273 dipstick tube length...Dads is...BROKEN!!

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4spdragtop

4spdragtop

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So when dad took the engine in to the machine shop to get the cam bearings installed they ended up breaking the dipstick tube for engine oil......ahhh frustrations dont end there, the guy threw the bottom piece out!! So we have the dipstick and the top part of the tube....does anyone know the proper length on the tube?? That way we can adapt one....

Thanks
4spdragtop
 
Steve it looks as thought the tube is the same for all smallblocks. I just measured the one in my 360 block and it is 11 1/4 inches from the ring at the block. If you have one from another Mopar smallblock you should be good to go.

Hopefully someone will chime in here and confirm.
 
Any will work; change oil, check stick. If incorrect length, just make a new full mark.
 
I broke mine off during the rebuild and tried 2 different aftermarket ones. Both were wrong. I ended up measuring the stock one and ordered some seamless tubing online to make my own. tmm
 
Seems they always break right at the block so you likely have the majority of it.
I've got a 273 and 68 318 and a 73 318 here and every one has a different length tube and stick. I can get a pic and measurement of the 273 tube tomorrow morning.
 
Dad bought an aftermarket dipstick and tube and the dipstick is different length than Dads orig one. In my twisted brain, what Im thinking to make or adapt using the orig dipstick is the measurement of bottom of dipstick tube to bottom of dipstick?? Of course the overall length of dipstick would help as well...Lemme all know what ya think??
 
RedFish said:
Seems they always break right at the block so you likely have the majority of it.
I've got a 273 and 68 318 and a 73 318 here and every one has a different length tube and stick. I can get a pic and measurement of the 273 tube tomorrow morning.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ben, see my post above and lemme know if my brain is working right?
 
Nope the tip of the stick is exposed inside the block so it is longer than the tube.
 
Im gonna try something here on the puter bear with me LOL Top solid line is total length of orig tube....dotted line is the orig dipstick, and all dipsticks are longer on all sets of tubes/sticks. 2nd dipstick and tube...notice the bottom one is longer than orig dipstick and tube, but the part that is crucial is the amount of dipstick that sits beyond the end of the tube....thats why I need the length of the (orig) tube. Technically it doesnt matter how long the tube is as long as the stick is matched to the tube. Its hard to describe by typing......

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4spdragtop said:
So when dad took the engine in to the machine shop to get the cam bearings installed they ended up breaking the dipstick tube for engine oil......ahhh frustrations dont end there, the guy threw the bottom piece out!! So we have the dipstick and the top part of the tube....does anyone know the proper length on the tube?? That way we can adapt one....

Thanks
4spdragtop
Click to expand...


My '67 273 is apart for overhaul and the tube measures 9 1/8" overall and 8" from where it seats in the block to the top... It has a slight bend to it and I followed it with the tape measure.

Should be easy to find and take the later one and use a tubing cutter to trim to length.
 
They broke it,so i sure hope they,re gonna pay for a new one?If ya broke their,s they would expect the same.:eek:ops:
 
This is a 273 dipstick that was replaced years ago because some clown thought he could get it out with a vice grip or pipe wrench or some such tool. The bend is now a bit more extreme than it came with but the lengths should be very close.

9-1/8 overall tube length, 8-1/8 from block to top of tube

18-1/8 dipstick length

Hope this helps.
 

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Here's a NOS dipstick tube. The overall length is 9 1/16" and from the bottom of the flair to the top of the tube is 8 1/16"
 

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Well that just goes to show you that when you buy things beware. When I looked it up on some of the sites that sell them, they described a one size fits all smallblocks. I see from this that isn't the case.
 
looks like we've identified the tube and stick for the 273.
Would anyone else recommend ordering another fuel pump gasket with the dipstick tube order ?
 
funny that they are all LA blocks and the tube is in the same place in all of them. oil pans same, oil pump (non hv) and pickup tube are same (car not truck) wonder why so many differences in tube length, a/c and such I guess?
I would think if both are replaced with oem parts, tube and stick as a matched pair all should be normal?
 
Yeah the 66 and earlier LA had a different alternater bracket that had a hole for the dip stick to locate through. As the alternater brackets and such changed the dip stick tube did too. One other slight difference, The 273 dipstick shows full at 4 and a half quarts. The others show full at 5 quarts. I run 5 quarts in my 273 and I poked a O ring inside the sticks cap to alter its stop depth so it shows full mark at 5 quarts.
 
That's interesting. When you look them up online at some of the parts places they sell a tube and stick and claim it's for all smallblocks. 273, 318, 340, 360 they really should be more precise in their descriptions.

I learned somethin' here.
 
I may have one in the storage place you can have. i am working all weekend so it will be Monday before I can check
 
Hey Grim and Hawaii thanks for the pics!!
I have no idea why they are different lengths to them and it doesnt really matter, what matters is how much of the dipstick is sticking out the bottom into the pan, as that is where the measuring takes place. Dads also didnt/doesnt have a mounting tab and his block I believe is a 66 date code.

Hey Cobra50, shoot me a pm, we may need it, Im going to chk today and see what the depth on Dads aftermarket one is.

Hey Red, why were you asking bout the fuel pump gasket??

Thanks everyone!!
 
The fuel pump is in the way of installing the tube. I've found it easiest to remove the fuel pump , install the tube then bend the tube just enough to clear the bolt ear on the pump.
 
RedFish said:
The fuel pump is in the way of installing the tube. I've found it easiest to remove the fuel pump , install the tube then bend the tube just enough to clear the bolt ear on the pump.
Click to expand...

Thats what I thought you were thinking, the engine is still on the stand, so the fuel pump isnt bolted on yet. Thanks for the heads up though!
 
If you've got a replacement tube and the old dipstick fits it (I've found that most of the new replacement tubes are different I.D.s and often too large to fit into the block without removing some material) you can just cut the tube the same length, from where it seats in the block to the top of the tube, and the old dipstick should measure accurately.
 
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