http://ford-trucks.com/how-tos is the leading Ford F-150 and Super Duty resource for technical DIY guides and repairs. The only time the average F-150 or Super Duty owner is going to care about their oil dipstick tube, is when it breaks. It’s a simple part to find and to fix, but other factors can make this repair a hassle. Read the full article here http://www.ford-trucks.com/how-tos/a/ford-f150-f250-how-to-replace-your-dipstick-tube-359910.
Replacing the dipstick tube typically goes one of two ways: It will will either be relatively easy or a significant challenge to your mechanical ability, problem solving skills and patience.
The tube is only held in with a bolt and an o-ring. If everything is in good condition, removing them will be easy.
If the dipstick tube is brittle or broken, or the bolt holding the dipstick to the block is rusty or rounded off, then this repair will be more of a hassle.
This job takes about an hour and will cost twenty dollars to complete on your own. A professional may charge around $120 dollars to replace the dipstick tube.
For this job you’ll need a socket set, bolt extractor, ratchet, pliers, WD-40, a new dipstick tube, and an optional easy out screw extractor set.
Step One – Remove the dipstick
Remove the dipstick and place it away from the truck where it will not be damaged.
Step Two – Unbolt the dipstick tube from the block
The first task is to locate the tube, indicated as number 2 here, and determine whether or not it is supported by a bracket, indicated by number 1, that is bolted to the exhaust manifold or engine block.
Visualizing the tube support and bottom of the tube, secured by the o-ring, indicated by number 3, may be very difficult due to other parts in the engine compartment being in the way.
If this is the case, removing the tire and wheel assembly as well as the inner fender well liner may allow better visual and physical access.
Once the support bolt and the bottom of the dipstick tube have been located, apply a lot of anti-corrosive such as WD-40 to each location and give it time to eat its way through the corrosion.
Once the bolt has soaked long enough, loosen the support and completely remove the bolt used to fasten the tube in place so that the tube can be freely moved back and forth and left and right.
Step Three – Remove the dipstick tube from the oil pan
Wiggle the tube back and forth while pulling the tube out of the hole in the oil pan.
If the tube remains stuck in the oil pan, continue to spray with WD-40, wait a few minutes, then tap and pull.
If the tube is sufficiently corroded and weakened, it may break.
If after the tube breaks there remains enough of it sticking out of the oil pan, continue the spray, tap and pull method using pliers or vice grips to hold onto the stub until the remainder of the dipstick tube is removed.
Step Four – Install the new dipstick tube
Once all of the old dipstick tube has been removed, install the new one into its housing in the oil pan, replace the bolt securing the bracket, and tighten in place.
The new tube should come with a new O-ring, but if it doesn’t, check the old one for any cracks.
If it is worn, buy a new one and replace it, they usually cost an average of two dollars and fifty cents.
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Can you put more info. on the titles, like trans. or oil, what year, engine is truck, thanks
$120….. I had one place try to charge me over 1k….. Needless to say, I'm doing it myself.
i had to cut mine to get my stuck dipstick out…. put it back to gether with SteelStick. if that fails ill have to replace