Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of why dipsticks break, and drop into the pan?

One person I spoke to has had 3 dipsticks in 200K miles

Never heard of such a thing, not saying it doesn't happen at least not to me or anyone else I know;)

Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of why dipsticks break, and drop into the pan?

One person I spoke to has had 3 dipsticks in 200K miles

I'm not impressed with the design. The old type with small holes in them were better. But some GM engineer probably got paid pretty good for designing this new breakable type.

I had mine break off at 20K miles. I pulled it out to check the oil and the weight on the end of the cable was dangling by a thread. I just snapped it off and had a new one ordered. I agree that the design is kind of retarded.

I can only figure that those breaking them are jamming it up forcing it into the tube.I know on occasion mine will be resistant but I pull out and reinsert! :D


Maybe you guys are checking your oil to much~ :o:

I can only figure that those breaking them are jamming it up forcing it into the tube.I know on occasion mine will be resistant but I pull out and reinsert! :D





:eek:

137k miles and still original dipstick

Look for signs of heat. On some gas engines the dipstick tube is routed too close to the exhaust manifold and the dipstick gets brittle from the constant heating and cooling. Worth a look.:)

Mine broke at 20K also right at the end of the cable. Luckily it happened when I pulled it out and not when it went in. What was wrong with the flat steel version, easier to read, won't break?

I have 43k miles and still on the original dipstick.

I stuck mine in and out again and again last night, even jammed it home a few times, and it didn't break off. It was a little sticky at the end but otherwise was ready for a lot more use.

I know I am looking forward to using it again, its not as stiff as before but it works well enough to make me happy :D

.

Just thought I would ask. Perhaps it was heat related fatigue.

Those having had to replace them, do you tow often?

I stuck mine in and out again and again last night, even jammed it home a few times, and it didn't break off. It was a little sticky at the end but otherwise was ready for a lot more use.

I know I am looking forward to using it again, its not as stiff as before but it works well enough to make me happy :D

.

:funnypost

I stuck mine in and out again and again last night, even jammed it home a few times, and it didn't break off. It was a little sticky at the end but otherwise was ready for a lot more use.

I know I am looking forward to using it again, its not as stiff as before but it works well enough to make me happy :D

.

i giggled like a lil beyotch...
personaly, i never check my oil, just wait until the "low oil level" in the DIC comes on, and it only has once in 33k miles

No towing here. It almost looked like a manufacturing defect. Looked like when the end was added some of the wire strands were cut.

Diesel have a resonance to them , as I recall a manufacture that had problem with injection pump trottle return springs that would break the hook and fall of .
They cured that by putting nylon roller on to the spring studs to isolate the spring from metal to metal contact , this resolved the problem .

Could be that there are material issues. Some failing and not others is usually a sign of a bad run of them. If they are made overseas (and they probably are) is very possible that different grades of material are used for each run. I have parts made overseas and its really easy to see the differences in the material they use even when the parts are otherwise identical.

Diesel have a resonance to them , as I recall a manufacture that had problem with injection pump trottle return springs that would break the hook and fall of .
They cured that by putting nylon roller on to the spring studs to isolate the spring from metal to metal contact , this resolved the problem .

Always carried spares in the side box. :p:

This one has OIL in its topic, it must be locked immediately!

This one has OIL in its topic, it must be locked immediately!

Are more LLy's breaking than LB7's? Is it heat related? I'll check with the Overheating authorities! :D

Are more LLy's breaking than LB7's? Is it heat related? I'll check with the Overheating authorities! :D

:funnypost :lol: :muahaha: ):h ):h

This one has OIL in its topic, it must be locked immediately! Down Boy!:whip: :angel:

Down Boy!:whip: :angel:

Ooooooooo whip me beat me teach me LOVE!

Lemme have fun!

.

Ooooooooo whip me beat me teach me LOVE!

Lemme have fun!

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You and him know each other personaly, I would guess!):h

Mine broke and it has never been jamed in. I do use it to tow a lot but it only had about 15,000 when it happened.
I checked the oil and it looked a little low so I stuck it again and it never came back. Never had any isues running hot. I just think it was a bad to start with.

Diesel have a resonance to them , as I recall a manufacture that had problem with injection pump trottle return springs that would break the hook and fall of .
They cured that by putting nylon roller on to the spring studs to isolate the spring from metal to metal contact , this resolved the problem .

So, we need a roller on the end of our dipsticks?? !! I put a rubber on mine so it can't impregnate my engine.

Mine's always hard to pull out. Anybody else have this problem?

It's a ****ty design and way over-engineerined! What was wrong with the old plain metal design everyone else uses and has used for years?

Mine's always hard to pull out. Anybody else have this problem?

Mine is too. Seems like a twist and pull works pretty good.:)

It's a ****ty design and way over-engineerined! What was wrong with the old plain metal design everyone else uses and has used for years?


A lot of vehicles are going to these cable dipsticks. My 97 Ford halfton has one and I have seen them on quite a few other cars. I wonder if they do it to save money. There doesn't seem to be much of a difference in tolling, only in the legnth of the cable.

Add me to the list of ones that are breaking. I just ordered a new today.

Mine is too. Seems like a twist and pull works pretty good.:)

Getting kinda sloppy, time to pull out. . .

i allways hate to pull mine out,it means i need a nap

If the dipstick passes too close to the exhaust, is that a design error or operator problem????:eek: :eek: :eek:

how are you guys getting the end out of the oilpan - for those that have had them break completely off - like mine did today :(

Mine's always hard to pull out. Anybody else have this problem?

Mine always comes out easy.
Try lubing it up before jamming it in the hole.
:sheephump
I wonder if Mike L has any advice.

how are you guys getting the end out of the oilpan - for those that have had them break completely off - like mine did today :(

Two ways possible. If you're lucky, when you drain the oil, it will ride the flow of oil to the drain hole, where you might be able to use a pair of needle nose pliers to fish it out. While we're on this, is our GM drain plug magnetic? That would be a bonus! If not, shame on GM! !
Parking the truck with the drain hole at the lowest point possible, like on a hill, might help. Otherwise, gotta drop the oil pan. Or. . . take it to the dealer and have them take care of it as a warranty issue.
What a bummer of a problem!

Mine always comes out easy.
Try lubing it up before jamming it in the hole.
:sheephump
I wonder if Mike L has any advice.

Mine is lubed before I remove it. It sits in 10 quarts of Amsoil. :lol:

Mine always comes out easy.
Try lubing it up before jamming it in the hole.
:sheephump
I wonder if Mike L has any advice. Large or Small Thick or Thin,Vaseoloine will get er in

The dipsticks are probably made out of recycled tailgate cables...

The dipsticks are probably made out of recycled tailgate cables...

maybe we need to recruit Victory Red for some "VR sticks" ):h

My dipstick tip broke off today - GM will not replace. All of the cable ends are straight looking like it was cut, but they just came out of the tip. At least the tip is not in the pan. The service manager blamed the tech that last changed the oil (me) for damaging it. So much for "LIKE A ROCK". I think their slogan must refer to GM's slumping quality and values plummeting off of the bottom of the charts.

that is how mine broke too.. except the tip went in the pan.