Healey 100 Dipstick Stuck

[rwv]

Suddenly, the dipstick on my BN1 cannot be removed. It touches the bottom of the oil pan, and can be pulled up about 4 inches before it stops. I tried pulling as hard as practical with my hand; then tried it with a pair of channel locks. It won't come out.

It acts as though the bottom of the dip stick has a 90 bend on the end of it, or maybe it has split into a "y" at the bottom. When the dip stick is at or near the bottom, you can rotate it about 90 degrees, and you can hear a metallic sound as it bumps into metal.

What do you think has happened here? I did go on a long drive to northern Michigan this year. It happened sometime during that 2,000-mile driving trip.

RW

 

[pan]

G'day RW,
That is something I have never heard of! You could try removing the tube that the dipstick goes into, this should unscrew from the block. The tube should have two notches in the circumference that would allow a tool to be used to remove it. Might be awkward with the dipstick still in the tube but a little fiddling should remove it. If the dipstick still doesn't come out you may have to get under the car, drain the oil and remove the oil pan.
Good luck,
Alwyn

 

[Michael Oritt]

It sounds like something has happened to the bottom end of the stick, preventing you from pulling it up into the tube. Hard to imagine how or what could have happened but as Alwyn suggests by dropping the pan you'll have access to the end of the stick. If worst comes to worst you will be able to cut off the bottom end, withdraw the rest through the top and replace.

 

[nevets]

Maybe after draining the oil it would be possible to negotiate a borescope up through the drain hole to have a look inside?

 

[PAUL161]

My first concern would not be a solution on how to get the dipstick out, but to find out what caused the problem! The smart thing to do is pull the pan look up inside the block and also check the pan. I wouldn't run the engine until you find the cause, it could get very expensive! JMHO PJ

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Maybe after draining the oil it would be possible to negotiate a borescope up through the drain hole to have a look inside?

+1

I bought a borescope for about $170--generic Chinese brand, natch--that uses an iPhone app and it's come in incredibly handy. The only thing I suspect could cause this sort of damage would be the dipstick hitting the crank, but I don't know how that could even happen.

 

[PAUL161]

Just wondering if the oil pan windage tray could possibly come loose. The rod ends come pretty close. Just another thought. I still say pull the pan. PJ

 

[rwv]

Thank you all; I notice that the stopper is loose on the dip stick. Now I wonder if this allowed the dip stick to get too far into the pan, and thus had a con rod mangle the end of it?

In any case, I will be dropping the pan to see.

Again thanks so much for the replies!

RW

 

[Michael Oritt]

He needs to get to the bottom of things....

 

[Dandare]

Might just need a drop of oil on it!

Danny

 

[roscoe]

Drop the pan and you'll feel much better. Having said that, I have a 2 ton chain fall mounted from just above the engine bay but I'd imagine lifting the front of the car by the dip stick would just get you back to pulling the pan to see why.

 

[twas_brillig]

Please report back when you figure it out, RWV: inquiring minds are definitely curious. Doug

 

[DerekJ]

I seem to remember this happening to me. The dipstick somehow missed going directly into the sump and was wedged outside of it.