DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #127
     



From: pantera@shiseis.com (Shane F. Ingate)

Subject: Dip stick length (was A different Oil pressure problem_

Date: Mon, 5 May 97 13:38:36 PDT



Jack DeRyke wrote:

> ......HIs dipstick was

> about1-1/4" shorter than mine. With a 10-qt pan, he had about 14 qts in

> there! No wonder the thing smoked! I remember the TSPs told what the "true"

> length should be. Is it possible your dipstick is non-standard length and

> you're really running too little oil?



I gleaned the following tidbit from Bob Harrington of SDP; the flexible dipstcick

can lengthen with age (due to being pulled out), and so may "under-read" how much

oil is in the pan.  Until I discovered this, I have always worried that when I fill

my 10qt oil pan, it would always read about 1" too high!  Bob's tip was to fill the

sump with the required level, then scribe a new mark on the dipstick to register full.



You fellows with the '71 cars and rigid dipsticks wont need this tip.