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Chevy 350 - Oil Dipstick Severed by Crankshaft - I can't believe this is happening...

R

Riverbirch1962

New member
Hello all,

First time poster here with limit experience on inboard engines. I have a Chevy 350 5.7L fresh water cooled full inboard sitting in an older Chris Craft center console. The engine was rebuilt by the previous owner and has run great the last couple of years.

Went to check the oil this past weekend and in hopes of pulling the boat out to winterize, reinserted dipstick and when I did, there was a tapping noise and a vibration on the dipstick. Shut her down and was then unable to remove the dipstick. Realizing then what had happened (and not really being able to believe it) I was able to get the dipstick out without the last 4 inches which I believe is now sitting at the bottom of my oil pan. Apparently, the dipstick got re-directed and was conflicting with the crankshaft, which severed the last 4 inches of the dipstick.

Question I have now are:

Are there any possible alternatives to pulling the engine and dropping the oil pan to remove the broken off part of the dipstick?

Can I run the boat - even at low RPM to get it out of the water and winterized?

The oil pan drain bolt is located, unfortunately, on the bottom of the oil pan which only gives me an inch of clearance between bottom of engine compartment and bottom of pan - a tight squeeze to say the least?

Any and all ideas, suggestions and recommendations are welcomed - thanks
 
My guess is that you will have to pull the engine to remove the oil pan. (Or lift up). You might be able to remove drain bolt and stick a magnetic wire of some sort and fish it out, depending how long the broken piece is. Prob not.

Also. You can't check oil level with motor running, it will just show oil on the dipstick.
 
I would get several doughnut size magnets....place them on the bottom of the pan. running the engine at low rpm, you will be fine.
 
Time to pull the engine and drop the oil pan. Why take a chance on further damage to the crank and bearings? Make sure to find all the pieces of the dipstick. BTW, why where you checking the oil level with the engine running?
 
bilge rat jim said:
Time to pull the engine and drop the oil pan. Why take a chance on further damage to the crank and bearings? Make sure to find all the pieces of the dipstick. BTW, why where you checking the oil level with the engine running?
Click to expand...


Sorry for the confusion - I wasn't checking the oil with the engine running, it was after I checked the oil and restarted the engine that this occurred.

Thanks for replies - I did consider the magnet option, may need to do that to get it to the boat ramp about a mile away...

Ok - what's a ballpark cost on pulling the engine enough to remove the oil plan? 22' center console - engine under console...I have no clue how much something like that would run.

Thanks again for the replies, helps to talk to those who know what their doing!
 
First thing you need to do as suggested is pull the motor...not difficult in a inboard ski boat.

you can have the motor out of the boat in a hour. A tree branch and a good chain fall a few tools and out it will come. If you cant do it maybe someone you know can help.


Then remove the oil pan, find what you are missing. Identify the motor as best you can, serial number or other id stuff. Note the color of the block and let us know.
Next post the serial number if you can or at least some picture of the motor. The exhaust manifolds are key to identifying the motor typically.


this issue can not happen on a true marine 350.

The dip stick tube on a true marine 350 (a mercruiser motor anyway) goes almost all the way to the bottom of the oil pan, approx. 1/4 inch from the bottom. So the dip stick can never touch anything inside the oil pan.

There may be a chance the previous owner used a auto motor with a auto dip stick tube or something like this.


So we need to know what you have in your boat. Make, ~ year, pictures.

Then once all this is known we can have a better understanding of your issue.

Next, once the motor approximate year is known will be to get the correct dip stick tube and dip stick for that motor (a marine one) and your issue will be resolved for good.
 
First clue on if this is an original Chris Craft engine is the color. Chris painted all their engines blue. Somewhere I have a pix of the original 283FLV that was original to my 1969 Chris Craft cuddy cabin I/O.
 
Actually it is almost irrelevant what color........the key is what year is the motor.

by knowing this maybe he can get the proper dip stick and tube.

