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Engine oil dipstick options
Anybody have any good oil dipstick options. I have Canton marine pans, with the 1/4 NPT fitting. Their dipsticks, and most other dipsticks, suck. They are all too friggin short.
Anyone have any better options? |
you could go with the plastic tubing and a longer stick like the teague pans use.
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Originally Posted by mike tkach
(Post 4432431)
you could go with the plastic tubing and a longer stick like the teague pans use.
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Does Lokar make one of their flexible stainless braided dipsticks long enough for you ?
http://www.carshopinc.com/product_th...g&w=1000&h=750 |
Use a Merc dipstick for an inboard. They attach where the drain plug is. Work great on custom motors.
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Originally Posted by MILD THUNDER
(Post 4432444)
How do those attach to the pan mike? With like a compression fitting?
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Originally Posted by Black Baja
(Post 4432454)
Use a Merc dipstick for an inboard. They attach where the drain plug is. Work great on custom motors.
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Like said, inboard Mercruiser or get one for a Van and cutoff what you need.
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FWIW, not a big fan of the plastic tube/compression fitting style. I had a nuisance oil leak due to previous installer not getting the compression fitting or type of tubing right. Granted it is a low pressure application but the engine temps will inevitably soften the tubing causing it to creep losing it's seal to the compression ferrule. If going that route, be sure to use PFA (Teflon) tubing and not HDPE or LDPE which is most commonly found (mine had LDPE in it from a reputable engine builder). You can get 3/8" OD PFA tubing from McMaster Carr which has a much higher temperature rating. Also, I don't think it is a good idea to use a bore-through compression fitting and run the plastic tubing down to the bottom of the pan (to use it like the stock Mercruiser steel ones for sucking out the oil). Without the dipstick running all the way down to the bottom, the tube will be too flimsy in the hot oil for me trust it to stay where it should. This was also was done on mine before I got it and the tube would not fully empty the pan due to the tube below the compression fitting not staying straight and not to mention somehow got damaged below the compression fitting only to be found when I finally got the mess it out. It was also rather baffling to me at first how the oil level was reading correctly on the stick and only 7-8 quarts came out of a 10 quart pan when I went to change the oil!
I ended up using Lokar similar to one suggested by SB purchased from Summit. The cable is adjustable and can be set at desired length at installation. I have a Canton 10 quart pan so maybe you need a longer one than the std offering? I remember draining the oil completely, filling with rated pan capacity (on a level surface) and setting the cable which was damn near the full length. Wouldn't the correct level of the oil want to be similar distance from the crank regardless of pan capacity? To fix the new problem I had after installing the Lokar (no way to draw the oil out w/o tube below the 1/4 NPT pan fitting) I plumbed a separate drain line from one of the bottom 1/2 NPT ports in the pan with SST braided tube that reaches up to a convenient spot near the top rear of the engine and put a SST sealed quick disconnect. To change, I have an adapter to the quick connect on my extractor pump. Works awesome!. Sorry if this is long winded and all very obvious stuff to you guys but I spent quite a bit of time and headaches tracking down that leak only to be horrified by what I found installed by someone who built some pretty high end stuff! I just don't think plastic tubing with a compression fitting is a good application for something under those operating temperatures, especially if you don't like oil leaks and it is a beeyatch to deal with motors in the boat. After typing this, I'm realizing your "too frigging short" comment might be referring to the extent to which it reached out and up to a convenient spot. If side by side twins, I can see that being a problem since mine even being a single could have used more length to get it up above the height of the valve covers. I now remember thinking about how I might go about disassembling it and extending it. Still would avoid the plastic route if at all possible. -Paul Not sure how long it is? http://www.cpperformance.com/p-13717...stick-kit.aspx |
Originally Posted by GoodTrade 2750
(Post 4432828)
FWIW, not a big fan of the plastic tube/compression fitting style. I had a nuisance oil leak due to previous installer not getting the compression fitting or type of tubing right. Granted it is a low pressure application but the engine temps will inevitably soften the tubing causing it to creep losing it's seal to the compression ferrule. If going that route, be sure to use PFA (Teflon) tubing and not HDPE or LDPE which is most commonly found (mine had LDPE in it from a reputable engine builder). You can get 3/8" OD PFA tubing from McMaster Carr which has a much higher temperature rating. Also, I don't think it is a good idea to use a bore-through compression fitting and run the plastic tubing down to the bottom of the pan (to use it like the stock Mercruiser steel ones for sucking out the oil). Without the dipstick running all the way down to the bottom, the tube will be too flimsy in the hot oil for me trust it to stay where it should. This was also was done on mine before I got it and the tube would not fully empty the pan due to the tube below the compression fitting not staying straight and not to mention somehow got damaged below the compression fitting only to be found when I finally got the mess it out. It was also rather baffling to me at first how the oil level was reading correctly on the stick and only 7-8 quarts came out of a 10 quart pan when I went to change the oil!
I ended up using Lokar similar to one suggested by SB purchased from Summit. The cable is adjustable and can be set at desired length at installation. I have a Canton 10 quart pan so maybe you need a longer one than the std offering? I remember draining the oil completely, filling with rated pan capacity (on a level surface) and setting the cable which was damn near the full length. Wouldn't the correct level of the oil want to be similar distance from the crank regardless of pan capacity? To fix the new problem I had after installing the Lokar (no way to draw the oil out w/o tube below the 1/4 NPT pan fitting) I plumbed a separate drain line from one of the bottom 1/2 NPT ports in the pan with SST braided tube that reaches up to a convenient spot near the top rear of the engine and put a SST sealed quick disconnect. To change, I have an adapter to the quick connect on my extractor pump. Works awesome!. Sorry if this is long winded and all very obvious stuff to you guys but I spent quite a bit of time and headaches tracking down that leak only to be horrified by what I found installed by someone who built some pretty high end stuff! I just don't think plastic tubing with a compression fitting is a good application for something under those operating temperatures, especially if you don't like oil leaks and it is a beeyatch to deal with motors in the boat. After typing this, I'm realizing your "too frigging short" comment might be referring to the extent to which it reached out and up to a convenient spot. If side by side twins, I can see that being a problem since mine even being a single could have used more length to get it up above the height of the valve covers. I now remember thinking about how I might go about disassembling it and extending it. Still would avoid the plastic route if at all possible. -Paul Not sure how long it is? http://www.cpperformance.com/p-13717...stick-kit.aspx |
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