Hello. Im currently doing an engine swap in my 77 f100 2wd to a 400. I have long tube headers that are tight and wont let me use the oil pan dipstick. I've looked high and low to find a dipstick that will enter through the block on the left side on the engine and can't find one. I was wondering if anyone knows where I might find one or if there are any specific universal ones that work.


Thanks,
Mack

 

My best guess is find one from a passenger car with a 400, but it's just a guess.

 

i have one in a spare motor that I wont ever use. one problem, Last summer I went to pull it and the tube separated. I dont know if this was meant to do this or not. I have the dip stick also. If I can get the bottom piece out without destroying it , it looks like you could have someone braze weld it together. Where it came apart it has one bevel flair on each end.

 

Probably press fit and best tapped out from the bottom or inside.

 

Ford 400's that came in cars had the block dipstick.

They're really not that much better than the truck set-up through the oil pan.

At least with the oil pan, you can make very small adjustment bends on the dipstick tube to make it go where you like (if you're careful).

Post up some pictures of your header setup. Maybe you can get away with what you have and you just don't know it yet

 

I had chassis exit headers once...the dipstick (oil pan mounted) fit fine between the tubes.

But if you're set on using a block entry, there's a little (1/2" ?) freeze plug type dealie on the right side of the block, behind the alternator. You can gouge it out....a new dipstick is a press fit if you can get one....from a passenger car is the best bet...mebbbe rockauto or JBG....

 

If you change the dipstick to the front of the block,you will need to use a front sump oil pan and oil pickup.

 

willowbilly3, that's what I was thinking. Just have to hope one of the old yards around here has one. The one local one just finished crushing them all. The other 3 mainly have new cars. It'd be luck to find one.

Bulldog187th, Thanks for the offer. No, it's not supposed to seperate there. Ha! I have the same issue. There is the bottom half of the dipstick tube in the block. Bent over and plugged. Enough to that I could extend it if I had too. If it were a work truck I'd do that. But the truck is going to be DD/ show.

The frezze plug one is the one im trying to use. I'll post some pictures Tonight. It's questionable whether or not the headers will fit with the engine swap.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

His 2wd should be front sump

 

The engine is out of an 80's truck and has a rear sump pan. The engine that came out had one too (351 C). It also had a block entry
behind the alternator dipstick.

 

The first is my engine bay On the left you can see part of my exhaust setup.
The 2nd is of the 351C that came out
The 3rd is of the 400
Ill get some better pictures tonight. Theses just happened to be on my phone.

 

Freeze plug one? You lost me on that one.

 

When they came blocked off the were blocked by a freeze plug. Probably wasn't my best description. Sorry about that.


Mack

 

ok so we are talking about the same one. Here is mine.

 

Yeah that's the one.


Here are some pictures of the headers.
The picture of them in the truck is where they'd (roughly) be sitting once installed.


The dipstick is the one that came with the engine (oilpan entry)


The picture of the block with the folded off tube is the location I am trying to find a dipstick for. The folded off tube is the remenants of the dipstick Bulldog187th put up a picture off.


The service manual from ford for 77 year trucks has a picture of it.