Close to getting the engine into the car. Today's problem is the dip stick. On the 3.4DOHC it ends up tight against the firewall. I've seen several peoples solutions . . .

1. Steven's: Stock location with a bend rearward at the top. I may end up with this one, it's the easiest way out.
2. Angling to one side or the other: I tried this one, but there are too many bends now to get the stick to slide in.
3. Suggestion I saw somewhere: Use the Fiero dip stick as it's longer and exits on the passenger side. I've tried this one, but on the DOHC there's no way past the exhaust manifold that I can see.
4. Aftermarket flexi replacement. I looked at these, but there're all pretty short.
5. Move the dip stick location to the rear side of the block: Well, maybe when the engine is apart some time.
6. Seems like there must be an electronic replacement dip stick somewhere. Not a "Low oil" sensor, but an oil level sensor.
7. ?

Please share your solutions as I'm stuck.

Thanks

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1988 GT, 5-speed, white, beechwood leather, 3.4 DOHC 6-speed installation in process. Really. I am working on it.

I thought this was an issue but after installing the DOHC in my 88 I found it not to be. It is a long reach and the seal at the back edge of the deck kinda hides it but I don't find it a problem. I found that bending the tube should have been done before the e-manifolds were installed with the crossover but engine was already in car by then.

On mine I originally replaced the 3.4's dipstick with a Fiero V6 one but had to bend the top so much it was still almost impossible to get the stick in the tube with the engine in. The bend was just too much.

After much careful measuring I made a flexible cable one that fit into the Fiero V6 tube by welding some steel cable into the handle and welding some level markers on the lower end.





Never had a problem with this.
I did look for an 'electronic' dipstick/level indicator but never found anything commercially available.

Dave

[This message has been edited by ltlfrari (edited 05-21-2007).]

Dave, I like the way you did that. That's stainless braided cable?

It was just regular braided cable from home depot ! Since it's stuck down an oily tube I never had a problem with rust.
You've just got to make sure the cable is welded securely into the handle. Don't want it dropping out into the engine ! I never had a problem with it hitting the crank or anything which the original one did because of all the bends and twists in it to get it to go down the tube.

[This message has been edited by ltlfrari (edited 05-22-2007).]

This was my solution:

http://i160.photobucket.com...ng58/Assembly005.jpg

I used my whizzer cut off tool to carve a slot in the aluminum stand off on the head/cam carrier and bent the stock DOHC tube at a 45 degree angle with a cheap tubing bender. This stand-off is only used for when they machine the part and has no structural effect on the head/cam carrier. Although the dipstick is still kind of burried it's easier to get to than other solutions I've seen and since it's only bent at a 45 the dipstick goes in fairly easy.

Also, that big black casting you can see in that picture on the right also houses the original torque strut mount point. Unless you are using it to tie the engine to the firewall you can cut most of it off so that it makes it easier to get to that area of the engine (not much though !). I left the lift point on there though for engine removal.

quote Originally posted by ltlfrari: Also, that big black casting you can see in that picture on the right also houses the original torque strut mount point. Unless you are using it to tie the engine to the firewall you can cut most of it off so that it makes it easier to get to that area of the engine (not much though !). I left the lift point on there though for engine removal.

Yeah, I cut off the strut mount part as well. Then I found out the strut I had made to support my filler neck wouldn't clear one edge. I trimmed it some more. Then the modified coolant pipe (also to clear the afore-mentioned support strut) didn't clear what was left of the lift casting. I ended up making a more vertical lift bracket to clear all that. Except now it interferes with my re-routed fuel lines. No wonder I've been working on this project for three years.

quote Originally posted by ltlfrari: Also, that big black casting you can see in that picture on the right also houses the original torque strut mount point. Unless you are using it to tie the engine to the firewall you can cut most of it off so that it makes it easier to get to that area of the engine (not much though !). I left the lift point on there though for engine removal.

Yep, forgot to mention that part. The torque strut mount was in the way of things so I cut that off as well and welded it on the other lifting lug to mount my dog bone close to the stock 2.8 location.