Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:Ez-out.
Summit, Jegs, Rock Auto, and nearly every Pep Boys, Auto Zone, and O'reilly has replacement universal dipsticks.
I got a Lokar SBC dipstick from Summit for something like $29 and it had a braided stainless tube, stainless mount strap, and a billet dipstick handle.
Oh yeah, I know I could get a universal, I'm just kinda stunned no one makes the stock one anymore, 97 isn't 80 years ago.
I was bored and started looking for your OEM dipstick. From the AC-Delco online catalog, the part number for the 5.0L dipstick tube is 12552920
GM Parts Warehouse has that part number listed as being in stock for $24.37.
Hope it helps
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:Ez-out.
Summit, Jegs, Rock Auto, and nearly every Pep Boys, Auto Zone, and O'reilly has replacement universal dipsticks.
I got a Lokar SBC dipstick from Summit for something like $29 and it had a braided stainless tube, stainless mount strap, and a billet dipstick handle.
Oh yeah, I know I could get a universal, I'm just kinda stunned no one makes the stock one anymore, 97 isn't 80 years ago.
Try to find parts for a 4th gen f body.
Important yet trivial things like rear control arms, LS1 steering shafts, have been discontinued for a long time, and the aftermarket has not picked up.
CJ said:I was bored and started looking for your OEM dipstick. From the AC-Delco online catalog, the part number for the 5.0L dipstick tube is 12552920
GM Parts Warehouse has that part number listed as being in stock for $24.37.
Hope it helps
Thank you, I got one on order and should be in tomorrow
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
It's just weird to me. I've driven mostly ford's for awhile and never had a problem like this. I can get everything for my 91 ranger or the 97,98,00 explorers. 88 club wagon is the same thing.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:Ez-out.
Summit, Jegs, Rock Auto, and nearly every Pep Boys, Auto Zone, and O'reilly has replacement universal dipsticks.
I got a Lokar SBC dipstick from Summit for something like $29 and it had a braided stainless tube, stainless mount strap, and a billet dipstick handle.
Oh yeah, I know I could get a universal, I'm just kinda stunned no one makes the stock one anymore, 97 isn't 80 years ago.
Try to find parts for a 4th gen f body.
Important yet trivial things like rear control arms, LS1 steering shafts, have been discontinued for a long time, and the aftermarket has not picked up.
This is the kind of stuff I ran into with my C5 Z06. I am not a fan of modern GM's.
In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :
To be fair I doubt any of the standard parts store aftermarket manufacturers make dipsticks for those either. Dipsticks arent standard service or failure items. On GMT800 LS trucks you can get a dipstick because they break at the bracket all the time.
Pete. You can still get 4th gen rear control arms. GM are available and so are mevotech. Pretty much everyone makes bushings from the base windowed style to the solid 1le style. If you want upgraded founders, bmr and UMI are a couple that make them.
In reply to Opti :
This was about three years ago or so. Was trying to fix a car that had been overmodified and the guy hated driving it. The only lower arms available were aftermarket "upgrades". Ended up swapping the rod end arms for poly bushing arms, which were better but still not good enough.
I am perplexed that the aftermarket did not pick up dipsticks, though, because the tube usually breaks when you do exhaust manifold work.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:Ez-out.
Summit, Jegs, Rock Auto, and nearly every Pep Boys, Auto Zone, and O'reilly has replacement universal dipsticks.
I got a Lokar SBC dipstick from Summit for something like $29 and it had a braided stainless tube, stainless mount strap, and a billet dipstick handle.
Oh yeah, I know I could get a universal, I'm just kinda stunned no one makes the stock one anymore, 97 isn't 80 years ago.
Try to find parts for a 4th gen f body.
Important yet trivial things like rear control arms, LS1 steering shafts, have been discontinued for a long time, and the aftermarket has not picked up.
Try finding parts for my Dad's 08 K3500. They stopped making ECMs in 2017. Hence my other thread today about "help me find..."
