First off...the mistake was made during final assembly, we were obviously morons for missing this step. Somehow we didn't realize that the dipstick tube needed to be installed into the engine, not from outside. We didn't realize this until today when we were torqueing down the intake getting ready to fire the engine. Needless to say, I seriously DO NOT WANT TO PULL THIS ENGINE AGAIN, especially at the point its at right now...unless there's no way around it. Is there a fix for this??? I know we can't be the first ones to make this mistake. There has to be an answer for this. Ideas????
oh, it's in the car. it's ready to fire, that's why I'm hoping there's a way around this. i had a guy early today tell me to use a chevy dipstick tube, but i'm thinking there's no way that's even working.
Everybody makes mistakes. some of us many times... If you look about halfway down this page you can see the two parts to the pontiac dipstick tube.http://www3.telus.net/68bird/engine_bottom_end.htm the top half of the tube could be installed from the outside of the block but the bottom half goes on before the pan and there would be no way to do it from the outside. with the top half in you could insert the dipstick but it would not be directed into the correct area of the pan and may contact the rotating crankshaft... I guess a person could fill the crankcase with the correct amount of oil, then insert a dipstick and mark where it goes to . then remove the dipstick and somehow seal the tube without the dipstick for while the engine is running? then just remove the cap and insert the dipstick for when you want to check the oil level? maybe?
that's what I'm honestly considering doing. I plan on totally restoring the car in another year or two, so it's only going to be temporary. I had the engine rebuilt over the winter but the bird is going to need a resto coming up. if there is a way to just mount the upper part of the tube into the block & just check the oil when the motor isn't running, that's fine. that will work until I pull it for the restoration.
Don't dick around with it. Suck it up and pull the motor. You've already done it at least once. By now you could do it in your sleep. I can pull mine and have it back in the car and running in about 6 hours, by myself, if I don't have to make a beer run.
that's exactly what I did, installed the top portion & cut a spare dipstick down to just cap the end & another dipstick to use to check the oil when the engine isn't running. problem solved!
