Graduated Indicator on Oil Dipstick In Oil Pan -- Help

[mcmonroe]

That damn weighted indictor that is pressed onto the cable oil dipstick wasn't on there when I checked the oil this morning. It fell off into the oil pan.

That has to be one of the most stupid ideas I have ever seen and I can only imagine how many have pulled loose from the dip stick and fallen into the oil pan.

My truck is a 2004.5 LLY with 10,000 miles on it and I have only checked the oil maybe a half dozen times.

I have never had the oil pan off of one of these Duramaxes so I dont really know if I am in for trouble by having that bob bouncing around down in there. Would anyone like to offer some advice?

I would imagine that the service managner will tell me just to live with it that everything will be fine and simply give me a new dipstick.

However I was planning on keeping this truck a while and dont want this to bite me in the butt some day moving forward -- especially if the truck is out of warranty.

Thoughts/Ideas?

Mark Monroe
Harrisburg NC
2004.5 LLY DA CC

[ 12-26-2004, 09:11 AM: Message edited by: Mark Monroe ]

[pgreen]

I would make sure it comes out, somehow or another. It may be possible that they can get it out of the oil drain hole, if not it's time for the General to pay for the removal of your oil pan.

If it comes out (either way) without being damaged, there's probably no reason to look further into the engine. If it is all smashed up, pieces missing, etc. time to check things out a bit further.

This is, of course, MHO.

[More Power]

I had the pan off an LB7 earlier this year (to modify it for use in the Project truck (http://www.thedieselpage.com/features/project2-16.htm). Not a big deal, but be careful when starting all those little bolts during the re-install. The threaded aluminum holes are easy to cross-thread. I came close on one.

The oil pickup has a screen, so it's unlikely the loose end would cause any harm - unless the engine were run upside down. :D

If the dipstick end were made from a ferrous metal (I don't know), you could remove the oil level sensor in the pan, then stick in a magnet.

MP

[Inspector]

I wouldn't worry about it. I do have access to a borescope that has various tools attached for fishing out dropped items such as nuts and bolts from inside jet engines. They work pretty good.
If you have some spare money laying around I could probably go in and pick up that dipstick end for ya. :D The tooled scope goes for about 75 grand. ;)
Denny