dip stick


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Old 06-17-06, 06:16 AM
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dip stick

2001 Nissan Sentra-top of dip stick broke off and the metal piece with a little of the handle is about 5 " down the tube. Can't be reached with needle nose etc.
1-Can the car be driven?
2-any ideas before I call the tow truck?
Thank you
 
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Old 06-17-06, 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by peterr
2001 Nissan Sentra-top of dip stick broke off and the metal piece with a little of the handle is about 5 " down the tube. Can't be reached with needle nose etc.
1-Can the car be driven?
2-any ideas before I call the tow truck?
Thank you
I would recommend not driving the car. While it may be ok, it isn;t worth the chance of having the dipstick drop into th oil pan and have the resuting PITA to remedy this.

One suggestion:

use a coathanger. cut it so you have one long wire. bend a small loop in the end (small enough to fit into the dipstick tube). Be sure it is a closed loop.

Now take a smaller, more flexible piece of wire and attatch it to the coat hanger using the loop in the coathanger.

The flexible wire should be about 4-6 inches or so.

Make sure these two are firmly attached to each other. Your sanity will depend upon this.

Now take you "tool" and push it into the dipstick tube, with the softer wire going into the tube. Overlap the diptick with this hard wire being sure you are not pushing the dipstick any further into the tube. If the dipstick is being pushed into the tube further, stop and abandon this method.

Now take the coathanger and spin it around. The idea is to get the softer wire wound around the dipstick. Now when you have it wrapped, slowly pull the hard wire (hopefully with dipstick attached). Continue to rotate the hard wire as you pull so as to keep tension on the soft wire to dipstick connection.

This may take more than one attempt to complete.

A second method (and possibly simpler) is to find the bolt that attaches the tube to the engine and remove it. The tube should then be able to be pulled from the engine block. Be sure to replace any o-ring that may be on the tube at the tube to block connection.
 
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Old 06-17-06, 08:40 AM
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dipstick

An update for others with the same problem;
If you look into the tube, you see the other part of the handle(plastic) on top and there is no room to get in or around it.
One place said to start the car + if no noise to drive it to them for $230 >drop oil pan. Most cars can be driven if the stick drops-only a few cannot.
I called a mngr @ an oil change place who has solved things before. He used a curved 'pick' to remove the o ringfrom the handle as it was causing it to stick, then with a shop vac he sucked the plastic handled stick out. He covered the vac nozzle so the corner was the size of the top of the tube for good suction. I gave him $20.
Btw, the tube is hot welded not bolted so it can't be removed.
Hope this helps.
 
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Old 06-17-06, 01:25 PM
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Start the car up and if no noise, drive it to any place that have compress air, or if you have a portable compress air, you can try it at home. Remove the PVC valve and blow compress air in where the valve is, it'll push the dipstick right back up and you can be able to pull it out, I get 9 out of 10 broken dipstick out by that way.
 
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Old 06-17-06, 03:38 PM
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dip stick

Thanx a lot for the idea-I do have compressed air + it makes sense.
I put a little anti seize on the dipstick where it is tight so there is less stress on it.
Your idea goes in my "things to remember" book.
 
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Old 06-17-06, 04:07 PM
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Problem solving like this can be fun. Ever notice how those in Mensa can't come up with better ideas. That mechanically inclined and/or clever people can come up with all the possible solutions, and rocket scientists can't think of anything better. Ever notice that?
 
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Old 06-17-06, 08:22 PM
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Another Idea... Most dip stick tubes are removeable, try removing the sleeve and pushing the stick out the way it went in.
 
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Old 06-18-06, 04:50 AM
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dip stck tube

Originally Posted by aswatson
Another Idea... Most dip stick tubes are removeable, try removing the sleeve and pushing the stick out the way it went in.

I believe mine is welded on - I would have to remove the shield to check.
Anybody know about a 2001 Nissan Sentra just for the next time? I don't have a manuel.
 
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Old 06-18-06, 05:18 AM
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Your Sentra's oil tube is not welded on, however I have very little to no luck at all when trying to remove the tube without damaged it, if it's couple years old, you may have a (very small) change to twist it around freely, even when dropping the oil pan and try to drive it upward from inside, the tube is barely reuseable without the help of some type of sealant, on the new tube, there's little "bulge" serve as a "self sealant/locking" on the end and when install it, you have to hammer it down into the hole, no need to seal the tube when install it. If you see one that twisting around, that tube has been out before and has been reused.
 
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Old 06-18-06, 06:22 AM
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dip stick

Originally Posted by New guy
Your Sentra's oil tube is not welded on, however I have very little to no luck at all when trying to remove the tube without damaged it, if it's couple years old, you may have a (very small) change to twist it around freely, even when dropping the oil pan and try to drive it upward from inside, the tube is barely reuseable without the help of some type of sealant, on the new tube, there's little "bulge" serve as a "self sealant/locking" on the end and when install it, you have to hammer it down into the hole, no need to seal the tube when install it. If you see one that twisting around, that tube has been out before and has been reused.

You saved me a lot of investigation and work. I can picture what you mean as I've dealt with similar issues. Really appreciate it-thank you!
 
 

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