408 - Crank hitting dip stick

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Thanatos340

Thanatos340

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I finally got my new 408 broke in, Still chasing a few problems down but had it ready to take around the block a few times. After about a mile started hearing a bad noise, Got it home and found the Crank was hitting the dip stick. Pulled the dip stick and it was almost Z shaped from where the crank had hit it about 8 inches up. Fortunately just bent all up and nothing I could see broken.
My worries are it was not doing this at all during the break in process or any of the testing over the past week I have had it running. Also once I straightened out, it was not hitting any more but I am worried it will happen again and do some damage.

Is this a common problem with Stroker Motors? I was considering cutting off the dipstick to plug the tube without it extending into the pan and carrying a second dip stick to use for just checking the oil.

Anyone else seen this problem and have a suggestion?
 
Thanatos340 said:
I was considering cutting off the dipstick to plug the tube without it extending into the pan and carrying a second dip stick to use for just checking the oil.

Anyone else seen this problem and have a suggestion?
Click to expand...

That's what I would do.
 
I asked on the other thread and didn't get an answer so I'll ask again. What's the difference between the Milodon and stock replacement dip stick, besides the fancy billet handle? They would have to be the same length to read properly correct?

I've been reading everything I can about stroker small blocks for ten years now, and all of the sudden stock dip sticks are no good?!?
 
LOL yea right, suddenly!
Makes me wonder whT I'll see with the 4.25 stroke over the 4.0 arm.
 
I wish I had taken Pictures before straightening the Dip Stick. It was pretty ugly but fortunately for me not as bad as the other guy who had the same thing happen.

My Build - Blueprint Engines 408 Short Block (Yes, I know a lot of people don't like Blueprint but everything I checked on this short block looked good) and I was using Summit Stock 360 Oil Pan, Milodon MIL-41007 Oil pan gasket and Speedmaster Chrome tube Billet handle Dip Stick. No windage tray or baffles.

The engine ran great during break in and no issues until I took out out. First couple trips around the block were fine. Took it out on a main road and goosed it a bit (Nothing harsh as it is still breaking in but enough to break the back tires loose for a second.) and right after that is when I heard the noise and stopped. Crystal clear where the noise was coming from when I looked at the engine as the dipstick was bouncing all around. Shut her down and pulled out the mangled Dip Stick.

One theory I have is since I am not running baffles or a windage tray, Oil sloshing may have pushed the Dipstick around in the pan and into the Crank. Once it hit one time (About 8 inched up) it bent and then the bottom was hitting. Making me really regret not going with a Kevoko Pan right now.

I am curious what oil pan and stick the other guys was using.
 
BrianT said:
I'm serious. I've never heard of any problems then we have TWO in the same week?
Click to expand...

Same thing- i never heard anything about 408's eating dipsticks!?? Or obviously I would have done something different ! (The GREAT part of this forum) so far the similarity seems to be no windage tray and I just got a cheap chrome dipstick from Summit in a big parts order. When I looked at the dipstick on line I thought "gezz I really dislike chrome!". I never gave thoughts to buying a Milodon dipstick. Brain T brings up a great point about the dipstick having to be the same length. so here's what I've learned after the major fiasco of taking off the oil pan in the car which was previously put on while the motor was on a stand right out in front of me all clean and new and now I'm trying to get this &@$#! thing back in scraping lying on the ground and praying that doesn't leak beyond taking the intake manifold off good lord I don't even want to go on anymore. but anyways I'm using the Chrome dipstick. I just cut it off at about 6 inches and have a little spring on top of it to hold it down. but now here's the interesting thing about what Brian T was saying- I took my old 318 dipstick which was stock and more rigid to check the oil as if I didn't know I just put 8 quarts in it and its not leaking and about an inch before it's seated in the hole it stopped and hit the oil pan as it's much more rigid than the cheap Chrome summit dipstick that probably hit that spot bent over towards the motor or the crank? which brings us totally back to Brian T question- will the Milodon dipstick just go down far enough or not?last but not least there's no way I'll put the dipstick full length into my running stroker until I've had the motor out again and can research were this things going.:coffee2:
 
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