I am going to make a couple dipstick tubes and wondering how they make this bulge that stops it when pressing into the block. I can come up with another way to do the same thing but just curious how they are made. Does anyone know? I will likely use a brass ring and crimp it on but if this is something I can do I would like to.

 

Some type of high powered press or flaring tool is my guess.

 

You could TIG a washer to it and grind the washer down or use no washer and stack the filler material.

 

It is pressed, one die is clamped to the long end (if you look close you can see the clamp marks), other die slides over the short end with a gap in the middle. The short end die also has a slug/ pin in the center so the tube does not collapse inward. The press then forces the two ends together to close the gap. If you have a machinist's lathe, you could make something similar to this. For the long side tube clamp, use a brake flaring tool (possibly 2 or 3 stacked together to get enough grip). Then machine a two piece pug to go into the short end. One part would be a long pin to go inside past the pressed ring and have a ridge larger than the diameter of the tube which would be what presses on the end of the tube. Second part will basically be a simple collar with a slip fit over the outside diameter of the tube that the 1st part will push against (this is the piece that would set the length of the tube going into the block). Clamp the flaring tool in a press, and use the two piece tool to press in the ring. If this does not make sense, I could probably draw up a design in Autocad to explain it better.

 

That is pretty cool! I for the most part understand but what makes it flex out instead of trying to go in?

 

The upper die that presses on the end of the tube will need to have a pin that goes inside the tube. The pin will need to be long enough to go past the crimped ring area. This will keep the crimp from going in. You can also machine a "ledge" into the collar to set the size of the crimped ring. The press that did the original ones would have lubrication and enough force to easily pull the pin out of the tube. It may take some trial and error if you go that route to get the clearances just right so the tool comes back out. Hopefully this makes sense, but I will draw something up if it is still unclear.

 

This is nearly the exact flare used in the later model GMs quick connect fuel lines. The hydraulic mastercool flare kit will make it easy enough.

 

I am not a machinist but I do have the idea. Will take me lots of trial and error to get it right. I have not hooked my lathe up yet and not run one for nearly 30 years, lol

 

66 jetstar,
That is a great idea as well.

 

Yeah this is one of those easy to make a billion of once the 500K press is set up.

 

Do these not fit? Seems like a lot of time and tooling to save $12

https://www.thepartsplaceinc.com/par...part_no=401357

https://www.thepartsplaceinc.com/pro...m-401568/11417

 

Eric isn't making a tube for a second gen Olds V8. No one repros dipstick tubes for Jetfires. No, they are not the same as on other 215s.

 

I guess I missed the part where he describes needing it for a Jetfire....

That being said, what's different about the bulge stop on a 215 that's different than a bulge stop on any other dipstick tube? If it's length, it's probably far easier to weld an extension to an existing tube than re-create the bulge.

 

And that is only part of the battle. Then I need to make a dipstick. That will be much easier though.

I was actually thinking about cutting the bottoms off my extra 350 and 455 tubes and using a coupler to solder them to a longer tube. The coupler would be under the air cleaner so nobody would see it. This I think would be the easiest way to do it. I have not checked if the OD is the same but I think they are?

 

If you insert a copper rod that's just under the tube ID into the tube as a backer you should be able to TIG or MIG it and then withdraw it. That should maintain the inside diameter of the annular space. A little grinding and you won't even be able to tell it's been modified.

I modified a heat riser tube a while ago to use a 70 exhaust manifold heat shroud to connect to a 68 air cleaner that sat on a Performer manifold. The heat riser is a much larger diameter but I used copper flashing as a backer and it worked well.

 

​​​​​​​A flaring tool for brake lines has the same type of ridges in it for gripping tubing. The double flare button is designed for bulging tubing outward because it has a mandrel that fits inside the tubing. Maybe you could use two flaring tools and a couple of c-clamps to put a crimp in the middle of a piece of tubing. You could also use a solid rod down the tube as the mandrel to make sure the tube bulges out instead of in. Then use a tubing bender to make the shape you need. For the dipstick you can use a length of a fish tape. The fish tape will not bend in multiple directions unless you put a twist (or two) in it. I had to do that for a dipstick on my Winnebago a couple months ago when I drove from Albuquerque to Norfolk. I tested the depth just after changing the oil so I knew it was full and I didn't need more than one mark on it. Just scratched it with a file at the full mark. I suppose you could measure it a quart low when changing the oil to get the "add" mark.