FE dipstick

[428street]

I'm confused about which dipstick/tube I "need" for my car. I'm building a 428. From my research there are two main dipstick tubes. One that attaches to the EM and the other that attaches to the headers (or one of the header bolts).

I spoke to Peter the other day and he told me to get the tube with the long tag on it that bolts to the header.

I went to DSC motorsports to buy one and they list the long tagged tube for a 402?? and a 427 only....can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[patrickt]

This is what Peter is talking about -- this is my FE before it was installed in my car (obviously). If nobody posts something better by tomorrow I'll climb under my car and take a better shot for you.

[428street]

ok, thanks, so it is the long tag tube..

[patrickt]

Here is a better shot I took from underneath. You can see that the tang on the dipstick does not attach to the primaries but rather is bolted directly to the block. A picture is worth a thousand words....

[John Annie]

I received my engine without the dipstick/dipstick tube. I wanted to retain the look of stock, but after much agonizing I purchased the dipstick combination from Lokar. It’s usually not listed in catalogs (like Summit) but its number is ED-5012. Here’s a link to their web site: The dipstick is titled as: “FLEXIBLE ENGINE DIPSTICK FE FORD”

http://www.lokar.com/interior_pages/...partno_pg1.htm

If you go Peter’s route, don’t forget to plug the original dipstick hole (around the oil filter). The “directly into the crankcase” method has the advantage of giving you more accurate oil level readings. Remember that you will also need a crankcase opening for the mechanical oil temperature gauge bulb.

The Lokar dipstick tube must be bent (like the stock units are) to allow the top support tab to fasten onto the exhaust header bolt. This ends up bending the dipstick. As a result, the oil level reading is altered based on the rotation of the dipstick within the tube. So you have to be careful when checking the oil level.

John Annie

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by John Annie

It’s usually not listed in catalogs (like Summit) but its number is ED-5012. Here’s a link to their web site: The dipstick is titled as: “FLEXIBLE ENGINE DIPSTICK FE FORD”

John, is this what the Lokar looks like?

[John Annie]

Yes, that's it!

John

[CJ428CJ]

I started out with the Lokar dipstick but I didn't like it. While it looks really nice from the outside, the blade is so narrow it's almost impossible to read your oil level if you have clean oil. Putting it back into the car one day, it apparently hit the windage tray and curled "up." The next time I pulled it out to check the oil, I found that it was about 4 inches shorter than it was supposed to be.

I solved the problem by going to a wrecking yard and pulling a dipstick and tube out of a Ford truck with a 360 or 390 in it. It works way better than the Lockar did.

By the way, make sure you have a lot of clearance to the windage tray. If it's close, I recommend that you trim the windage tray to give it at least a one inch clearance.

Chris

[428street]

ok, I'm more confused then before.....

First, thanks for all the replies..


I have a stock oil pan, not a Canton or aviad?? so I can't go direct like you show in the pic...again my understanding is I need the longer tab tube as the tube will attach to the primaries and not the EM like most...

Also, I am looking for the original look with tube and dipstick...

lastly, I have an oil bung installed in my pan so this should be for the oil temp or pressure correct?...Someone mentioned I would need a whole for mechanical oil temp bulb...this whole doesn't come stock on the engine?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 428street

I have a stock oil pan, not a Canton or aviad

You really should get an aftermarket pan. The stock pans are the weakest point on a 428 and are a ticket to oil-starvation, even with the extra quart that Ford recommended. It's only a couple of hundred bucks and it's the single most important upgrade you can make (plus you'll be able to use a dipstick like the one in my picture ). Seriously, don't go with the stock pan.

[428street]

I respect your opinion but here is my take.

I am building a mild 428 engine for street use only...I'm also trying to make this as close to stock as possible (the entire car)...this car will be a sunday driver, short trips with the wife, etc...also, my friends call me slow poke so speed is not going to be a problem with me, i.e. starving the engine problems at high revs...I did all the oil mods for the bottom end so I should be good....

[SSSammy]

428, I have the Canton pan, but stayed with the OEM stick .. it works with the Ford windage tray also. It's just pressed into the block, no oil pressure at that location.

Sam

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 428street

I...I did all the oil mods for the bottom end so I should be good....

Well, I won't harp on it, but the overwhelming and long standing consensus on the FordFE forum is that if you perform the standard oil mods to your FE without changing out to an aftermarket oil pan you risk serious damage to your engine. There are numerous threads on it, here is but one: http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1048115956/

[John Annie]

428Street,
Add road to oil pan clearance to the reason to make the switch to an aftermarket pan. I’m talking about the kick out style (extra oil capacity) 6” front sump (for higher road clearance) type of pan.

I would definitely consider this concern because the cobra is low enough without the oil pan hanging down as the first item to get hit when going over a minor bump. I would suggest you talk with Bob Putnam and get his recommendation before you make your final decision

John

[ERA Chas]

428,
I agree with patrick about the wisdom of a Canton RR pan (or equal). I had the same 6 qt. truck pan you describe on my old 428. While making laps at Bridge Hampton, I watched the oil pressure sink to 30 psi at 5500 going under the bridge and ceased to have fun that day. The Canton went on the following week. Yes, I know you're using your car in a mild way but it's just really good insurance to never worry about, as well as improve ground clearance as mentioned. No one will know you "incorrect" pan secret unless you turn your car up-side-down. Please don't, I love beautiful ERA "street" cars.
I have the same dipstick as SSSammy, which worked perfectly in the 428 and now the Side Oiler. As a further display of anality, I hooked a simple spring from the finger loop to the header tab and stopped the oil weeping the ancient dipstick displayed. Put a tight fitting o-ring around the tube ferrule too.
My 2 cents.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

... a Canton RR pan (or equal).

The Canton #15-820 is what I'm using. While I can't say that it "appears stock," it does have a nice look to it. BTW, Discount Performance Parts of
Richland, MS has one on Ebay right now (new in the box, plus a free pickup and T-shirt ). You can't have too many T-shirts. Here's what the 820 looks like on mine:

[Burnd]

Oil baby....... "pay me a little now; or a lot later". If those oil returns aren't camphored open; in a 6 quart pan you can suck it out of the pan and into the valve covers faster than it can return to the pan in a heartbeat and all it takes is one hard, straight accelleration on a hill. I've been to that movie before and i watched that oil pressure gauge fall to Argentina. I swore; never again. With -10 lines, I got 9 qts. in that wheelbarrow of mine and even that's not enough to make me compfy. It's called "FE Health Insurance".

bernie

[CHANMADD]

When you have a motor spinning 5Krpm there is probably at least 3 quarts up in the engine at any given time ,which leaves only 2-3 actually in the pan covering the pickup.Result....run bearings..

[chuckbrandt]

Originally Posted by patrickt

This is what Peter is talking about -- this is my FE before it was installed in my car (obviously). If nobody posts something better by tomorrow I'll climb under my car and take a better shot for you.

I bought the same dipstick as you from canton, but then I realized I don't have the hole for it in the pan. Did you have to special order the pan with a hole up there? Maybe they have revised it or something.

I have the stock dip stick but it gets tangled up in the canton windage tray pretty easily, next time I have it off I'll have to trim the windage tray.

Chuck

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by chuckbrandt

I bought the same dipstick as you from canton, but then I realized I don't have the hole for it in the pan.

You have to carefully drill and tap a hole taking care not to deposit shards of steel in to the pan.