Hi guys, I had a blast driving my Contemporary Cobra to Monterey this year, and celebrated making it home unscathed by just nipping 145 mph on the 505 before turning off at my exit. Whee!!! When I parked in the driveway for just a moment while the garage door opened (at midnight), several drops of oil, well, dropped. The cause is my dipstick. To put it plainly, it is totally screwed. It bends in two planes; not only does it curve as a flat piece of metal normally would, but it also curves sideways, which is almost impossible to conceive. Here's a photo to show what it looks like; this is shot looking straight down at the flat surface of the dipstick: http://members.aol.com/mikeldrew/dipstick.jpg In fact, the dipstick doesn't even touch the oil; it appears to curve upwards and to the left as soon as it enters the motor. So at oil change time I just have to guess how much oil to put into the motor, never a good thing. It also 'springs' back; when I seat it home, it meets resistance and as soon as the engine starts, it pops back out about an inch. Well, apparently the 5500 rpm I was spinning on the freeway pumped a fair bit of oil out the dipstick tube and all over the engine bay. So, the question is this--where the hell do you buy a new dipstick? The one I have is marked C7AE 6750-A, and has been shortened and marked by somebody in the past with a new 'full' mark considerably higher than the original one. So, what do I do now? I now haven't the slightest idea how much oil is in the engine, and no good way to measure it. My oil pressure is still fine, but I don't want to burn up a 427 for such a stupid reason. Any advice is appreciated! Mike
I believe Jim Cowles at Shelbyparts may have an NOS or Carl's Ford Parts has a good copy of a repop.Otherwise it's Eslay & there are so many of the then selling repops as NOS you never know what you will get.....You can always drain your oil & put 5 qts back in or what ever the correct amount is.Plug the hole IF you Must drive it...At least You will know how much is in there.1 oil change is pretty cheap insurance.............. JW ----- Original Message ----- From: <MikeLDrew@aol.com> To: <shelbymustang@carmemories.com> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 7:12 PM Subject: 427 dipstick question > Hi guys, > > I had a blast driving my Contemporary Cobra to Monterey this year, and > celebrated making it home unscathed by just nipping 145 mph on the 505 before > turning off at my exit. Whee!!! > > When I parked in the driveway for just a moment while the garage door opened > (at midnight), several drops of oil, well, dropped. > > The cause is my dipstick. To put it plainly, it is totally screwed. It > bends in two planes; not only does it curve as a flat piece of metal normally > would, but it also curves sideways, which is almost impossible to conceive. > > Here's a photo to show what it looks like; this is shot looking straight down > at the flat surface of the dipstick: > > http://members.aol.com/mikeldrew/dipstick.jpg > > In fact, the dipstick doesn't even touch the oil; it appears to curve upwards > and to the left as soon as it enters the motor. So at oil change time I just > have to guess how much oil to put into the motor, never a good thing. It > also 'springs' back; when I seat it home, it meets resistance and as soon as the > engine starts, it pops back out about an inch. > > Well, apparently the 5500 rpm I was spinning on the freeway pumped a fair bit > of oil out the dipstick tube and all over the engine bay. > > So, the question is this--where the hell do you buy a new dipstick? The one > I have is marked C7AE 6750-A, and has been shortened and marked by somebody in > the past with a new 'full' mark considerably higher than the original one. > > So, what do I do now? I now haven't the slightest idea how much oil is in > the engine, and no good way to measure it. My oil pressure is still fine, but I > don't want to burn up a 427 for such a stupid reason. > > Any advice is appreciated! > > Mike
Mike-Can't tell you about the dipstick but I can give you a simple tip for the future. To avoid regurgitating oil up and out the dipstick tube, help hold the dipstick in place by slipping an inverted spark plug boot over the dipstick tube. Then firmly seat the dipstick down into the inverted boot and it'll help hold it in place. Regards, Stan ----- Original Message ----- From: <MikeLDrew@aol.com> To: <shelbymustang@carmemories.com> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 8:12 PM Subject: 427 dipstick question > Hi guys, > > I had a blast driving my Contemporary Cobra to Monterey this year, and > celebrated making it home unscathed by just nipping 145 mph on the 505 before > turning off at my exit. Whee!!! > > When I parked in the driveway for just a moment while the garage door opened > (at midnight), several drops of oil, well, dropped. > > The cause is my dipstick. To put it plainly, it is totally screwed. It > bends in two planes; not only does it curve as a flat piece of metal normally > would, but it also curves sideways, which is almost impossible to conceive. > > Here's a photo to show what it looks like; this is shot looking straight down > at the flat surface of the dipstick: > > http://members.aol.com/mikeldrew/dipstick.jpg > > In fact, the dipstick doesn't even touch the oil; it appears to curve upwards > and to the left as soon as it enters the motor. So at oil change time I just > have to guess how much oil to put into the motor, never a good thing. It > also 'springs' back; when I seat it home, it meets resistance and as soon as the > engine starts, it pops back out about an inch. > > Well, apparently the 5500 rpm I was spinning on the freeway pumped a fair bit > of oil out the dipstick tube and all over the engine bay. > > So, the question is this--where the hell do you buy a new dipstick? The one > I have is marked C7AE 6750-A, and has been shortened and marked by somebody in > the past with a new 'full' mark considerably higher than the original one. > > So, what do I do now? I now haven't the slightest idea how much oil is in > the engine, and no good way to measure it. My oil pressure is still fine, but I > don't want to burn up a 427 for such a stupid reason. > > Any advice is appreciated! > > Mike
