Worn out OIL STICK and Dr Krieger's advice needed

JP Roberts writes

If it's anything like a 65 Corvair, the dip stick goes directly into the oil pan. I busted the pan of a 65 Corvair, took it off and had the machine shop where I was stationed in the Navy (back woods country, you don't wanna know) bang it out and repair the crack. While I was putting the pan back on I noticed that the dip stick rattled -- it was a rattle I had been trying to find for over a year. Two problems solved that day.

Have your mechanic take the oild pan off. Anything he finds he can keep.

Dave

First, there's no path from the oil system to your injector nozzles. You could fill the pan with beer and you'd never have any of it reach the injectors ;-)

Second, that plastic bit has been sitting in your oil pan for how long now - without melting? What would make you think there's suddenly a risk of it melting now?

I wouldn't worry about it...

Good advice. But if you hear a rattle........... d;o)

Seriously though ...

If the mech broke the cap so that it leaks vacuum it will screw up the overall engine vacuum and the way it runs.

A back yard mechanic test for the type 44s is to pull the dip stick when the engine is idling. If it causes the engine to idle rough and almost die then the dipstick seal must be holding vacuum when it is in place and there are no other leaks in the system.

Sounds to me like the mechanic owes you at least one new dipstick.

T> DT writes:

Thanks to all, and in particular to you, Tony. I think you've finally shed some light on the (up to now) unsubstantiated erratic rise in idle rpm.

JP Roberts

"TonyJ" escribió en el mensaje news:3faddca0$0$41290$ snipped-for-privacy@newsreader.visi.com...

No make, no model, just speculation here. Many of the older cars had a plastic dipstick guide tube at the top. They used to be red plastic, now they're orange. They bust all the time, they cost under $2. The plastic left in the tube won't hurt a thing. Guide tubes have been breaking since the early 80's. Sounds to me like your mechanic doesn't know VW's.

I've just learned the plastic guide tube at the top could be replaced. Now the replacement I got is different from the original one, and as the bottom part had come to pieces, I have no way of checking the length sticks to original size. I'm worried I may damage either the engine or the catalitic convertor if I don't get the level right.

JP

"JPF" escribió en el mensaje news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

So *borrow* a dipstick from someone with the same engine as yours and put yours together!

-- C.R. Krieger (A lawyer, not a doctor - don't even play one on TV)

I don't mean to be dumb but the part I got had no VW logo, I guess it's just OEM. By open end, do you mean the end with the two little cuts on the edge?

Also, do you stick the cap with glue? If so, next time it needs a replacement, I'll have to replace the whole dispstick, won't I?

Thanks,

JP

"JPF" escribió en el mensaje news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Easier said than done! I don't happen to know anyone around who can match that "dipstick" :)

Seriously, though, I've been to the stealer today, and they said they'd never heard of any different caps than the one I'd got at a parts store, and that they'd have to look into the matter as that part was not in their Etka list. I was instructed to go there tomorrow morning as they'd have a full dipstick set to compare with. Ain't it funny how such a stupid thing can make you waste so much time? That's part of the VW-Audi-Seat-Skoda-you-name-it business. They've got so much they can't cope with it!

JP

"C.R. Krieger" escribió en el mensaje news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...