Oil Leak at the dipstick?

[Bilgamesh]

My 302 seems to be leaking where the dipstick is machined to the pan. I would appreciate any insight into a fix for this. Is it time to replace the pan? - Thanks

 

[jeffncs]

Threaded or press-in dipstick?

My threaded dipstick had a gasket that sealed the threaded portion onto the pan. The press-in may be similar. Drill out the rivets, cut a new gasket and reattach with some screws and sealant around the threads and screw heads.

Jefff

 

[Kaw-Liga]

Or if it is push in then you can make it a thread in style like described on the tech article to the left. I did a few months ago and no leak from that area(the rear main seal leaks) but not the dipstick.

Rob

 

[doran4x]

Pull out the dip stick tube, clean the entire area around the plate with cleaner (brake cleaner or some other clean de-greaser) and cover the area with silicone, then re-install the dip stick tube. I have not had a leak from it in a while. Either that or drop the pan and install a threaded dip stick tube assembly.

Tom

 

[Bilgamesh]

I cannot see this thing leaking at idle, but I know it must be coming from there. After I drive there is oil thrown everywhere in that general area. Is this the usual symptom of the seal leaking around where the dipstick housing is machined in? - Thanks

 

[Bilgamesh]

I had to pull the oil pan off again, but I found the problem. There is an o-ring where the dipstick plugs into the housing that is machined onto the pan. My o-ring is damaged. Now I hope I can find a replacement.

 

[Bilgamesh]

Made an o-ring out of a grommet, but still getting a leak at that housing! GRRRRRR! I give up on this oil pan. I ordered a new steel oil pan and dipstick from autozone.

 

[Bilgamesh]

I wanted to follow up on this thread as I may have given some misleading info:

There was an o-ring in the housing where my dipstick plugs into the pan, and it was damaged, but I don't think it is original to the engine. What I now believe is that the P/O put the o-ring in to stop the leak. The leak was caused by the presence of too much crankcase pressure due to excessive blowby, a side-effect of worn rings. As much as I had hoped to solve it with pcv valves, and stopping leaks, the bottom line is that the engine needed a rebuild. If you have this problem, you can probably stop this leak, but the excessive pressure is going to cause another gasket to blow and a new leak. Unfortunately the reality is, it is time to rebuild.

I rebuilt last week, and replaced the dipstick with no o-ring and I now have no leak.

 

[leelandaiche]

ok so here is the deal... tell me if this sounds like the same thing bc i see some similarities. i have a leak SOMEWHERE and i just recently noticed that it is throwing oil all over the passanger side fender well where the dipstick is. but at the same time its spraying oil all under my bronco and all the way down the side and to the back of my passenger side. JUST the passenger side. i changed the valve cover gasket on that side a couple weeks ago and that was one of my leaks. like u said. it dont leak when i am at idle. but when im driving down the road it smokes pretty bad out of my passenger side tailpipe SOMETIMES, and i got oil splattered everywhere. if that made any sense, please help me out!

 

[Bilgamesh]

It is probably not smoking out of your tailpipe. It is likely that under a load, your engine is spraying oil out that dipstick onto everything on that side. Mine did. The oil burns on the exhaust manifolds, pipes etc. - Sorry.

 

[leelandaiche]

my bad man... just realized that u sent me a reply on my thread. haha. thanks for the help! my dad was looking through the site and told me to look up this thread and i found it and got to typing! thanks again.