Losing oil out bottom of dipstick tube

[fatherdoug]

Since I had my 400 engine rebuilt on the '78, I have been leaking oil out of the fitting that threads the dipstick tube into the oil pan. The fitting is tight, though. Can someone tell me if the connection to the oil pan is metal to metal, or is there an o-ring in there? I tried loosening the fitting and retightening, but I had a lot of resistance trying to back out the fitting, as if it was cross-threaded.

Any ideas?

 

[dakonthemountain]

If it was cross threaded, you might have stripped threads now, or at least damaged enough to allow seepage.
I don't know if there is an o ring there though, sorry! My engine manual is at home and I'll look tonite and repost if someone else doesn't answer your question first.
Dak

 

[fatherdoug]

Thank You, Dak. I have the 1978 Ford engine manual, and it just shows the dipstick tube only. It doesn't show any of the attaching pieces.

 

[LEB Ben]

Thank You, Dak. I have the 1978 Ford engine manual, and it just shows the dipstick tube only. It doesn't show any of the attaching pieces.

Yeah...I just looked through my manuals...and didn't see any specific reference either. I would assume, that at the very least...there should be some pipe tape involved. As for the resistance...I'd say yeah, there probably was some cross threading that went on.

 

[fatherdoug]

Thanks, Ben. I'm probably going to have to drop the oil pan to chase or redo the threads?

 

[chuck101st]

I don't think there is an o-ring on threaded dip-sticks, At the very least if you could get it out and put some thread tape on it it should seal. Unless it is cross threaded and not screwed all the way down.

 

[Ranger429]

Teflon tape won't work. There is also no O-ring there. It is a flared seat that seals it up. Every dipstick tube I have taken out is always a pain and feels cross threaded but more than likely it is not. I just got done pulling my pan on the Bronco to put a new oil pump in it.

 

[fatherdoug]

Yep, just pulled the tube out. The tube was bent when installed, just above the threaded fitting, so they had to force the tube over to get it to fit onto the exhaust manifold stud.The flare wasn't seating all the way around. So, its new dipstick tube time. Thanks for all the answers.

 

[fatherdoug]

Update - I replaced the dipstick tube with a new one from Bronco Graveyard, and it did REALLY help the leakage. I thought the new one would fit a little better. I still had to bend the upper half of it to fit over the exhaust manifold stud. Looks like I will have to take a look at the oil pan threads, since there is still a SMALL leak. Thanks, everybody for the replies.

 

[1973 F-100 4x4]

When all else fails, there's always high temp. RTV silicone.
Can't count the number of leaks I've fixed with it when I either didn't have a gasket, or the "new" gasket was still leaking.