Dipstick clearance issue with stage 2 heads

The dipstick tube can be made to fit and it will work, I have modified many. I'm sure I have photographed this tube but have no idea where to look. Would be easier to just make another I think. I use a tube bending tool with the round aluminum mandrels, with a plier handle. You can only bend the tube in the same direction as the current sweep in the tube otherwise you will not get the dipstick in. The dipstick it's self can only bend in one direction so if the tube has a two directional bend the stick will not be happy and most likely not want to go in.

I do this on an engine stand and bolt the header on with two bolts , one at each end. This way I can loosen the bolts and take one out to get the tube in and out of the block. Once I get the tube to fit, then I fab a bracket to hold it in place. Most of the time I use the bracket that came in the kit. I flatten it out and re-bend it. Most of the time I attach it to the header bolt, for this the bracket needs to be bent into an L at the hole end. Normally I CAREFULLY drill the hole in the bracket larger so the bolt fits though better. Drill before you bend the L tab. Get the L bend close to the tube so you have room to get your wrench on the header bolt. The bracket will run along the header tube maybe a 1/2" inch then another slight bend towards the tube. I curl the end a little to try and hook the tube. Once I have the tube fit, header bolted on, bracket in place and everything adjusted to my liking, I get the oxyacetylene torches and braze the bracket to the tube. I only braze a small area to hold it then remove and finish the brazing off the engine because I don't want to take a chance with the flame against the head or header to long. The reason I bend the bracket this way is so you can get to the header bolt easily and it's out of the way.

I have also made brackets that go the other direction, away from the tube and I drill and tap the header flange and attach that way. Like in the pictures in the last post, heck I'm wondering if I made that one. Hope this opens up your imagination into options. If I can find pictures or the next time I make one I will get photo's up for review.

You can do it!

 

Mike, do you think you've done this same procedure on chassis headers, or is it even possible? I know on my 70 GS 455 with Stage 2 SE heads I was able to get a tube in there but on my 87 Regal with TE's and chassis headers there doesn't appear to be enough room without bending the tube to a 90* coming right out if the block.
I don't think the dipstick would be happy making that sharp of a bend.

 

the larger tubes would make it harder to fit. if I wasn't going to be able to get a tube or stick to work........I was going to use a cable to measure, but wasnt going to leave it in there........not stiff enough to stay put for me. just use it to measure then cap off and store the cable

 

Race engines don't have dipsticks.

 

Ya, that's what I said...

 

Yeah I get that Gary, but like Ben said. It's nice to know you're at the correct level and not too high or too low.
Especially with dry sumps and scavenger systems and extra plumbing.
I usually put in 7-8 quarts at initial start-up and after all lines and filters and plumbing is full, then drain it back out to measure the amount that stays in the pan.
Then put 6 and 5/8 of a quart back in, or whatever the number happens to be.
That way if I have a problem at the track and have to drain the oil, I will know how much to add back in without having to re-use (if I don't want to) the oil I just drained out. At times a dipstick would be helpful.

 

But they do wear diapers...lol

 

This may come off as odd,but some of our newest Mack snow plow trucks have a sight glass on the side of the oil pan for a quick check when the trucks are up on the lift for maintenance.They don't always need an oil change (around 44 quarts per change) and thi makes it nice to know there is ample oil in it. We check the fluids each daily so it's not a big concern,but I thought about putting 5 qts of oil in the pan then you can determine what height the eye would need to be..Perhaps an inch or so lower that your level.I am having a tough time convincing myself on drilling a bole in my new TA aluminum pan,but it may be worth it..
https://lenzinc.com/product/asw-8-gv

 

guess that settles it, mine has a dipstick, so must not be a race engine not sure what it is then,

I just hope I didnt screw it u over the winter. had the converter restalled to try to get my 60 ft to be more in line.......this thing was a ticket printer at the end of last year......hopefully it still will be,

 

I like to check my oil.....even on a "race" car
You can use a skinny dipstick that is used with the tube and take some fairly rigid tubing (Airlift tubing works) and measure the length of the tube and slide that length of tubing on the dipstick. Slide dipstick in the block hole until tubing hits block and pull out and check level.
The I put a slightly machined down pen-length knurled aluminum magnetic pickup tool (buy at Ace hardware) in the hole to block it off. Looks good too....I think

Works for me on both of my track cars.....

 

Pat we see a lot of sight glasses in hydraulic tanks usually, but not engine oil.
We have two '15 Mack's and two '16's and I don't remember seeing them.
But I've never had them on a lift either.
The ones I usually see look they would install from the inside with the large nut surrounding (protecting) the site glass.
Not a bad idea, really!

Thanks,

Philip T.

 

Our 2 newest Macks are 17's .They spec them out for Penn Dot so we get things normal trucks don't always get.For instance,They now get stainless steel pans on the IH trucks as we are in salt constantly..

 

only problem is it will be very hard to read the pan level with the engine in the car.........I would have to lay flat on the ground to do this........I'll keep my stick

 

My TA headers are looking and fitting very different then the pics in this post. pretty much Im not seeing how people are getting the dipstick to fit? the one with the tube or not. I have tried both. I have pics in this thread.
http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/65-67-stage-2-headers.337833/

 

I had to put the tube in first, then slide the header over the tube. If I recall, I had to unbolt the master cylinder from the booster. If I didn't make a windage screen, I probably would have cut the tube shorter but I was concerned that the dipstick would hit the screen and not go through the hole that I made for it.

 

I would have to see the headers on the engine. I have been able to get a tube in almost all.

 

http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/65-67-stage-2-headers.337833/
are you saying that a dipstick in these head/header combo is doable without modifications to the head or headers? I'm just not seeing it. help please!

 

My street (lol) engine doesnt have a dipstick either

 

Sure someone else has mentioned this but don't have time to read all post. before assembling engine I put the correct amount of oil ( actually water) in the pan. Mark and drill hole at top level and weld a threaded bung in side of pan. after each race when the car is on the lift, pull plug and check oil. Don't really need a stick on a racecar.

 

Yeah and after every race you can remove the bung plug and finger the bung hole to check the oil level.

(Sorry I couldn't resist)