Dip **** stick broke off in pan now what?

[GmTard89]

Worse possible case scenario after motor replacement in my 94k2500 I put in the wrong dipstick with a different dipstick tube and it broke off on initial startup I have two inches of dipstick broken off in the pan and it's grinding away and I have glitter. other than rotating the crank backwards and hoping it pops out and falls in the pan I'm clueless on what to do other than pull motor back out and drop pan. I was just going to put oil back in tonight and I have 50 lb neodymium magnets on the pan and roll the dice unless someone talks me out of it in the next 3 hours while I'm at work Thanks for reading

 

[Vanishing Point]

By any chance do you have access to a long flexible tip video camera to search for and check the position of the broken 2" dipstick. And if not, how about utilizing a long enough flexible magnetic tip that'll fit inside oil drain hole to reach for that broken 2" dipstick and try very carefully to pull it out. Or as you mentioned earlier, lift engine high enough to clear and drop oil pan and remove it that way. Then reseal everything back up with new gaskets so that it doesn't leak on you (I know easier said then done). Anyway, good luck in your endeavor and let us know your progress.

 

[GmTard89]

The oil drain is on the opposite side of the dipstick so that might work but be very difficult I don't have access to a endoscope .I just had it all out and replaced all the seals with a one piece. My thought is it's either pinched somewhere and being ground away or it might fall out and get picked up by the magnets . I'm just curious to how much damage it could do other than take out my oil pump or clogg some bearings or will the filter catch most of it and then just change my oil in a thousand miles or so

 

[Piratehunter]

Worse possible case scenario after motor replacement in my 94k2500 I put in the wrong dipstick with a different dipstick tube and it broke off on initial startup I have two inches of dipstick broken off in the pan and it's grinding away and I have glitter. other than rotating the crank backwards and hoping it pops out and falls in the pan I'm clueless on what to do other than pull motor back out and drop pan. I was just going to put oil back in tonight and I have 50 lb neodymium magnets on the pan and roll the dice unless someone talks me out of it in the next 3 hours while I'm at work Thanks for reading

pull motor back out and drop pan

 

[Hipster]

There's some crankshaft windage that's going to take place where the crank slings oil everywhere. Do what you gotta do to get it out. No guarantee it's still laying in the pan. Some type of rear main seals don't like to be rotated backwards. It depends on what type is in there.

 

[GmTard89]

There's some crankshaft windage that's going to take place where the crank slings oil everywhere. Do what you gotta do to get it out. No guarantee it's still laying in the pan. Some type of rear main seals don't like to be rotated backwards. It depends on what type is in there.

Great Well I rotated it back about 3/4 of a turn and that's about all I could get out of it and didn't hear anything drop and I would have been able to drag it out with the magnets I have they're ridiculously strong n52 1x1''cube

 

[Hipster]

Great Well I rotated it back about 3/4 of a turn and that's about all I could get out of it and didn't hear anything drop and I would have been able to drag it out with the magnets I have they're ridiculously strong n52 1x1''cube

Take this situation of yours seriously, I opened engines up and the bits of shrapnel from the bottom were sitting in the lifter valley. It might be stuck somewhere and innocently tapping on a crank counterweight or it might be stuck somewhere where it's doing a bunch of damage. You already said you got glitter. If you haven't already it's time to park it and dig in.

A magnet you can fish with is better to go fishing with. Magnet tool where the magnet is on a somewhat stiff piece of wire you can stick in the drain hole. There are kinds of these tools out there. Even if I found the piece I would still pull the pan off to clean it out and also have a look see.

 

[GmTard89]

Motor only has about a minute of runtime after resurface and new seals . it was only started twice to check starter mesh and then Prime oil system too check oil level and then I found out the dipstick wasn't all there.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Do you have a flat tappet cam in that engine? I wiped out one lifter which sent "glitter" throughout. I replaced the lifter, changed the oil and filter a couple times. Then a couple months later, wiped out 2 lobes on the cam, 1 was because of a collapsed lifter (from glitter stuck in it). I spent over $2K on a roller cam, lifters, springs, seats, keepers, etc. Ran for a couple weeks, then spun a rod bearing. Now I have a big paper weight or a small boat anchor. I just ordered a 383 Blue Print short block to the tune of ~$4700 with tax and shipping, all because of some glitter in the oil. This may be an extreme case, just saying.

Drop the pan, clean it out, hospital clean, maybe even leave a couple magnets inside, and keep changing your oil, send a sample out each time to see if you're winning. Hopefully you'll save it without too much expense. YMMV

I hate to be a Debbie Downer, Good luck!

Edit: This can happen to a roller cam too.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

I'm pretty sure a lot of dip stick tube stubby bits have been sitting in the bottom of oil pans for years without causing problems.