Damned dipstick

[spro]

I can't believe I would post this but so angry. I've been around this certain engine, flat four, and would never rob it of oil. Yet it became a knocking. I check and recheck numerous times and it's always too high at first two checks then it's right.
They way they did the dipstick and tube on these is that the tube bends and the dipstick has a spiral which holds the oil. So I've checked it 5 times to see if it was right with new oil. Then it's rod-knocking and piston slapping and the oil smells 700 mi later. It now can be seen it's slightly low. Then add a quart and it's still not high. The temperature change and burnt oil allows me to see it more clear. The pressure gage light never says anything is wrong while running for the pump has pressure. Hopefully it had to the bearings. I'm still angry. I'm angry at myself for not tapping a guage off a port to KNOW the pressure.
That freakin knocking may be with an engine of over 100K and the other things it went through. If I cannot extend its life, in my care, I am disappointed in myself while the world falls down around me.

[thomas harris]

breaking is what mechanical things do best. so don't beat yerself over it.

[rrnut-2]

January 17, I changed the oil on my car that we are driving to Florida with. I go to check the oil while filling and the top of the dipstick is in my hand with the rest of it still in the tube. Oh crap! I dug the rest of the dipstick out, and plugged it with silicone rubber; top only. Refilled the engine with 4.8 quarts of oil, which is what the manual says it takes, and it didn't leak. We lucked out, the oil light never came on, on the whole trip. Now to get a new dip stick. So yes! Damned Dipstick!

Jim B

[gcarsen]

Dipsticks can be fun,
My friend tom, his astro van, the dipstick rusted of the handle, fell down in the engine and wrapped itself around the crank!!! thank fully we where planning on doing the timming chain that weekend! getting parts was another story!

then on my Dakota truck, I blew the serpenten belt of one night pulling onto the freeway! the belt looped up, wrapped around the handle, pulled it out and wadded it up around the fan!! what a mess!
Grant

[ronm]

On the GMC V6 in my old service truck, the dipstick tube went right past the starter...One day, the tube pulled out of the block when I pulled the stick-when I pushed it back in, it touched the hot post on the solenoid...
At least the arced-off chunk didn't fall in the engine...

[lotsasteam]

The dipstick on my FJ Cruiser is just there because it came with it:to check the oil i use a 1/4 silicon tube couple feet long copy the dipstick mark on the original dipstick and get a very accurate reading!
Manfred

[spro]

MAN! Men, I thought i saw some stuff. Grant, i would call that a real one-in a million deal. Thanks for all the input and I have a theory about my engine.. I had not owned a water-cooled flat four. Shortly after purchase I had to tear into it and replace the water pump, timing belt, idlers and make some tools to get it apart. During that timeing time, I found how relatively difficult it was to time correctly and also that it is an "interference" engine. That all went well and i checked the compression and stuff, tracked a bad injector and it's been good. It Did always have a certain "tic" which went away at warmup- i considered that to be a bad hydr. lifter. This engine has mechanical adj Over hydr lifters. I never went in there and replaced or ajusted it.

This evening at startup, there was no banging at all. Being a quart low didn't help anything yet there is more to this.
If the engine comes to rest at the point THAT valve is being depressed, the faulty lifter has lost All its pressure and sets up this hammering till well after it should be pumped. (I swear it sounds like a knock or slap but that stuff doesn't go away).

Sorry for the long post but I enjoy talking with you guys, guess i'm selfish

[spro]

Manfred. Your probably talking a newer Cruiser. I had an FJ 40 and still have a complete head for one in good condtion. All springs, valves, as it came. 235 ci, as iirc. I'd sell it cheap.

[spro]

Well the engine isn't healing itself. Something is coming apart in there. It's a pain in the back to even get all the plugs out. Let'see. I'll defuse the fuel pump and ignition and spin it. See which piston and train is banging or crap.. taking the whole thing apart.

[neanderman]

At least the arced-off chunk didn't fall in the engine...

And it didn't go up in flames...