I looked back about 5 pages under the search for dipstick and didnt see anything, but I am sure this has been asked before...

Does anyone know what dipstick will fit a 455 with Headman (i think) full tube headers? i got the Mr gasket one from Oreilly, but could not ever get it close.. i tried adding some bend to it, but it never got closer to fitting. I called Lokar, and they cant tell me. They have one for a Milodon pan with a threaded hole in the pan, but not one for the regular Milodon deep pan I have.

Also my oil fill tube is loose. Is there a trick to getting back secure? Would it be possible to plug this hole with maybe the correct size freeze plug, and then make valve covers with a fill hole in them? I Just thought it would look better...


For the last year I have been draining my oil into a home depot, painters bucket with quart markings, and then pouring it back in the motor... Yup that is how I check my oil.

 

The oil fill tube is just a press fit, you might try tapping on a 2x4 that's resting on the tube to tap it back in.

I used a spectre chrome dipstick on my 350, the flare that goes in the block was too fat I filed it down until it was a tight press fit.

Check to be sure your old dip stick tube isn't broken off in the block

 

I will try that with the fill tube..

It has not had a dipstick since I bought it, and the hole was plugged with silicone, which i recently removed while the pan was off...so there is definitely nothing broken inside the pan.

 

Like the last post said, are you sure your old one is not broke off and, part still in the block? Once you see if that is or is not, a stock tube will work with headers. I file the ridges down a little to make it easier to drive in. Put a screw in the opening and tap it in.

 

Huh.. I could never even get the tube to line up. I couldnt even begin to push it in. Do i need to pull the headers off first...

 

I have found the cheap chrome dipstick tubes fit loose and need the end that goes in the block ground down. I could not fit them in the block till I ground the bottom down some. The Supercar Unlimited tubes fit tight, very hard to get in but a much better fit but more dollars.

 

I have never looked closely at the dipstick on an Olds engine with headers so I could not tell for sure what is correct but the tube is more or less straight on an engine with factory exhaust manifolds. If your replacement will not fit, perhaps it is not the right one or you have something completely unique on your engine. Pictures would help a great deal with something like this. A nice detailed photo of your engine that shows the location of the dipstick tube hole and a pic of the dipstick tube you are trying to install would probably clear it all up and get you the advice you need.

 

I did a search for "rebuild" in the Big Block forum and found this picture. It shows a factory original dipstick and tube. It does have a slight bend to it so that might be the issue you are having. If your replacement is perfectly straight you will need to make a couple bends in it. BE GENTLE with it, you don't want to kink it.

 

I got a chance to go out and look again today. So now I understand and can explain a little better:

I have no room between the tubes and the header flange to install anything. I tried to make the cheap mr gasket one come away from the block some towards the fenderwell, but the angle ended up too severe for the dipstick to navigate or push the tube into the block.

 

You may need to dimple the inside of the header tube to get you dipstick to fit in there.

 

I used Lokar braided dipstick for LS engines on my BBO. Cut it to match the length of original and grind the bottom nut to be flushed with a block.