Leaking dipstick

[ehcalvert]

Looking for suggestions on leaking push in style dipstick on a 302 oilpan. I have read the tech article on the conversion to a threaded type, but I just got the engine back in and running, dont really want to pull the oilpan if there is some other way. Coated it well with RTV before replacing it, but it is still leaking a significant amount at high RPM on the highway. ( My rear diff housing is well lubricated though). Considered sleeving with some thin wall rubber/latex tubing, any other ideas?

[bknbronco]

I just got my 289 fired up for the first time in 10 years and mine leaked from the push in dip stick also. I drained the oil and the pulled and cleaned the end of the tube up good and applied a bunch of permatex. I pushed the tube back in and added a nice thick layer of permatex around the tube on the outside also. Let it dry good for a few days then dumped oil in again. Fixed that leak, but now it just seeps through between the pan and the plate that is rivited to the pan! It ant as big of leak but still leaks. Ill have to look at maybe droping the oil pan and just welding everything up solid!

Just letting you know that it may not just be leaking from around the tube.

Good luck!

[ehcalvert]

Yea, I worried about that too after reading the tech article. Mine does not leak noticeably at idle or revving up in the garage so its hard to tell for sure where it is coming from. Is the riveted plate noticeably loose on yours? mine seems pretty tight.

[bknbronco]

No mine is tight as it can be. Im thinking there is a plate on the inside also. seems i could goop up that seam on the plate, but the right fix would be to drop the pan and weld it all up. Thats broncoing for ya. Maybe a project for next summer. Just dont want you to go through the trouble of a threaded tube and find out it still leaks a bit. Like i said the leak is way less now but it still runs down and drips off the pan. I hate them slow leakes because they cake everything in oil which makes dust stick to it which leads to rust!

[71massbronco]

I'm having the same issue with my 302. I searched threads on here and I couldn't find any definitive fix other then drilling out the rivets, then rtv. Somebody also mentioned jb weld. I think that is going to be my first attempt before disassembling the pan.

[bknbronco]

I was told to try some JB weld also. Seems that might be a easy fix so i dont have to drop the pan. My last encounter with JB weld is when the PO used it to glue the air cleaner stud into the carb which in turn glue the two carb halfs together which resulted in paying a bunch of extra money when i had that carb rebuilt a few weeks ago. Since then my belief is that JB weld is for the hack, back yard machanics, and has no real place in my garage!

Sounds like JB would be a too easy of fix. I think im gona wait till i have the drive to drop the pan and just weld it solid. then i can also weld the dipstick tube in again.