So I think pictures would be a great help.
 
you can run the motor as is without doing anything. there is no way the piece of dipstick can damage the crank or bearings.....period. the chev oil pick up, has a screen built in prior to anything entering the pump vanes. the broken piece will simply lay at the bottom of the pan.
 
Kghost - Very good suggestions, much appreciated. I completely agree that the prior owner used an auto motor. Dip stick is very sort (or the dip stick tube I should say). Spoke to one of the local marine engine mechanics and he indicated that sometimes when a rebuild is done, the standard short dipstick tube is not replaced with the longer tube or tube extension which reaches almost to the bottom of the oil pan and prevents the dipstick from comming into contact with the crankshaft. I'm pretty sure this is exactly what happened. Seems to make sense too, the dipstick had always had a slight bend in it - now I know why. It was to keep in going in the right direction.

Estimated cost to pull the engine was 500.00 - but I'm not sure if that includes removing the center console and unhooking the wiring to the console..anyone know if that would be included in a standard engine pull number?

Crankbait - I believe the bearings are completely sealed in which case what you're saying has some merit. Did you mean even at high RPM's or where you thinking it should'nt be an issue only at low RPM's to get it out of the water?

I know where the serial number is and can get it next weekend. on the rear port side of the block, imprinted into the engine is 5.7L...the serial number is on the opposite side. I'll get that info and shoot out some pics after I get this thing out of the water...

Boat is a 1974 Chris Craft Dory....
 
riverbirch, save your money. the bearings are totally protected. for your peace of mind.....place a couple of magnets on the bottom, and run it at any rpm you want. I have torn down my share of motors......it is amazing what you will find in the bottom of the pan. a piece of a dipstick will do no harm whatsoever. anyone that is trying to sell you on pulling the engine, is over reacting
 
Ayuh,..... Agreed, that piece of dip stick is goin' to just lay in the bottom of the pan,....

No danger what so ever,....


How do ya change the oil,..??
 
Sounds good - I'm going to pick up some magnets snd give her a go next weekend...then in the spring swap out the dipstick tube with the proper version...

I suction the oil out of the dipstick tube with a manual pumper device...
 
Here is a link to this web sites parts.

The link is for a 1982-1986 350 mercruiser motor. May or may not be compatible with yours. We need to know more about your motor.

Does it have valve cover bolts around the valve covers or thru the center of the valve covers?

Look at Item 6, it is a windage tray. It bolts to the crank shaft main cap studs. This is to keep splashing oil from hitting the spinning crank shaft (extra way to get a few horse power). This would also keep the dip stick from hitting the rotating crank.........
If yours does not have it you would need new main cap studs and the tray........

I bet your motor does not have this.

Also even though the picture does not shot it the dip stick tube is longer. the picture does not show the true length.

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/m...86/6218462-thru-0b525981/oil-pan-and-oil-pump
 
Thanks Kghost...Center bolts on the valve covers on mine...i'll have the serial number thus Sunday..maybe Saturday night - that will tell us more..will take pics too.

Was there a year range where they installed the tray as a stock item? If so, maybe i have a shot at having it...
 
If you have center bolts on the valve covers then it is a 1987 or newer motor with a one piece rear main seal

More than likely it is a 1987 -1995 motor.



Many time a remanufactured marine motor will have a tag just above the starter with a serial number.....if there is any number that may appear to original to the boat it wont help any...

I am not sure when they started using it but with your valve cover bolt id saying it is a 1987 or newer then if the block was a mercruiser it would have had it.

The issue is it would not come with a remanufactured block, it would get swapped out from the original block. Not likely your original had it.....

But if you go that far into it you can order the necessary parts to add it.
 
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I tend to agree with the guys here.
The piece will lay against the bottom of the oil pan, and if magnets are used, it is highly unlikely that the piece could cause any trouble.


However........ if:

The broken piece is bothering you....
You're not comfortable leaving it alone with the magnets.....
You're not sure of the engine build.....
You'd like to have a more convenient oil draining method.....
You could do other engine bay work while the engine is removed.....

