AMC v8 issues I need help with.......

OK motor is a 401 and fresh rebuild. I am doing the last parts of the assembley and have a few questions.

1. I can't get the dipstick tube in. I've tired freezing, oiling and sanding the end of the tube. The hole is clear. The tube is just too darn big. But it came from the hole before I had the machine work done. So I know it will fit. What is the trick? I tired slipping a washer down so it fits around the ridge and using a hammer and a long screwdriver. No love there. I sanded the end of the tube with sandpaper to try to give a little room. Again, no love. So what is the trick?

2. The oil filler tube is loose. Too loose. It just slips in and out. I took it out of a stock manifold and put it in an Eddelbrock performer intake. Any thoughts on making it a tighter fit? So far I got nothing. If I turned the jeep over, I think it would fall out.

3. Oil and temp senders. Are senders universal or are senders matched to the gauge. For instance will a stock oil sender work with an aftermarket gauge? There is a boat part store near me that sells gauges for $1 each. Some of them are VDO gauges. They don't sell senders but they say almost all marine senders will work with the gauges. Same way with jeeps?

Thanks.........
and I need to update my build thread.

 

I had similar issues with the filler tube in my edelbrock intake. I used some black rtv to tighten it up. Seems good now.

 

I'd use Permatex #1 for the filler tube. I'd also put a few center punch dimples around the base of the tube from the inside out.

I haven't tried to install one of the dipstick tubes, but it's got to go in there.

The senders are matched to the gauge. You need the sender that is intended for the gauge. It may be true that boats all use universal gauges, and that the senders always work. But cars aren't that way. If you use the original gauges, you need the sender spec'd for that guage.

The Jeep stuff from this era is Stewart-Warner, as I recall.

 

I wouldn't attempt this for several reasons. First, I doubt the exhaust shop has a mandrel small enough to fit the tube, since they deal with 2" or 2.5" exhaust tubing. Second, it's a matter of a few thousands of an inch, and there is no way that an exhaust tube expander can be precise enough to do this without going too far.

Loctite makes a variety of retaining compounds for press-fit applications. You can get a bottle on Amazon for not a lot of money: http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-609-Retaining-Compound-Viscosity/dp/B0000YHS8I

Regarding the gauges/sendors, I would pick the gauge I want and then source the sender from the manufacturer. Autometer sells senders separately, for example, and I'm sure that VDO would too.

For the dipstick tube, try a wrench that fits fairly snugly around the ridge. There's a video on youtube that might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkuWKifbQsg Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfrcMmgk_u8&feature=related

He's using a 1/4" bolt in the top of the tube to tap on.

 

I agree. I bought a stainless one from BJs to install in my aluminum intake. When installed, it isn't completely tight. http://www.bjsoffroad.com/prod-518.htm
If the rtv doesn't stay put, I'll go the loctite route.

 

I watched the video and my dipstick must have been cut off. Or he is putting it upside down to they way I'm trying to do it.

Hang on, let me take a quick picture.....

Here it is as I am trying to install it. The tube goes to the flair part and then stops.....


I assume this is the bottom. But from the video, has it been cut off? The smaller part slides in eaisly, but with little to no play. However, the flair portion under the ferrel is way to big. I've sanded, filed, frozen and wacked. It is so much larger, I don't see how it will fit. Especially since the lower part is a slip fit. When it was together initially, I think the lower section was RTV'd in and the flair was not in the block.


This is the orientation I think it should be at.


I'm ready to order a new part. BJ's or Bulltear? I've seen good and bad about both.

 

Any thoughts??

 

You might try over on IFSJA, if you have not been there yet.

Lots of old threads there about this topic: https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...fficial&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np

 

Thanks Tim. I did not post on IFSJA but I did search and read. I found no definitive answer. Some folks swear Bulltear or BJ's is the one and the other sucks.

Right now, I'm working on getting mine to fit but it looks like my tube has been cut and shortened at some time. I'm trying to get verification before I order another tube.

 

If I needed a new one, and I will soon, I'd go Bulltear, those guys know their AMC's. Not sure where BJ's come from but if they're from China then, well, you gets what ya pays for.

 

That dipstick looks nothing like the one out of my 304...... I ordered one through ebay and it wouldn't work. ruined it! Then I ordered one from bulltear and it worked like a champ!


Lee

 

Updates on questions.......

Filler Tube
I did as Tim suggested on the fill tube. I added 2 dimples, 180* apart, coated it with a little RTV and slid it in a fraction of an inch, then tapped it in with a rubber mallet. It seated and did a great job.

Dipstick
The original tube I had was not the right one. I have no idea what motor it was from but the DSPO had it shoved down then used sealant to keep it from leaking. I now have a Bulltear dipstick and tube that I am trying to install into the block. I can work it with my hands, twisting it and pushing it down and I can get it past the bend, about an inch or so then it stops. I don't think I am hitting the windage tray because when I put the dipstick in, it goes all the way down and seats on the top of the dipstick tube as it should.

I currently have it in the freezer to try again tomorrow. I'll coat it with light oil to see if that helps. I was also going to use an open end wrench and tap-tap-tap to try to get it to seat.

I've looked in the hole and it is clear. The motor came back form a fresh rebuild so I know it's clean.

What is the trick to getting this down in the hole and getting it to seat?

Senders
I can't get the right combination of stuff to get the oil sender to fit between the oil filter and the block without hitting. My next move is to go to the hardware store and try to find a combination of fittings that will work. I need a little 45* then a short straight to get it to work. I'm on spring break so maybe tomorrow I can work something out.....

 

New update!! Dipstick tube is IN!!.

Freezer overnight
light oil on the end
Open wrench on the shoulder down where it goes in the block
Few light taps with the hammer on the wrench
slid in like it wanted to be there.

Oil dipstick slides in the tube and seats like it should.

The tube had to be nudged so it would fit in the retainer that attaches to the valve cover bolt.

Yaa me!! Another little victory.

 

Yay!

 

I am going to have to replace my tube pretty soon. I have seen a lot of talk about the dipstick tube not fitting in the hole and people finding creative methods to make them fit. It makes me wonder, why not drill the hole slightly bigger?

Bob

 

I would guess that you need a press fit to keep from leaking oil and not vibrating the tube out.

 

tubes from ebay, parts store, dodge dealer wont work they are all junk the only one that will work correctly is BULLTEAR. here is how I know- grandpa one day decided to do me a favor and check my oil and snap my tube off in the block... we went around and around playing with junk tubes from dealers and parts stores till I found bulltear and it worked great first time. it sucks to drop $40 on a dumb tube but buy once cry once. I wish I would of