Where's my dipstick?
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Where's my dipstick?



Every big block 383, 413, 426, 440 etc I've ever seen has the dipstick tube as a press fit into the block.  Even the "lowly small blocks and slant 6's" are a press fit.  There should not be a "bolt Hole" in the block to retain it - just a press fit.  Sounds like your mechanic doesn't know a whole lot about MOPAR engines.  If the press fit is loose, yes it can be rotated or even easily pulled out.  You might try expanding the section (and only just a little)where it goes in the block with a round punch so that it's a tight fit into the block.  You might have to do it several times to get the right fit.  Just my 2c.
Don  
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 11:43 PM
Subject: IML: Where's my dipstick?

In my continuing saga with my 1959 Imperial, when I went to drive it today, I noticed it was leaking something just about dead center of the engine. When I smelled it, it was oil, so I pulled the car around to my garage to check all of the fluid levels starting with the oil. When I went to pull the dipstick, I noticed it was not there. I thought maybe I was going crazy, and it was on the other side of the engine, but I was sure it was on the drivers side. After looking around the location where it should be, I finally saw it way down by the exhaust header under the plug wires, and facing forward. I attempted to rotate it into its proper position, and when I went to pull out the dipstick I got more than I bargained for. The entire shaft which the stick goes into came out along with the stick. I thought to myself this is definitely not good for a brand new engine. Fist an overheating problem, and now an oil leak, the two fluids most important to an engine. Needless to say it was time again for a trip back to the mechanic. He told me the bolt hole was missing in the manifold which holds it in place, and I told him I never had any problems with the dip stick before the engine was rebuilt. He assured me he would fix it the right way this time, and said the mechanic that put it on after the rebuild was no longer with him because of things like this. I told him to please check it for any other oil leaks once it was fixed, so I would not have to be bringing the car back next week on my day off. There were also two other vintage Chrysler cars at other mechanics in the complex, a 1959 Plymouth Belvedere (not quite sure of the spelling here), and I think a 1956 Desoto. My mechanic went to the mechanics who had those cars to see if he could look under the hoods to see where the dipsticks attached, and the Desoto mechanic and owner told him he could take the dipstick out of his if he wanted it, but both cars had different engines and very different dipstick set ups. It seems the more I fix lately, the more things that are going wrong. It will be a glorious day when I first drive the car to work once again! Then there is also the dreams of taking it on another road trip!
 
Bill '59 Crown


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