How can an oil dipstick get stuck?

[Scallywag]

Friday three weeks ago, the BA spilled A LOT of oil at work and so at lunch I took it to a nearby auto shop. They kept the Mark(thankfully they give loaners) in which it underwent a replacement of oil pan gasket and drain plug as it was leaking from those two areas, the big one of course being the oil pan.

This past weekend I changed the inner & outer tie rods and afterwards I just wanted to check the fluid levels. To my dismay, I couldn't pull the oil dipstick out and it felt tough! Like it was caught in something.

The work is warrantied so today at lunch i took the BA back to the shop, got a loaner and took off. At the end of the day I called to ask if all is well and was told that they can't figure it out. That they're baffled.....

So, out of curiosity if yous happen to know, what could the dip stick have had gotten caught on when reinstalling the oil pan? Maybe they had it in and were supposed to leave it out when reinstalling..... ?

 

[Sapperfire]

They didn't pull the dip stick out when they replaced pan, the tip of the stick will get pinched because its not guided thru the hole in the baffle of the pan. The stick is stuck between the baffle, and the crank, the pan will have to be dropped again, stick removed AND replaced because I 100% guarantee that the tip is now cracked.

When our cars dump A LOT of fluid all the sudden, its probably the Oil Pressure Switch located on the bottom front of the Oil Filter Adapter. Its a little black thing with 1 wire.
Our oil Pan usually doesn't leak because it has a reinforced gasket.. Normally its the Oil Filter Adapter Gasket and/or the Oil Pressure Sending Unit

When the O-F-A-G leaks, its blows all over the pan.. Tell your tech to Brake Clean the area of the block right behind the Power Steering pump and recheck for leaks

 

[JDS353]

2x on SAPP said. JD

 

[Markviiiedrea]

Agreed, sounds like they pinched the dipstick.

Example:





Shoot me a PM if it is bad, I think I have an extra one laying around.

 

[Scallywag]

Yea so this morning I called for an update. They said they got it out but are having a hard locating another dipstick and so they cant give my car until they put it back the way it was.

Understandable.

What isn't is that they wont use customer provided parts for warranty purposes. Fair enough...

Last March my front UCAs were on the verge of failing so I ordered some Mevotechs from RockAuto to do em myself during the weekend. The car felt real sloppy before the weekend so I took it to this shop with my parts which was when they explained they had to use their parts which are better than the ones I got.

At the end if the day, the bill showed that the part #s installed was the same Mevotechs I ordered!!!!

So I doubt they would use your dipstick since they have the mentality of milking the customer for all they can. But if they want OEM, then this time they may have to bite their tongue on this just to satisfy the job so I will check and get back to you(markviiidrea).

At least I have a loaner, but truthfully i prefer to drive and may end up using the K4 in the meantime....

 

[Right on the Mark]

Yea so this morning I called for an update. They said they got it out but are having a hard locating another dipstick and so they cant give my car until they put it back the way it was.

Understandable.

What isn't is that they wont use customer provided parts for warranty purposes. Fair enough...

Last March my front UCAs were on the verge of failing so I ordered some Mevotechs from RockAuto to do em myself during the weekend. The car felt real sloppy before the weekend so I took it to this shop with my parts which was when they explained they had to use their parts which are better than the ones I got.

At the end if the day, the bill showed that the part #s installed was the same Mevotechs I ordered!!!!

So I doubt they would use your dipstick since they have the mentality of milking the customer for all they can. But if they want OEM, then this time they may have to bite their tongue on this just to satisfy the job so I will check and get back to you(markviiidrea).

At least I have a loaner, but truthfully i prefer to drive and may end up using the K4 in the meantime....

When you go to a Steakhouse to eat dinner do you bring your own steak? This is what I tell people when they bring me parts.

 

[Sapperfire]

As a Shop Owner myself ,normally I prefer to order the parts, because I can usually get them much cheaper than an average customer walking into a Parts Store, and I pass that savings on to my customers. However, I will install a customers carried in part on their vehicle - with no warranty

Wish you were closer, I'd take care of her for you

 

[Bangster]

Yup, at the cost of not being warrantied, the shop I worked with would install customer provided parts. They also wouldn't cut breaks on some labor, like if book hours for a heater core was 8 and they could do it in 2, if they provided the parts they would usually charge 6 hours. Usually the cost at a shop exceeds the retail cost at the parts store, at non Vatozone places I nearly always get parts at jobber and not retail, which is usually what a shop gets it for.

 

[soduka]

Yea so this morning I called for an update. They said they got it out but are having a hard locating another dipstick and so they cant give my car until they put it back the way it was.

Understandable.

What isn't is that they wont use customer provided parts for warranty purposes. Fair enough...

Last March my front UCAs were on the verge of failing so I ordered some Mevotechs from RockAuto to do em myself during the weekend. The car felt real sloppy before the weekend so I took it to this shop with my parts which was when they explained they had to use their parts which are better than the ones I got.

At the end if the day, the bill showed that the part #s installed was the same Mevotechs I ordered!!!!

So I doubt they would use your dipstick since they have the mentality of milking the customer for all they can. But if they want OEM, then this time they may have to bite their tongue on this just to satisfy the job so I will check and get back to you(markviiidrea).

At least I have a loaner, but truthfully i prefer to drive and may end up using the K4 in the meantime....

If something happens to any of my vehicles that I can't fix myself (excluding tires and alignment), they go to the junkyard. No use arguing with professional mechanics as seen in this thread.

 

[Sapperfire]

Just find a shop that's not out to screen you for ever last dime you have.. There are still some decent ones- I hope.. Surely I can't be the only one

 

[slowmkviii]

You could just tell the shop markviiiedre's email and they could buy it from him.
But I'm assuming there not charging you for the part or the time searching for it so if you don't mind there free loaner I don't see what the big would be.

 

[pektel]

When you go to a Steakhouse to eat dinner do you bring your own steak? This is what I tell people when they bring me parts.

I've brought my own wine. $25 opening fee to know what I'm getting was worth it.

On a serious note: my trusted shop has never had a problem with me providing my own parts. The shop and I have a gentleman's agreement that if I provide the parts, there's no warranty. I can live with that. Especially on a car as old as either the mark viii or the LS.