may side down into pan, if not try taping kobalt awl around again, then you could use a screw driver to tap it down into the pan, it will slide down the wire and can be guided out on wire. use Harbor freight long pipe cleaner to clean hole.

I over filled oil, DO NOT START ENGINE and changed OIL AGAIN.I did this to get any debris out.
Good luck!

 

Remove exhaust manifold? Oh boy...

You're gonna have fun. Hopefully those studs don't shear off.

There's an oil pressure gauge on your dash.

Once you get it fixed, I have discovered that if you want to pull up that dipstick, twist it back and forth first to loosen it prior to pulling up. It will release the grip on it so you don't bend the tube.

 

Sound's like SFG is a genious! I'll have to remember that trick if mine ever breaks.

I'd have never thought of driving it into the pan and using a guide wire to get it out. But I might have driven it into the pan and left in in the bottom... I know from experience a FE oil pump shaft can lay on the bottom of the pan for years.

 

I ended up fixing this months ago. I finally gave up with replacing it. I simply cut the new dip stick tube at the same location where the old one broke and used high temp hose and hose clamps to attach it. Has been fine for over 10,000 miles.

-bj

 

I just did mine and it is a bear. I pulled the exhaust manifold and the oil filter assembly. I then took a piece of 1'8 flat stock and drilled a hole the size of the tube. I cut form the drilled hole on each side and made it a slotted hole in the end of the flat stock. I bent the flat stock a little in order to use it as a pry bar. I then ground down the edges some and was able to drive it (gently) under the tube stop at the engine. The tube stop I am refering to is the raise portion in the tube that keeps you fropm pushing it to far itno the block. As the tube slowly raised out from the block I could get a long screwdriver to tap against the tube an tap it up the rest of the way. The pry bar theory really didn't work to well but continued tapping and a lot of spray finally got the piece out