While changing the oil on my 1987 Mustang 2.3 L 4 cylinder, I asked my son to pull the dipstick out so we could check the level when refilling the crank case. Wouldn’t you know it, the dipstick and tube came out together! It doesn’t seem to fit too securely into the hole it came out of. I’m not usually one of those who use the “duct tape an glue methods” but could this tube be epoxied back in place??? My son couldn’t apologize enough although I kept telling him he didn’t do anything wrong.
Newpony
Could you squeeze the tube so that it is slightly oval then pound it into the hole?
Your son followed the instructions to the letter. He’ll know better next time I guess. If the tube is really loose, there may have been a rubber O-ring seal that goes around the tube and then into the hole. They are easy to find at parts stores where there is a box or display with dozens of sizes in or on it. Pick one or two that look about right and try them.
They should fit the tube but require a little effort to install. Just a little but not loose. There should be some resistance when the tube is pushed in. Look for the old one in the hole so that maybe you can get it out. Don’t worry if it falls in.
Look for a little bracket that might have been welded to the tube. It may still be screwed into the block. Don’t bother if there is no rough spot on the tube which would indicte that there was one. If you find that there is one, you can make a trip to the junkyard for another. Good fun and it looks like you and your son are part of a great family.
Yah, glue it back in. Originaly this is a simple press fit tube in a round hole. Since it’s loose now just glue it back in. Maybe some loktite or the epoxy, but not a lot, you don’t want epoxy to drip into your oil.