Tips to installing oil dipstick?

[blackfire93]

So I would have been done installing my pacesetter mids about 3 days ago, but I've been wiggling my dipstick around for those 3 days trying to get it to go in the quarter of an inch that it has left. Does anybody have any tips as to how and make it a little easier to get in? I've heard that some people put it in the freezer for a little bit before they put it in, but would it really be worth pulling it all the way back out from here? It wasn't very easy to get to this point either but at least it would move. Right now it just seems like no matter how much i twist, push and wiggle, it just won't go any further. thanks for the ideas.

[Rob B (shoebox)]

The portion of the tube going into the block must be absolutely straight and unbent. It needs to be pushed in very straight, too. The freezer trick might help.

[blackfire93]

It had a little bit of a curved shape to it when I pulled it out. Was it suppose to be like that or did it curve when I pulled it out?

[Joe 1320]

As Rob mentioned, the portion that goes into the block needs to be uncrimped and straight. The trick that I always use is a pair of small vicegrips that are clamped around the tube ever so lightly just above the base of the tube where the reinforcement ridge circles the tube. I allow the visegrips to be able to slide slightly until contacting the ridge. I then use a small body shop hammer to tap the vicegrips in such a way that the ridge takes all the force.... each tap will force the tube a little further into the block until the ridge is seated up against the block. The vice grips are removed , the bolt hole should now be in alignment for the retaining bolt to be inserted.

[Rob B (shoebox)]

It had a little bit of a curved shape to it when I pulled it out. Was it suppose to be like that or did it curve when I pulled it out?

I can tell you that the hole in the block is not curved.

[blackfire93]

As Rob mentioned, the portion that goes into the block needs to be uncrimped and straight. The trick that I always use is a pair of small vicegrips that are clamped around the tube ever so lightly just above the base of the tube where the reinforcement ridge circles the tube. I allow the visegrips to be able to slide slightly until contacting the ridge. I then use a small body shop hammer to tap the vicegrips in such a way that the ridge takes all the force.... each tap will force the tube a little further into the block until the ridge is seated up against the block. The vice grips are removed , the bolt hole should now be in alignment for the retaining bolt to be inserted.

I kinda had that same type of idea. i actually had the vice grips all set up in there like you described but I couldn't find any room to hit them with a hammer. Do you kinda just find a way to fish a board down through the headers and just hit the top of the board?

Shoebox... I know that the hole isn't curved , but since i've already gotten it this far i might as well try my best to get it the little more that it has to go.

[blackfire93]

ok... i got a little frustrated and just decided to pull the dipstick back out and look at it. looks like it has a kink in it so i won't be using the freezer trick to fix this problem. I'll just get a new one.