sealing the dipstick tube

7

76bluescout

New member
Ok, I wasnt really paying attention when I was changing the oilpan seal and when I was dropping the pan I missed the bar that holds the tube to the manifold. One good tap on the pan later to break the seal loose and the pan came down, but of course the tube stayed in place and came out of the pan.
Now im trying to figure out what actually sealed the tube to the pan, there is some goo in there that looks like it was a gasket sealer to help seal it up, but with the diy garbage that ive seen on this truck so far I dont trust anything anymore. (it really opens your eyes when your sliding under the truck and see a drywall screw where there should be a body bolt.. Seems the front cab mount rusted away and the po decided to put a hockey puck there for a spacer and run a drywall screw there to hold it in place :eek:)
so for the life of me I cant find anything that tells me how the tube was attached or sealed to the pan, please tell me its just a press in friction fit that magically seals itself! (yea right my luck its prob brazed in from the factory and the po put chewing gum in there to hold it inplace when it broke off)
 
A Scout II uses a "side mount" dip stick tube that goes directly into the pan. Other variations of the sv engine when used in different ihc platforms use a dipstick tube mounted in other locations.

Yes, originally the dipstick tube was a semi-press fit into the pan boss. That is exactly why they leaked oil from that location just as soon as oil was dispensed into the engine on the assembly line.

The method of sealing that tube into the pan to prevent leaks varies depending upon whether I'm building a fresh motor on the stand or making a "repair" such as your situation. For this one I would:

1) wire brush buff the pan boss and get it sterile, no paint, no accumulated mung, nice and bright metal. Especially clean down inside the boss. Finish it off using aerosol carb cleaner or brakes cleaner.

2) perform the same cleanup/prep on the dipstick tube also.

3) use hylomar or permatex #2 and coat the end of the tube. Use a probe and apply the same sealant down inside the pan boss hole. Don't be concerned with getting sealer in the pan, what tiny amount might go down there is of no concern at all.

4) stick the tube down in the hole until it's completely seated, then secure the top mount to the exhaust manifold. Let it cure for at least 8 hours before putting into use.

An alternate sealant would be the hi-tek product from permatex (and others) sold under the "right stuff" brand as the "grey" (product #34311). While that stuff is a silicone base, it's a totally different product compared to all the other forms of rtvshit ya see hanging on the wall. It's not even on the same planet chemistry-wise as the various "silicone/rtv" shit that most folks use nowadays instead of proper gaskets and are the absolute worst shit to use for anything on the planet except maybe caulking a bathtub.
 
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