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Broken off dip stick plastic tube, stuck oil pan, and I think too much...

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MGNoir

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I went to remove the old plastic dip stick tube from my '74 Midget the other day... and broke it off when it was half way out. The plastic was pretty brittle.

So I thought, "OK I'm out to refurb this thing, so let's just remove the oil pan, push the tube through, and redo the pan seals while I'm at it since I have a full set! PLUS I can paint it!"

I removed all the bolts (VERY lose, literally finger-tight), and then of course I discovered just how much Blue RTV the PO put on the pan. As in, the bolts are all out, but that pan could care less! Bolts... essentially cosmetic.

What seems to be the issue is whether any bits of plastic fell down into the oil pan, and if that would be an issue. The pan basically doesn't leak - it's a little messy but seems pretty solid. TOO solid of course, but solid. So no reason to remove it beyond checking for plastic bits.

So ...

Scenario 1
No bits fell in, I pull the dip stick tube out with a crochet hook (the spouse actually told me I could), and I leave the pan in place.​

Scenario 2
Bits did fall in, leave the pan in place, and the bits just quietly turn into harmless powder.​

Scenario 3
Bits fell in, I leave them, the engine gets ruined.​

Scenario 4
I fight the RTV with the engine in. I cry a lot, take up drinking, have to sell Baby as-is to afford therapy.​

Scenario 5
I remove the engine so I can get a putty knife in and get that pan off, which is fun (maybe) and I learn a lot (definitely) but I don't get this thing on the road this spring like I'd like to.​

Thoughts? Undiscovered scenarios? Magic RTV solvents?
 
Fish out with crochet hook and see if it comes out in one piece lees see what others say. I gad sane issue with oil pan. Finally decided leave well enough alone.
 
Small diameter pipe cleaner may work, too...it will give what is left of the dipstick more to "grab" onto. You just want to make sure it's not big enough to actually push the dipstick in further rather than help pull it out. Or try to find a l-o-n-g pair of tweezers (may a small forceps from a medical supply store possibly?).

I totally can sympathize with wanting to get the car running now versus pulling to the motor out and chiseling away at the gasket sealant. Don't know how your winter's been, but after the one we've had in Maryland, I can't wait for the weather to get warm enough to put the top down!
 
For us here in Oregon it's usually rain, which is also a real downer when it comes to convertibles. 18" of snow for us in Corvallis though - a rarity.

I'm finally at that stage of putting things back together after lots of cleaning and refurbishing, though I'm not putting the radiator back in so I can work on the front suspension and replace the steering rack boots. I guess that does put me in a decent position to remove that engine, but still...

SaxMan, I've really enjoyed your thread, especially for the pictures. Anything with lots of pictures gives me incentive and reference.
 
Could you screw a lag bolt in there to grab the plastic bit and pull it out.

Personally, I'd pull the pan and clean out all the RTV that is probably clogging your oil pickup screen.
 
A couple serious whacks on that oil pan with a rubber mallet should shock it loose. Bob
 
I think one thing I didn't emphasize here is that the plastic in the old dipstick holder is brittle - it broke just in the process of pulling it out. Screwing something into it, etc would just make it fall apart into little bits.

I did make a long crochet hook like puller to extract it, and got out the remaining bit. Unfortunately the very bottom of it just isn't there - crumbled away. I don't know if it happened long ago, or in the process of me taking it out, but I have a hunch it was long ago.

So just what would those plastic bits do if they were swimming around in the oil? Also, is there any reasonable way I could flush the pan? Pour a lot of something (other than oil) through the engine and let it just flow out the pan drain?
 
Maybe drain the pan and pump a quart of oil back up into the pan using a grease gun or a suction gun, then drain again? You might be able to draw more crap out using suction versus just letting it drain, but I imagine that would be a pretty sloppy job. I don't think you'd want to put anything into your engine that could be harmful if it remained there and mixed in with the oil. You gotta figure that oil is going to be cheaper than any kind of solvent, and will be a lot safer to use.

Thanks for the compliment about the thread. One thing I've learned is that the simple tasks often end up being ballbusters and the ones that are supposed to be hard generally go pretty smoothly. I guess that's characteristic of LBCs.
 
MGNoir said:
I think one thing I didn't emphasize here is that the plastic in the old dipstick holder is brittle - it broke just in the process of pulling it out. Screwing something into it, etc would just make it fall apart into little bits.

I did make a long crochet hook like puller to extract it, and got out the remaining bit. Unfortunately the very bottom of it just isn't there - crumbled away. I don't know if it happened long ago, or in the process of me taking it out, but I have a hunch it was long ago.

So just what would those plastic bits do if they were swimming around in the oil? Also, is there any reasonable way I could flush the pan? Pour a lot of something (other than oil) through the engine and let it just flow out the pan drain?
Click to expand...

Chances are the missing part at the end is long gone. I've seen this more than once. It's not unusual for the plastic tube to be brittle and fragile. If you have all the plastic removed, I think what I would do next is get one of those pumps that will allow you to vacuum out the oil through the dipstick. If you can push the tube in straight, you may be able to suck up any potential bits directly below the opening. The next thin I would do is use a heat gun or an electric heater to warm the pan, and make the oil flow a little better. The remove the drain plug and drain any remaining oil. Next, I would get some motor flush or kerosine and put in a quart or two let it sit for a while (maybe an hour or two at least) so that any sludge will dissolve. Drain and repeat, depending on what comes out.

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/pel...apacity.html?gclid=CJ3i__vvib0CFc1j7Aod4BEAog

PEL-PL-650_lg.jpg
 
I'm liking the flush/suck ideas - if anything to see if something came out with it. I've already drained the oil as part of reawakening the Midget, so I could go directly to the flush.

If the thing leaked already or had any other big issues, I'd be more inclined to pull the engine. I'm hesitant to start working loose the pan with a putty knife with the engine in place, fearing I'd get part way, still not have it be removable, then HAVE to pull the engine to finish the job.
 
Err, I'd just knock the broken stub on through and leave it. that's why you have a screen strainer on the oil pickup - to keep out debris. Odds that the stray bits of plastic will make it through the strainer are nil. That being said, I would go ahead and knock the pan loose with a rubber mallet just to make sure that the excess RTV the PO applied has not formed globs over everything including the oil strainer -
 
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