It's likely because I'm working outside when its 14 degrees and I'm tired, but I was having a heck of a time trying to get my dipstick tube reinserted into the block.

Any tips/tricks/notes about this install from those who have done it? This is a stock LT1 (standard main caps), stock oil pan, with exhaust manifolds setup by the way.

 

They can be a pain sometimes. when trying to put in a stock tube, I usually tap the edge of the flange using a flat screwdriver and a hammer until its fully seated. Some people use a wooden dowel on the end, but you can bend the tube if you aren't careful.

 

I took some emery cloth to mine and it went right in. It was a motherfooker to get out. To seal it, I used some silicone. Also that damn bolt hole might not match with the bracket. I solved this by drilling it out a bit more.

 

Put some oil on the surface that will go in the block and wiggle it in there.

 

Make sure the end of the tube isn't deformed (out of round, burrs, etc). I use RTV sealant to keep it from weeping oil later. If you oil up the block area, the RTV won't seal. I clean that part of the block with brake cleaner, slide the tube in 80%, applied some RTV around the "seating flange" of the dip stick tube, then seated the tube against the block.

 

A good trick is to start the car, let the block get warm...keep the dipstick in the freezer...or in your case just leave it outside since the block hole will expand with the heat..and the dipstick will shrink with the cold...it will slip right in.

 

KY gel ?

 

good info i think my car is leaking from the dip stick since the dipstick flops around and the mouting tab was broken off. I need to do this with rtv. Will those chrome units at autozone for the standard sbc work? Not that i want it for looks but i had to superglue the dipstick hadle back to tube plug as it broke for some reason.

 

I just sanded the paint off the bottom of the dipstick tube and it went right in. I'm sure I'll regret that in the future, even though most of it is covered in oil, the block/tube interface will probably create problems.

It's back running again after the ole radiator/water pump/opti/oil pan and timing cover and exhaust manifold gasket/faulty plug wires swap trick. If I still had roommates, one of them would have probably slapped some sense into me before I attempted that in the gravel driveway.

 

Long prybar with a angled end, put it against the ridge of the tube, then hammer the handle of the pry bar. Please do this with the dipstick out.