Your oil dipstick might have already been compromised and you wish to know how to fix it. You might have noticed oil running out of your dipstick every time your car is running. Or maybe it's been broken in twain, with the lower part stuck within the shaft.
You need that dipstick in order to keep track of how much oil you still have in your car. If there isn't enough of it, your car won't be lubricated and it will wear itself out in a jiffy like rubbing an eraser on sandpaper.
You might save a bit of money after buying a replacement dipstick by learning how to repair or replace the dipstick by yourself. It's a relatively easy task.
How to Repair a Broken Oil Dipstick
- Tools and Equipment: You will need a spare dipstick and/or sandpaper, car soap or cleanser, automotive-grade epoxy, oil drain pan, socket set, and telescoping magnetic tool. After gathering these items, you need to pull out the upper half of the broken dipstick carefully. Insert the telescoping magnetic tool in order to tug away the second half of the dipstick. You can then replace the old dipstick with a new one.
- Oil Pan Drainage: If the dipstick can't be retrieved via magnetic tool, then it might've fallen into the oil pan. Drain the oil pan by placing the drain pan under the drain pan bolt and unscrew the bolt to catch the oil. Use a socket wrench to remove the bolt. After drainage, loosen the rest of the bolts attaching the oil pan to the engine, remove the pan, and retrieve the missing dipstick piece.
- Replacing the Dipstick or Gluing It Together: From there, place the pan back into place and put in your replacement dipstick. You also have the option to clean the pieces of the dipstick with car soap and water before gluing them together with epoxy. You should let the whole thing dry for about 2 days or 48 hours then sand the piece down for good measure. It's highly recommended that you simply replace them with a new dipstick though.
- Fixing the Dipstick Seal: If it's the dipstick seal that you want to fix, then remove the dipstick first. Afterwards, slide your hand down the tube to get to the support bracket, remove the hex screw or bolt with a socket wrench, then slide it up and off the tube. Remove the bolt from the base mount bracket on the tube, pry the mount loose with a slotted screwdriver, and slide the base mount bracket off. Pull the tube out, hold the O-ring to keep it from falling, and install the new tube by doing the above steps in reverse.