Dipstick add-on

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:20 pm

I'm putting a jetta 1.6TD in my westy. The dipstick and tube from the jetta are way to short to check from behind the licence plate. Can I drill a hole in the oil filler cap and insert a long dipstick from the scrapyard or is there some sort of internal tube to guide it down the pipe?
johann

VanagonExpress · Post by **VanagonExpress** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:34 pm

Yes, but if you have blowby, you will find the internal pressure might push some oil out thru that dip stick

unless you can make a good O ring and make it pretty snug

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:07 pm

Thanks VanagonExpress.
So it's really just a hole with a seal for the dipstick?
Maybe a larger hole with a sized rubber grommet would do the trick. Certainly easier than trying to source the right size tube and bending it to fit.
Does the hole in the cap setup use the straight oil filler tube or the one with the gooseneck just before it bolts to the sump?

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:26 pm

The '83+ factory dipstick and tube is still available from VW. It's relatively inexpensive (as far as factory parts go). It routes a bendable dipstick up and over to enter the block in the standard Jetta/Golf hole in the block. It is more accurate due to it's central location in the pan. It is much less prone to leakage from blowby especially on hills when the oil moves into the filler tube and gets blasted out the dipstick hole on the '82 style. It's a no-brainer IMO.

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:04 pm

I just checked at the Dealer. $13 for the dipstick, great. $75 for the tube. Ouch!

I'll find another way.

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:21 pm

I made a similar tube for an air-cooled vanagon out of appropriately sized brake line.

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:42 pm

Thanks Andrew. That's exactly what I was looking for. How did you seal it at the block?

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:31 pm

I placed a hose clamp near the end of the tube at the appropriate location, then a washer whose ID was close to the metal tubes OD, then I placed a couple of o-rings that were the right ID to fit on the tube and the right OD to fit in the hole in the block. On the end that was near the license plate I used an L-shaped piece of metal with a hole in it. The hole side got bolted to the engine and the other part went parallel to the tubing and got a hose clamp around the tube to hold the tube in place. Complicated to explain. Fairly simple to do.

Andrew