Hey, I am planning on putting the motor back in my 98 dodge ram 1500 5.2L this weekend. I bought a motor off of a guy I found on craigslist, but somebody thought it was a good idea to bend the dipstick tube in half. I was gonna replace it, but I cant even get it out. Is there a way to get it out? I tried pulling, twisting, everything, but it ended up just breaking. And where can I get a new one, because I looked on the parts store websites and I cant find anything. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks guys

 

Get an all a sharp screw driver and try to pry from the sides in if not try to cut it out very carefully with a file or drill it till its thin enough to break into pieces. I've found rock auto online to very useful for stock or slightly upgraded parts. I would pull the pan and if there's part of the dipstick tube sticking through tap it back out.

 

I wiggled it out of my motor.

 

Wiggling it broke both of them off. I go to rockauto alot. Probably more than I should. They don't have one, I have checked. I just don't know where to get one, cause if its used, then wouldn't they have the same problems getting it out? And how do they stay in there? My buddy has an old carbeurated 318 and he said his screwed in, mine dont. Screwing one in sounds much simpler.

 

I've used one of these before from Hughe's. It's a disconnect fitting for the dipstick tube. If you have one that's just broken off at the base, you can probably go this route.

The dipstick tubes on these magnum engines are pressed in.

 

It's an interference fit, but, not much of one.... usually, you just twist them a bit, and it will come out.

 

Well I must have done it wrong then. Does that mean I can get one from a junkyard?

 

I bet what it was was that I wasn't twisting at the base, so it just twisted the tube itself. Maybe Ill try putting some vice grips or something at the base and getting it out.

 

Don't squeeze to hard though...... its easy to crush.

On mine, if I take the bolt out of the bracket, it pulls right out...... Some PB Blaster probably wouldn't hurt you either.

 

go to the dealer when I rebuilt my motor I bent the day lights getting that tube out, the only dealer in town only cost me 25.00 for a new one, if you order it tomorrow they will probably have in on saturday