292 Dipstick tube woes

[DukeRoche]

Ok, when I bought my Slick the previous owner for some reason did not have the dipstick tube/stick in the engine. I emailed him and he said he'd put it in the mail, no problems. But i am having a hard time getting it in. I've posted some pics. Is the tube supposed to go in all the way to the lip? Foe some reason its barely going in. Either I'm doing something wrong or its the wrong tube. Any ideas?

[jamesdfo]

Duke: I would hazard to guess that when that Tab with the bolthole on the dipstick tube lines up with the threaded boss on the block, you're there!!

[DukeRoche]

See I would agree, but I cant seem to get them to line up even. I at first thought it might not be in far enough but the tube doesn't fit in well.

[skidoorulz]

It is supposed to go in until the tab lines up with the bolt hole and is bolted to the block. With that said pull that tube out and stick something in the hole to make sure it is actually drilled for the dipstick tube. Y blocks had the dipstick in a couple of different places. If it is drilled and you can get down to oil in the pan, maybe there is and old tube broken off part way in the hole. You may have to pull the header off so you can get a good look to see if there is a tube broken off in it. When I reinstalled mine I used a brass hammer to tap the tube into place. Make sure you put some rtv on it for sealing

[DukeRoche]

It does go to the pan. I placed the stick itself in there t see and got oil. I may remove the header cause it needs repainted anyway. 'll try a mallet if it doesnt slid in.

[unibody madness]

I would take drift pin or round rod, that slips inside the dip stick tube and carefully tap it back into shape sand the tube clear of paint where it slides into the block use a little rtv and tap it home to where it bolts onto the engine boss.
If P.O. was rough with it will be tough to get it to slide back in. Good luck with it.

[DukeRoche]

I didn't think to sand the bottom down. Thats a good idea. Thanks for the help guys.

[ICEMAN6166]

that is the same as mine

several different 292 dipsticks depending on which oilpan you have

finally broke the loop off mine so now i have to reattach it, someone in the past did a poor weld.

make sure when you get the tube in and the dipstick that you check it with the oil full to make sure you have the right one

heres some pics of a few different y pans








im using the red one, extra deep from a big truck holds an extra quart

theres a front sump version too that uses a timing cover dipstick

[DukeRoche]

Those pics make it look like the tube goes into the oil pan through the oil pan. My pan doesn't have a loop like that on the outside that I saw.

[ICEMAN6166]

Duke not sure what you mean by "loop"

[bruceandersson]

I think he is referring to the tube that goes to the external oil pump on the y-blocks.

[DukeRoche]

Yes. Your pan has a tube coming out of it that I thought was what you were referring to. If mine has that I haven't seen it yet. At first I thought that's where you were saying your tube was. My bad lol

[ICEMAN6166]

yes the tube goes to the oil pump which is on the drivers side bottom of the block outside the pan

[DukeRoche]

Ok, now it makes sense. Thanks for the help.

[DukeRoche]

Was able to get the tube down to the lip after some use of the bench grinder. But the only way I could get it to fit has the tube slightly resting on the header pipe. Is this a problem?

[unibody madness]

Duke
The rattle would drive me nuts, and might cook the residual oil inside the tube. I would wedge it away from the header once everything was tightened down so it didn't touch.

[DukeRoche]

Might have to get a pipe bender cause theres no other way it would fit.

[DukeRoche]

Or has anyone tried a flexible tube?

[ICEMAN6166]

i once cut a tube and rejoined it with rubber gas hose to reposition the tube away from the headers i think it was on a 390 but same side tube too close to exhaust.did not change the length at all just added a bend down near the bottom so it could flex away from the engine

even with the stock manifold mine is close to it and you need to grab the end just right so as not to cook your fingers if the engine is hot.