Thanks Wynn!

[83GT460]

For the past month or so I have been searching for a dip stick tube for my 95SC and since Ford no longer feels the need to supply parts such as this it has been disappointing to say the least. Today however I decided to drive over to Beaumont to visit with Wynn to discuss a project that he is working on for me and while I was there he hooked me up with one of the obivously rare 94-95 dip stick tubes and so I wanted to take a minute to say thanks to Wynn.

Charles

[Dahoopd]

Wouldnt a dipstick tube out of a 94/95 NA 3.8 work?

[83GT460]

Originally Posted by Dahoopd

Wouldnt a dipstick tube out of a 94/95 NA 3.8 work?

I don't know for sure but I doubt it because of having to clear the IC tubes, I do however know that the 94-95 is about 4 to 5 inches longer than the 89-93 model SC tubes.

Charles

[Ddubb]

.. Ive been looking for one of those for the last 6 months.


Does he have any more ?????

- Dan

[CaifanSC]

Originally Posted by 83GT460

I don't know for sure but I doubt it because of having to clear the IC tubes, I do however know that the 94-95 is about 4 to 5 inches longer than the 89-93 model SC tubes.

Charles

No they are not my friend. I did an article for the upcoming Charging Thunder about adding a windage tray to 89-93 engines and as part of the article I compared the 89-93 and the 94-95 dipstick blades and their corresponding tubes. I must tell you they are exactly the same...one will work to replace the other. The only differences are the way the dipstick blade seals with the tube. The 89-93 blade just sort of seals over the tube, the 94-95 blade actually goes into the tube forming a better seal. They both seal the same way to the block. Not a big issue, but the 94-95 is a little better.

I have pix of them side by side and there are no shape or size (length) differences.

Soooooooo, if need be, Dan, you can use an 89-93 dipstick. I remember in another thread you mentioned the dipstick was one of the last items you needed to complete your rebuild. So if you cant find one, u can use the early one.

[83GT460]

Originally Posted by CaifanSC

No they are not my friend. I did an article for the upcoming Charging Thunder about adding a windage tray to 89-93 engines and as part of the article I compared the 89-93 and the 94-95 dipstick blades and their corresponding tubes. I must tell you they are exactly the same...one will work to replace the other. The only differences are the way the dipstick blade seals with the tube. The 89-93 blade just sort of seals over the tube, the 94-95 blade actually goes into the tube forming a better seal. They both seal the same way to the block. Not a big issue, but the 94-95 is a little better.

I have pix of them side by side and there are no shape or size (length) differences.

Soooooooo, if need be, Dan, you can use an 89-93 dipstick. I remember in another thread you mentioned the dipstick was one of the last items you needed to complete your rebuild. So if you cant find one, u can use the early one.

I did not say that an 89-93 will not work but they are not the same length. The difference in length is the portion of the dip stick tube that is out of the block. I don't know if you just compared two side by side or if you had several to look at but unless the Ford dealers I spoke to were incorrect, they show two different part numbers that do not cross over as interchangeable and the six or seven cars that Wynn has that he and I both looked at today were definately not the same. I would guess that you saw two that were actually the same part number, however I have been told by another member that he replaced his 95 broken tube with an earlier model and that it will work but that they were not the same. I guess it is irrelevant in any case since both seem to be discontinued by Ford.

Charles

[rzibilske77]

Charles...shut up already about your priceless dipstick tube ....ha...j/k
How is Wynn doing......are things coming along...project wise?

[Ddubb]

Ive been debating on using an early style Dipstick tube .. now I'm really confused

I have pieces of my 94 tube, it broke right below the flange .. I dont know if it can be repaired or if I should even bother.


- Dan

[83GT460]

Originally Posted by Ddubb

Ive been debating on using an early style Dipstick tube .. now I'm really confused

I have pieces of my 94 tube, it broke right below the flange .. I dont know if it can be repaired or if I should even bother.


