Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

[John H.]

Re: Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

Larry -

See photos below - one shows the length of the lower tube that extends below the pan rail, and the other one shows the machined "step" just below the top end of the dipstick hole that the flare at the top end of the lower tube sits on.


DipstickTubeHole.jpgDipstickTubeLwr.jpg

[Larry M.]

Re: Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

John,

Great photos; thanks much. It's encouraging to see that if I need to remove the pan and tray, that I'll have direct, straight-line access as I attempt to drive out the stub.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

Larry,

When I needed to remove the pan on my 67 300hp engine I simply set the front wheels on car ramps removed the idler arm bolts to frame a pulled the complete drag link down out of the way. I put some old carpet on the floor under me put the heat on and took a nap when I got tired. :-)

Seriously, it's not a hard job just take your time. Make sure the oil pick up is 1/2" off the bottom of the pan so it does not drum when the engine idles.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

The one piece FelPro gasket is bright blue. I often will paint the edges ahead of time with orange paint so that it doesn't make the gasket quite so obvious. Once the paint dries you can install it.

Of course, do this only to the visible surface, not the sealing surfaces or inner surface.

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

John,

Great photos; thanks much. It's encouraging to see that if I need to remove the pan and tray, that I'll have direct, straight-line access as I attempt to drive out the stub.

Larry------


As we've discussed, if the lower tube is in place, removing the upper tube remnant will be absolutely easy.

However, if the lower tube is not in place, you won't really have access to the bottom of the remnant.The bottom of the remnant will be just above the seat in the block and essentially inaccessible from below.

[Larry M.]

Re: Oil Dipstick Tube Broken in Block, 1972 350

I removed the broken piece today.

After several unsuccessful attempts from the top using various methods, I removed the oil pan and thankfully found that the lower tube was in fact in place (even though not shown in my earlier assembly photo from 1988), and I was then able then to drive out the broken piece exactly as several of you had mentioned. I did need to remove the windage tray to allow drive-access to the lower tube.

Re-assembly will include stripping the old paint from the pan, flattening any pan rail bolt holes that need it, and pre-painting the pan and one-piece FelPro gasket.

I did encounter one unexpected issue with the windage tray removal, about which I'll post as a separate thread, for the ease of anyone searching in the future.

Thanks much to all who replied.

lower tube.jpg

tubes.jpg