moving dip stick tube

Can the dip stick tube be adjusted or moved so it's not blocking the #5 spark plug hole? It's making it damn near impossible for me to get my compression tester fitting in the hole.

you can get a flexible one for a 5.0 mustang. they are same diameter, the dipstick is cut to fit then.. I think lokar makes them.

I was thinking more along the lines of slightly bending the tube so that spark plug sockets and the like have easier access to the hole. At it currently sits, the plug socket drags on the tube. It makes it tough to get it on the plug, but it's accessible. Trying to get the compression tester in there is currently impossible. The adapter is too large in diameter to pass the tube without changing the angle of entry to a point it just can't screw in.

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet, pull the tube, and see if I can heat it up and bend it slightly so it'll give me more clearance.

I heard New York removed the dipstick and sent it to Memphis
Nah seriously you just got to twist and pull and hope it don't break. I have removed them a few times.
Alan

Pablo94SC said:

I was thinking more along the lines of slightly bending the tube so that spark plug sockets and the like have easier access to the hole. At it currently sits, the plug socket drags on the tube. It makes it tough to get it on the plug, but it's accessible. Trying to get the compression tester in there is currently impossible. The adapter is too large in diameter to pass the tube without changing the angle of entry to a point it just can't screw in.

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet, pull the tube, and see if I can heat it up and bend it slightly so it'll give me more clearance.

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Be very careful...bend it too much and it kinks the tube and the dipstick won't go in. You also want to be sure the direction of the bend does not end up causing the portion installed into the block to point the dipstick any closer to the crankshaft, or the crank will hit the end of the dipstick.

David

What kind of compression tester are you using. I just looked at my cyl leakage tester and comp tester and the metal part of the tube that screws into the cyl head is only 2 inch long then a nice flexy rubber hose.

how do you have clearance issues with yours?

David Neibert said:

Be very careful...bend it too much and it kinks the tube and the dipstick won't go in. You also want to be sure the direction of the bend does not end up causing the portion installed into the block to point the dipstick any closer to the crankshaft, or the crank will hit the end of the dipstick.

David

Click to expand...

Good call I should have mentioned that, it does take a little patience. Do not get in a hurry. I have seen several of these motors with broken dipsticks because someone loosened it and didn't put it back for one reason or another.
Alan

90turbo1 said:

What kind of compression tester are you using. I just looked at my cyl leakage tester and comp tester and the metal part of the tube that screws into the cyl head is only 2 inch long then a nice flexy rubber hose.

how do you have clearance issues with yours?

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It's a cheap AZ rental. It's easier to see than describe, but here goes. The hose is made of a semi rigid vinyl. The part that screws into the adapter is also both a) larger than the 17mm socket head for the adapter it comes with and b) allows the hose to swivel so you can't use it to tighten it up. I ended up using my leak-down testers adapter since it had a 3/4" socket head on it and allowed my socket to fit over the hose end, but that was originally too large in diameter to clear the dispstick tube and caused the adapter to never line up properly. No way I was going to force it in and risk stripping out the threads!

Edit: I also tried using both adapters together at one point for extra reach, but that didn't work.

I ended up loosening the dipstick mount on the manifold and was able to get about a 1/8" more clearance to get the adapter in the port and tightened up. Took over 30 minutes to install and remove the adapter from that one cylinder.

My leak down tester, on the other hand, has a nice rubber hose that doesn't twist in the fitting. I was easily able to tighten and remove the adapter from the spark plug hole by turning the hose itself. Then it only took a couple turns on the adapter itself to snug it up fully. Too bad that hose didn't have the schrader valve in it for compression testing. Would have made my life a lot easier.