[70calypsomach]

How does a 351C dipstick sealed at the block. My dipstick tube has a rolled flair at the end that fits loosly into the block. I have an O-ring in my block but the flair is just pressed up against it and is not around the tube at all. It leaks like crazy all over my clean block. What am I missing? Does the o-ring go above the flair?? or below it?
Edited: Just saw a poor 351C dipstick photo that seem so show the tube extending at least 6" below the flair. Is this correct? Mine ends at the flair. It must have been broken at one point I am guessing. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Hemikiller]

The tube does extend well below the flare. The O-ring also seats below the flare. You can usually tweak the bracket at the cylinder head to put more pressure on the o-ring, but since your tube is snapped, you need to R&R the tube.

You might be able to get away by inserting a smaller tube inside the existing tube to join both pieces together, using some sort of liquid adhesive, such as Loctite Adhesive Sealant, or brazing. Just be sure it's still large enough for your dipstick to pass through......

 

[DaveSanborn]

That's what it sounds like.... there's somebody else's old dipstick tube broken off in your dipstick housing. You're just sticking your dipstick tube into the top of someone else's old dipstick tube. You will need to remove the old dipstick tube before acheiving any kind of satisfactory result with your distick tube. Don't try putting your dipstick tube into the old dipstick tube, nothing good will come of this. Your dipstick tube will just fall out. The engine lubrication system was designed to have only one dipstick. By entering the engine through the bottom, you may be able to remove the old dipstick tube from the dipstick housing. It's not that difficult a job, but does tend to get boring if you have to keep doing it over and over again on the same engine. So do it right the first time!

 

[70calypsomach]

Pretty sure the lower half of the dipstick was not in the block when rebuilt. Engine was apart when I got it. dipstick (at least half of it) was in another box. i'll try finding a new dipstick and replace.