- Dan

I tried that as well because mine broke in the same spot, although I was able to weld the pieces together it would not push far enough into the block to seal correctly and leaked oil. I was actually at the point that I had decided to make one from some tubing then weld the original bracket to hold it in place. I think if you talk to Jullian Miller he can tell you more about it as I believe he is using the early model in his 95.

Charles

[CaifanSC]

Originally Posted by 83GT460

I did not say that an 89-93 will not work but they are not the same length. The difference in length is the portion of the dip stick tube that is out of the block. I don't know if you just compared two side by side or if you had several to look at but unless the Ford dealers I spoke to were incorrect, they show two different part numbers that do not cross over as interchangeable and the six or seven cars that Wynn has that he and I both looked at today were definately not the same. I would guess that you saw two that were actually the same part number, however I have been told by another member that he replaced his 95 broken tube with an earlier model and that it will work but that they were not the same. I guess it is irrelevant in any case since both seem to be discontinued by Ford.

Charles

Yep, ur right...they're different part numbers from ford, they're different parts altogether but they are interchangable. I've attached a pic of the early and late ones. The only difference lengthwise I notice is at the bottom of the tube...the late model (black one) seems to go into the block slightly less than the early tube (nasty rusded one). By the way the late tube didnt have the bracket bc it was removed.

[Ddubb]

Kind of hard to tell from the pictures, the rusted one blends into your work bench. But they do look very simular, with the exception of the finish .. and the way the bracket looks on the early model tube.

When I pulled mine out, it looked like it had some silicone sealer around the base, which is probably one of the reasons it broke, I have the Ford shop manual, but I havent looked into it yet, I dont know if thats normal to do or if somebody had a problem with the engine before I got it.

... so, if the Early style is actually longer where it goes Into the block, it can be trimmed and bent to match the Late model tube ??

As long as it clears the windage tray everything should be fine is what I am thinking ?

The bracket looks to be bent somewhat different, but it should still mount to the exhaust manifold stud the same way as the late model tube ??

And lastly, the late model Dipstick itself will seal into the Early model tube just as good as the late model ??

Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to be pretty specific with what I am doing here before I try to TIG weld and re-use my old tube, buy a new one and splice the two together, or just use an older style tube alltogether.

- Dan

[Dahoopd]

Maybe someone like FastEd can answer, I tried to search the Ford site with no prevail. I have a dipstick out of a 95SC and it matches the one you posted pics of for the early style. The base is much longer. I can add a pic if needed. I truly believe that all dipsticks are created equal for the designated years. Short base v.s. long for the 89/95 SC or base model dipsticks. It just needs to be verified. I have a call into a friend at a local Ford dealer to verify this. The only concern I see at this point is the windage tray and the amount of tube that protrudes into ther pan. The lengths of the tube aside from the base have been proven.


My only concern is trying to find an acceptable replacement for those of us that have been stuck with the Guiness Book of Discontinued parts.

[ThunderDave]

I bought one from Capital Ford here in Raleigh a few years ago for my 91 SC. It was the only one he had.

[Ddubb]

I checked with Ed already .. there are No SC Dipstick tubes in Canada or the USA, for any year, available through the dealership. Looks like a Junkyard item. Ive been trying to talk to Lokar about using a flexible braided style, but the Tech said they cant make a custom one with the bend in the part that goes into the oil pan, I dont see why not.

- Dan

[83GT460]

Originally Posted by Ddubb

I checked with Ed already .. there are No SC Dipstick tubes in Canada or the USA, for any year, available through the dealership. Looks like a Junkyard item. Ive been trying to talk to Lokar about using a flexible braided style, but the Tech said they cant make a custom one with the bend in the part that goes into the oil pan, I dont see why not.

- Dan

I think the reason they can't is they use a machined piece rather than a thin wall piece of tubing. If you want to make one using flexable hose all you need to do is make the piece that goes into the block out of tubing, weld another piece on to that, drill and tap it so you can attach the hose to it, make the bracket to hold it in place and it is all good. Oh and the dip stick handle O-ring fits tight enough to seal at the top if you were to use #8 braided hose, and yes I have already done it but I had concerns about my header tubes melting the inside of the hose and it causing problems.

Charles