Oil Dipstick

[Ncostello]

I don't know where this should be posted. But what or how does Cummins get that little "ball" brazed or welded on the end of their dipsticks? What is it? Do they drill a tiny hole before doing this?



Reason I ask is because I have to get this done on a CAT C7 engine dipstick. That thing is a BEAR to get back into the engine. Something in the tube or block hangs it up and it takes like 25 tries to get the thing to go in. It had a little complicated "roller" wheel on the end of it and that doesn't work. I took that off and just a plain end is the same or slightly easier.



I tried a cummins ISC dipstick and it goes in easily but is the wrong length. So I want to weld or braze a bead onto the cat stick. How do they get this done? I think that would be an accessory to me. Thats why I posted it here.

 

[Gene Heck]

Here's a couple ideas for you.



If the ISC stick slides in easy and it isn't to long why don't you lay them side by side and make new full and add marks in the ISC stick and use it?



Or



If you still want to use the original dipstick you could use a piece of steel splitshot on it. Put it on the end of the stick, pinch it closed so it hangs on temporarily and braze it in place.



That would be easier and a firmer fit than trying to get say a BB to lay still long enough to get it to stick with braze and not knowing how well it is actually brazed on.



If you kind of know where the dipstick hangs up, sometimes you can put just a little bend (tweak) near the end to help guide it around the hard spot. Of course you have to insert the dipstick from the same side each time.



Gene

 

[Ncostello]

We've tried tweaking the end. It doesn't help. This is a spiral or twisted type dipstick and it "spins" as it goes in. So there is hardly any way to control how it goes in each time. I've got too many people that check the oil... whom I could never get to do it the same way each time.



I like the splitshot idea. I've talked to a pro welder and he's going to figure out how to braze it. It has to be "solid". I don't want the piece to disappear in the oil pan. I have no idea if it could get pulled past the oil pump screen. Not sure if there is a screen or what. That could be catastrophic.