[wwilliams181]

Anyone had any issues with a Small Block Chevy 383... right hand dipstick and tube hitting a billet main cap. Trying not to pull the pan in the truck but will if i cant find a fix. The caps are a splayed oliver. Any help would be appriciaed. I have a bad feeling i am about to have to drop the pan to access... thanks.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by wwilliams181

Anyone had any issues with a Small Block Chevy 383... right hand dipstick and tube hitting a billet main cap. Trying not to pull the pan in the truck but will if i cant find a fix. The caps are a splayed oliver. Any help would be appriciaed. I have a bad feeling i am about to have to drop the pan to access... thanks.

Your block will accept a lower dipstick tube, use one shaped so that it locates the dipstick slightly away from the cap.

You can make a lower tube by single flaring a piece of steel tubing, shape it as necessary and insert it into the hole. The press fit upper tube holds everything in place.

Or Summit will sell you one: Dipstick Tube Extension p/n 3951600

[Trucknut]

I don't have the knowledge that some of the guys do, but I may have an idea for you. What if you tried putting a slight downward bend somewhere on the lower end of the dipstick. This may deflect it off the obstruction and allow it to continue down lower in the pan. You may have to remark the "Full & Low" levels on the tube. It may solve your problem.

Jus' sayin'

I had to pull the engine on my 66 Lemans over a dipstick issue. It wasn't too bad because the front clip was still off. My problem was that the builder had forgotten to install the lower tube. When I went to crank it for the first time the dipstick wrapped around the crank. Thankfully I wasn't trying to start it. No damage. Just a dipstick that looked like a spring on the end. LOL

Good luck,

Chris

[wwilliams181]

Thanks guys. I found a link on a similar issue after I posted.. seems I should have machined the cap and used a smaller head bolt for clearance... I have never used a dipstick in an engine that I put billet caps on.. just plugged the holes and keep on trucking.. cobalt I don't know if mine will..
Not much clearance and the dipstick barely fits in the factory hole.. was really trying to do this without removing the pan.. I bent and twisted the end on the stick..doesn't look to awful. Also cut a notch on the backside of the tube to allow the stick to bend back a little as it goes past the cap.. may try to find a round flexible one and see if it is any better. If not looks like pan will have to come off... :-(