Is it easier to drop a motor in with the dip stick installed and LTs already laying in the bay or putting the dipstick in after the LT's had been bolted up?

Ive also read that putting the dipstick back in can be a PITA any tips on making this easier?

 

the problem you run into with not taking the dipstick out is first it will hit the header flange and then it will likely hit one of the header primaries so the header will not be able to bolt up until you take out the tube. getting it back in is a PITA but with 2 people its not that bad at all. i did it by myself and it took me a long time but when i worked on a couple of my friends cars... we were able to get the dipstick tube back in without much effort.

 

take some sandpaper and grind down the edges on the bottom of the dipstick, then stick a screw driver down it, with the handle sticking out of the top and the actual end of it down the tube and get a mallet and bang it in.

 

I cut about 1 inch off the bottom of the dipstick with a tubing cutter. It made it easier but it was still tricky getting it in all the way and getting that little bolt to line up again was a pain. It must have taken me 2 hours to get that damn thing in right. The sanding trick sounds good too, I've also heard of people putting it in the freezer for a while. That's a good one

And no, cutting 1" off the bottom of the tube has no effect on the stick readings, it still sits in the block the same as it did before

 

Buy a Lokar dipstick tube. Takes all of a minute to put it in. It has a bracket with it that bolts up to the 4th header bolt.

Rusty