Okay,

Today the end of my dipstick broke and (I assume) is rolling around in the oil pan. I have a couple of questions for those more familiar with this thing than me:

1. Is it in the pan, or is there catcher there?
2. If it IS in the pan should I worry? Can it get into the engine, or will the strainer on the pump catch it?
3. Is it too heavy to get off the bottom of the pan


Basically, should I pull he pan and get it NOW, or can I wait until I have to get into the pan for something else, or when I have more time?

 

My question is: How did you manage to break it? O_o

 

I pretty sure it is too large to cause any damage...Matt93se has the final say though..

I too would like to know how this little fubar come about???

 

Not Sure.

I was changing my oil, and went to check the level, and the stick was stuck, like the tube had crimped and was holding the end.

I pulled on it a little, turned it a few times, and when I started the engine up, I heard a rattle, I went and pulled the stick out and it came out without the end. I snipped the wires flush and put the stick back in.

 

when I bought this VE, the bottom of the dipstick was missing too.
I just replaced the dipstick (less than $15) and have been driving like that with no apparent ill effects.

 

You might try to drain the oil and try to fish it out of the drain hole with one of those telescoping magnetic pickups.

 

If you heard a rattle, then it's already been stuck in the rotating assembly.

remove the oil pan and pull it out ASAP before it does any major damage.
the lead end piece isn't what I would worry about, but if there was any wire attached- and it sounds like there is- that's what will do some damage.

As for how it happened, there's a small tube type thing welded to the inside of the oil pan that the dipstick fits down into. there's about 1/2" of gap between the oil pan and block that the end of the dipstick could potentially stick through and get caught in the crank assembly.
I'm betting that's what happened.


nonetheless, you need to remove the debris before it gets stuck somewhere nasty and starts ruining parts.

 

Well, if I had to give advice, I'd say get it out. But if you broke off a big piece, I'll guess it would just sit flat on the bottom of the pan. If you oil pickup does happen to have enough suction to grab it, it would just hit the screen. But if the peice is SMALL, it might get past the screen.

Then again, if it's really small, warm up the oil and drain it out. The piece might come out with the oil (if you are lucky). Maybe tilt the car to the D-side and foward (JUST A BIT). So the piece will tend to settle at the drain plug