wrong dip stick?

[AC]

I was looking through Fritz's web site and discovered I have the wrong dip stick. The number on mine is 3944594 and according to TSB 09-06-98 it should be 3935648. Mine is 45 5\8 inches long to the bottom of the handle and the full mark is 4 1\2 inches from the bottom. Apparently it should be 45 1\8 inch long and the full mark should be 4 inches from the bottom. I called my dealer and they said to either leave it alone or order a new one for $57 or cut 1\2 inch off of the end. (Seems to me they should just give you the right part) Has anyone out there trimmed their dip stick? Or should I just leave well enough alone?



AC



Can you put trim and dip stick in the same sentence?

 

[Bob Wagner]

wives love the long dipstick

either trim it (wont hurt) or buy a mag hytec transmission pan



both work

 

[DaveN]

I just trimmed my dipstick (on the truck... . ). If it's too long then it hits the bottom of the pan, and it doesn't seal around the outside of the dipstick tube, letting contamination in there.



Auto + dirt =

 

[jwilliams3]

Trying using a different dealer, explain your situation to them.

Sounds like you have a 5 screw dealership.

 

[John]

AC, you have a '98. 5 24v...



I believe all of the '98. 5 24v engines were shipped with the wrong dipstick. I first brought this to the attention of my dealer after my first engine oil change (performed by me of course)... this was around late June of 1998. I fought with those morons until a TSB was released sometime during the '99 model year, at which time I requested and subsequently received the correct dipstick replacement.



The min/max marks are incorrect... if you fill to the max line you will have at least 12 quarts in the sump (or at least 1 qt. too many).



PLEASE NOTE: edits were made to this post I made this post in a hurry yesterday and inadvertantly combined the problems of two different dipsticks on the '98. 5 Rams (assuming it came with an automatic transmission). As I didn't have adequate time to double check everything for accuracy, mispelled words etc. , things got as screwed up as Hogan's goat. The post now reads as originally intended. Sorry for the inaccuracies.











PS: who the heck is Hogan anyway? (I suppose I should ask my dad... he's the one who always uses this phrase)



PPS: the ATF dipstick is a separate issue (requiring either the removal of approx. 1/4" from the end of the dipstick so it won't pop out of its seated position or replacement of the OE stamped steel transmission pan with either of the Mag-Hytec trans. pans... the Deep or the Double Deep versions).

 

[AC]

John,



Thanks for your response. The easiest thing to do would be to trim the end off but if the min/max marks are wrong won't it still read incorrect?

AC



PS Did you ever try to get them to just replace it with the right one?

 

[John]

AC, please reread my previous post. I made edits to correct inaccuracies made in haste yesterday. Not to blame anyone but, I was led down the wrong path by the preceding posts made by Bob Wagner and DaveN... they were discussing another dipstick problem and I combined the two. Doh! Sorry for the lame information.

 

[John]

Hey Fred, that reminds me...



I also called Cummins in late June of '98 about the engine oil dipstick... they knew then about the problem. I was also told that DC would give me the correct replacement.



Maybe so, but it took many calls to the dealer plus several calls to DC directly (not to mention many months) to finally make it happen. And after all that I had to request the dipstick... those cheap SOBs wouldn't even issue one under a recall. In other words, if you weren't smart enough to catch the screwup (or didn't care), they weren't going to make it right for you.

 

[GiesJ]

98.5 Dipstick

This is my first post, please bear with me. I have been a member for a long time and just read the forum to try to keep up with you Diesel Einsteins. A couple weeks ago I noticed my dipstick was a little loose and that caused me to check this thread out. Anyway, I have a 95. 5 and sure enough, you were right and I am running the wrong dipstick. Talked to the dealer in Laramie and the parts guy is great but they wouldn’t do anything cause I’m past the 36000 mile warranty. Called DC Customer support’s 800 number and they were actually great. They said the dealer should have just given me the part because it was such a low dollar amount but that if I send them a receipt they will reimburse me. Pretty neat.



I am amazed by the knowledge you all have and thanks for allowing me to tap into this base.

 

[jwilliams3]

GiesJ,

Are you aware of your CUMMINS 100,000 Mile/5 Year non deductible warranty?

This is in the owners manual, and will cover a part like this.

Good ole 5 star (screw) dealerships at it again!!

 

[GiesJ]

That's what I thought but the Service Manager said it's only under the 36000 mile warranty. This happens to be the same place that says I cannot change my own shocks and that they should just do it for me. It really kind of stinks cause the next closest Dodge dealer is almost 50 miles away and they ain't much better...

thanks for the great info, I feel like now I have a bunch of buddies who got my back incase a dealer, etc tries to pull the wool over me.

jason

 

[jwilliams3]

GiesJ,

Everything that comes from Cummins (Columbus Midrange Engine Plant) on your Engine is covered under the CUMMINS warranty.

This includes your dipstick to be exact (and a host of other parts

dealers do not like to tell you about).



Good Luck!!

 

[BV]

off topic

Thought I should mention that Cummins does not warranty the engine - It's a Dodge warranty.



Edit - Some folks are lucky and DC will send them directly to a Cummins shop - This normally happens in smaller towns that don't have a diesel mechanic.

 

[ralphr]

I noticed my dip stick "walking out" to long and hitting the bottom of the oil pan. took it to the grinder and removed about 1/2 inch, works fine. with 11 quarts with filter change just about at the full mark just reference from that point. quick an easy no dealer fights, or keeping the truck for a few days, etc. .

 

[AC]

Here's the latest on my quarrel with the dealer. I went in there to get a part and ask them again about swapping dip sticks. This time the service manager brought out the Diesel tech to " explain" this to me. I was told everything from " your out of warranty" to " next time you change your oil pull the dip stick and scribe a line at the oil level ". When I showed them the TSB # they told me that was just a bunch of rumors from the internet and that " no such thing ever came from Mopar". As I was pulling out of the lot the service manager stopped me and confessed that they found the " newTSB " concerning my problem and that they would check with Dodge to see if it was covered.

This is a five star dealer? I'd hate to have deal with a three or a four star. When I get an answer I'll let you know.

I also called Dodge myself and was told that was " covered under my warranty", so I'm hoping they will soon see it my way.



AC

 

[John]

AC, which dealer are you referring to? It had better not be Larson Dodge... I was the one who originally brought the problem to light with them..... back in late June of 1998!!!! They also tried to give me that line about scribing a reference mark on my incorrect dipstick!



What's next? My own warranty work because the 5-star dealer can't be trusted? Oh hey, I'm already doing that!

 

[jwilliams3]

BV,

Cummins does warranty the engine, and pays for warranty costs

related to defective engines.

The warrant is administered through Chrysler but Cummins is the one footing the bill.

 

[AC]

squeaky wheel...

I called the dealer back ( Enumclaw Dodge ) the next day and was told that Dodge would'nt warranty the dip stick because I was past my 3yr/36k. When I told them I felt it would be considered part of the engine and covered under the 5yr/100k, they assured me that it " was not covered ". Never one to take the dealers word about anything I called Dodge customer service.

After a lengthy discussion with Dodge they finally agreed to call the dealership and foot the bill. Although they did cover it, it seems that the dip stick is considered an " external part of the engine ", and only covered it because they're nice or because they figured it was worth it to stop me whinning at them.

More and more this chant " I am my own warrranty station" is making sense to me. And to think I was concerned about bombing my engine for fear the dealer might void my " warranty".



AC



PS The oil level marks on my new dip stick are about a half inch lower than my old one. So trimming the end would not have fixed the problem. The oil level now reads full for the first time.