Hi there Mike, Well, you call Tony at 408 316-9607 to get another dipstick. Then you change your oil, and remark the dipstick after you restart it, after you let it drain back down. You know the capacity, right? I put a spark plug boot on every car I build. All the best, Dan Belick ----- Original Message ----- From: <MikeLDrew@aol.com> To: <shelbymustang@carmemories.com> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 5:12 PM Subject: 427 dipstick question > Hi guys, > > I had a blast driving my Contemporary Cobra to Monterey this year, and > celebrated making it home unscathed by just nipping 145 mph on the 505 > before > turning off at my exit. Whee!!! > > When I parked in the driveway for just a moment while the garage door > opened > (at midnight), several drops of oil, well, dropped. > > The cause is my dipstick. To put it plainly, it is totally screwed. It > bends in two planes; not only does it curve as a flat piece of metal > normally > would, but it also curves sideways, which is almost impossible to > conceive. > > Here's a photo to show what it looks like; this is shot looking straight > down > at the flat surface of the dipstick: > > http://members.aol.com/mikeldrew/dipstick.jpg > > In fact, the dipstick doesn't even touch the oil; it appears to curve > upwards > and to the left as soon as it enters the motor. So at oil change time I > just > have to guess how much oil to put into the motor, never a good thing. It > also 'springs' back; when I seat it home, it meets resistance and as soon > as the > engine starts, it pops back out about an inch. > > Well, apparently the 5500 rpm I was spinning on the freeway pumped a fair > bit > of oil out the dipstick tube and all over the engine bay. > > So, the question is this--where the hell do you buy a new dipstick? The > one > I have is marked C7AE 6750-A, and has been shortened and marked by > somebody in > the past with a new 'full' mark considerably higher than the original one. > > So, what do I do now? I now haven't the slightest idea how much oil is in > the engine, and no good way to measure it. My oil pressure is still fine, > but I > don't want to burn up a 427 for such a stupid reason. > > Any advice is appreciated! > > Mike >
Mike.... Everything that has been mentioned seem to be good ideas, but one thing that I thought of might help you a bit as well. The next time you change the oil, put 4 quarts in and start the car and let it idle. Give it enough time to fill your filter and then stop the engine. Let it sit for a while then check your dipstick and mark it so you will know if your a complete quart low. Then I would add the fifth quart and run the engine and stop it and record where "full" is. (Based on a 5 qt. requirement) As far as the dipstick pushing up, I would check the PVC valve (already mentioned) and then maybe consider setting an O-ring into the bonnet of the dipstick. (I've never had to do that, but it might work for you.) Dan ----- Original Message ----- From: <MikeLDrew@aol.com> To: <shelbymustang@carmemories.com> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 7:12 PM Subject: 427 dipstick question > Hi guys, > > I had a blast driving my Contemporary Cobra to Monterey this year, and > celebrated making it home unscathed by just nipping 145 mph on the 505 > before > turning off at my exit. Whee!!! > > When I parked in the driveway for just a moment while the garage door > opened > (at midnight), several drops of oil, well, dropped. > > The cause is my dipstick. To put it plainly, it is totally screwed. It > bends in two planes; not only does it curve as a flat piece of metal > normally > would, but it also curves sideways, which is almost impossible to > conceive. > > Here's a photo to show what it looks like; this is shot looking straight > down > at the flat surface of the dipstick: > > http://members.aol.com/mikeldrew/dipstick.jpg > > In fact, the dipstick doesn't even touch the oil; it appears to curve > upwards > and to the left as soon as it enters the motor. So at oil change time I > just > have to guess how much oil to put into the motor, never a good thing. It > also 'springs' back; when I seat it home, it meets resistance and as soon > as the > engine starts, it pops back out about an inch. > > Well, apparently the 5500 rpm I was spinning on the freeway pumped a fair > bit > of oil out the dipstick tube and all over the engine bay. > > So, the question is this--where the hell do you buy a new dipstick? The > one > I have is marked C7AE 6750-A, and has been shortened and marked by > somebody in > the past with a new 'full' mark considerably higher than the original one. > > So, what do I do now? I now haven't the slightest idea how much oil is in > the engine, and no good way to measure it. My oil pressure is still fine, > but I > don't want to burn up a 427 for such a stupid reason. > > Any advice is appreciated! > > Mike >
