When I bought my car, the dipstick was short. It was cut off right below the full mark. So, I put another dipstick in. Now something inside the oil pan is hitting the dipstick. It makes a steady ticking sound, and when I remove the dipstick the sound goes away. If I move the dipstick in and out while the car is running, I can feel something hitting the dipstick. I changed the oil recently, and I found no metal shavings in the oil. What could be hitting the dipstick? Is it worth removong the oil pan to see what is going on inside? The car runs fantastic.

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'71 Dart Swinger

sounds like the crank or one of the connecting rods is hitting your dipstick. Generally, this isn't a good thing...

Check the alignment on the dipstick's tube. It's probably installed wrong.

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My truck is a Frankenstein creation
Built from the dead carcasses of others
And brought BACK TO LIFE!

Unless you have a mouse using a telegraph in the crankcase, it's a pretty safe bet that the dipstick is being hit by the crankshaft or a connecting rod end.
Before you remove the oil pan, why not try to bend the dipstick tube/oil pan right where the tube enters the oil pan and see if the noise goes away?

Good suggestions about bending the tube and pointing the dipstick away from the crank. I will try that. What direction should the dipstick point? If that doesn't stop the noise, what kind of problem do you think I have? Thanks for the help.

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'71 Dart Swinger

If bending does not fix the problem, sounds like you have the incorrect dipstick for the tube (dipstick is too long).

After getting the ticking stopped, during an oil change, fill back up with oil to one quart low--mark(scratch) the dipstick. Fill to full--mark the dipstick. Then if it is way to long, trim off the excess.

-S/6

Thank you SuperSix. The dipstick is incorrect for the car. I did as you described to mark the stick, but I guess it is too long. I will trim some off and see what happens.

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'71 Dart Swinger

The dipstick tube has to be straigth upwards (in a passenger car engine, dont know anything of other applications). You can also bent your dipstick a little arched and then install it so the lower end of it is off from the crank.

I have lost couple dipsticks when they start to hit to crank counterbalance. Usually that has happened because something has bent the tube outwards from the block. I have never opened the pan to get the stumps away from any engine, but replaced it with another got from salvage yard. The new one can be calibrated as told in previous messages.

The stupm will stay there in the bottom of the pan because the steel specific gravity ten times more than oil.