Help brand has some SBC dipsticks... or at least they did up until a few years ago. GM used to have three kinds for SBCs; Left, right, and in the side of the pan. I think they still make those three, but GM of course had to go and stuff the SBC in everything and limp it along for three decades longer than it should have, so now there are dozens of dipstick possibilities.
Ironically, for years I had a GM replacement dipstick and tube NIB that I bought at an auction sale. It was from an 88 GMT with the 350 so I'm sure it would have fit. Alas, I just installed it in the 350 in my boat a couple years ago. I love you and what-not, but I'm not tearing my boat apart for you. 
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:Help brand has some SBC dipsticks... or at least they did up until a few years ago. GM used to have three kinds for SBCs; Left, right, and in the side of the pan. I think they still make those three, but GM of course had to go and stuff the SBC in everything and limp it along for three decades longer than it should have, so now there are dozens of dipstick possibilities.
Ironically, for years I had a GM replacement dipstick and tube NIB that I bought at an auction sale. It was from an 88 GMT with the 350 so I'm sure it would have fit. Alas, I just installed it in the 350 in my boat a couple years ago. I love you and what-not, but I'm not tearing my boat apart for you.
The thought is appreciated though
Got the new tube, apparently there is 5 and a half inches that stick in the block (giggity)
That kinda destroys my paint can key idea so I bought some metal rods and have several ideas
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Got the new tube, apparently there is 5 and a half inches that stick in the block (giggity)
That kinda destroys my paint can key idea so I bought some metal rods and have several ideas
There's 5 1/2 inches but it's not all press fit. There's a short section of larger diameter below the flange that's tight. The rest is slip fit. It's been years since I had to extract one in place but I seem to recall being able to drive it out with a chisel between the block and the flange.
Use a spanner that just fits over the tube but not the flare to install the new one. Gentle whacks with a hammer on the wrench usually does nicely.
Did I miss it? Did you get the broken piece out??
jfryjfry said:Did I miss it? Did you get the broken piece out??
Not yet, Im just driving something else for a few days.
It's been below zero here for days and I'm taking my birthday off today so ill give it a shot tomorrow or Monday
In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :
Happy birthday.
Stampie said:In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :
Happy birthday.
Thank you, Happy New Year to you!
Ok, after clearing out the Snowpocalypse I finally got a chance to look at this.
I don't see how I could get it out thru the top, there's no room and it's at a bad angle so I'm on to pounding it out thru the bottom.
Or pay someone to do it, I may call around for prices because it's cold and snowy where I have to work on it.
Or if I wanna go super hackmaster tap in a some sort of plug and just watch the oil pressure gauge lol
In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :
I posted a response earlier in this thread. I was fixing GMT400s at the dealer when they were brand new so I'm familiar with them. Drop the pan and tweak it out of the way and thump the tube remnant up and out. You just don't have much room to work with from above to try the suggestions that others have offered. This is one of those jobs that's not near as difficult as you imagine it to be. Just commit and do it the right way. Get a nice new Felpro pan gasket and it will come with the Felpro snapups which are brilliant and make the job easier.
Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :
I posted a response earlier in this thread. I was fixing GMT400s at the dealer when they were brand new so I'm familiar with them. Drop the pan and tweak it out of the way and thump the tube remnant up and out. You just don't have much room to work with from above to try the suggestions that others have offered. This is one of those jobs that's not near as difficult as you imagine it to be. Just commit and do it the right way. Get a nice new Felpro pan gasket and it will come with the Felpro snapups which are brilliant and make the job easier.
I definitely saw it and appreciate your experience.
It sucks because I don't have a shop to work in but I'll deal. On the plus side it looks like there's a bit of seepage on the gasket so I'm doing this anyway someday.
I should definitely lift the engine and loosen the mounts too?
Yes.
be sure and remove the top half of the fan shroud
remove the main bolts on the mounts and use a jack and piece of 2x4 under the harmonic balancer. Lift the engine until the distributor is nearly touching the firewall.
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