Pull the engine out, remove the oil pan and retrieve the piece and install a remote oil drain system.
You could also pull a cylinder head and take a look at the piston selection and chamber volume.


.
 
Sorry for the delay in getting back to everyone - quick update..

Didn't have much time on Sunday but managed to put two large powerful magnets on the bottom of the oil pan, cranked her up with no issues. Started out slow, no issues and then ran the engine through a range of RPM's - didn't go over 3500 but cruised at 3500 with no issue.

Only problem is that, by the time I pulled the boat out of the water, it was dark and I forgot to pull the serial number and snap some pics.

Will do that at Thanksgiving and will then post that info in hopes you guys can help out with the proper dip stick "tube" spec.

Thanks again for the great feedback!
 
Sorry for the long gap in posting, some things came up right after I pulled the boat that didn't allow me to get the serial number per my plans in last post - Nov of 2014..

If you recall, I had lost part of my oil dipstick in the oil pan, added magnets to bottom of oil pan, ran boat and seemed ok. I was going to provide an engine serial number and some pics so we could identify which "oil dip stick assembly" would be the proper one to purchase and install.

If possible, I would need feedback on the following given an serial number of 14093638:

Engine type
Engine model
Replacement spec for oil dipstick assembly (that will not allow dipstick to interfere with cam - that was the original issue)
Is there no oil filter on these marine model chevy 350 engines?

knowing the engine type and model will allow me to post in more detail for future.

Thanks in advance for all the help and sorry for the long delay between posts - pics attached. IMG_5005.jpgIMG_5006.jpgIMG_5009.jpgIMG_5020.jpgIMG_5023.jpg
 
Ayuh,... That ain't the serial number,... a castin' number of some sort, but not a serial number,....

That ain't even a Mercruiser,....

Motor type, 'n model is SBC, 350 cid, 5.7l,....

The dipstick is 1/2 a motor away from the Cam,....
'bout any replacement SBC dipstick, shouldn't interfere with the crank shaft,....

'n the oil filter is on the aft, portside corner of the block, way down low,....
 
Darn...where should I be looking for information to ID this engine do you think?

And sorry about that - meant crank shaft, not cam. Also - I recall now that the oil filter is mounted up front in the bilge (can see yellow in photo)

I'll check into the standard replacement dipsticks.....

Thanks
 
that appears to be a 1987 and newer motor. center bolt valve covers.

If we assume it is a 1987-1995 non votrec small block then this is the dip stick and tube needed.

Starter side of motor there should be a dip stick hole or tube and it can be pulled out and replaced with new.

You may want to remove the exhaust manifold for easy access.


This is the same for 305 and 350 motors.

Pic shows YELLOW dip stick and where it should be located.

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/m...5/0b773740-thru-0f600999/oil-pan-and-oil-pump
 
Great - I printed those specs out. My dipstick sits same side but a bit lower, actually under the exhaust manifold - and back a bit - same set up?

Thanks for the feedback!
 
There is no telling what you had as we don't know the original or the replaced set up.......Again not enough specific information.

What could have been there was a Automotive dip stick who is to know..........
Also there is NEVER chrome valve covers used on a marine motor NEVER.............They rust!!




I am giving you a best guess based on the motor vintage and what would be there if it were a mercruiser of that vintage.
 
Ha ha - I know..no idea why they put chrome covers on there. I have another set, just haven't had time to put them on!

Ok - I suppose it is the best we can do. I have no idea how else to determine what make/model the engine is.
 
Riverbirch1962 said:
Ha ha - I know..no idea why they put chrome covers on there. I have another set, just haven't had time to put them on!

Ok - I suppose it is the best we can do. I have no idea how else to determine what make/model the engine is.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Get the dipstick Jack posted, 'n Make it work,.... ya might need to do alittle creative engineerin',....

With that one, you'd have the pump out ability,....

Otherwise, a hunk of 3/8" copper tubin', 'n bend up what ya need,.....

An ole length of speedo cable make a good Stick,...
 
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