So I’m having an oil leak problem from the dipstick tube. Car has ppe headers that the original owner had installed prior to me. The dumbasses that installed them ripped the dipstick o-ring since it’s obvious some got frustrated and just forced the tube back in the block without seating it correctly. The tube was not bent correctly to fit where it’s supposed to.

Here’s my problem. How do I remove the tube so I can bend it into the correct position? It’s literally tangled between the headers. Is there a flexible tube I can use instead that someone knows about? I’m heading to Monterey car week on Thursday and need to get this fixed before the trip. I live in San Mateo so if there is a shop that you recommend please let me know.

 

Hi,

I am assuming you have the EL headers. Inorder to remove the dipstick tube, the passenger side motor mount needs to be unbolted and moved to give room. This will require lowering the lower crossmember enough to move the mount.

If you want to email us at sales@ppeengineering.com we can email you an install guide/pictures to show you how the o ring needs to sit in the pan to prevent leaks.

If you have the UEL headers, you should be able to just unbolt the tube and wiggle it out.

 

Yes, I have the EL headers. I'll email you right away, and thanks for the help.

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles. If you contact PPE and let them know you issue, maybe they can send you a pre bent tube.
I had a similar issue a couple of years ago and contacted PPE about it, and they were kind enough to send me a pre bent tube, free of charge. I don't know if they are still doing this because it was a very while back, but you can try, and if they do, I don't know how fast they can get it to you.
Good luck.

 

I guess the main issue is I didn't even know something like that was available. Hopefully this new thread will help someone in a similar situation like I'm in so they have a solution. It's prevented me from driving the car since Feb. I just got so frustrated that I decided to post here even if I look dumb lol. I appreciate you letting me know they actually make a dipstick tube. I wish it was easier to find via a google search.

 

Do not worry you are in good company

 

I appreciate the support my friend.

 

The god forsaken dipstick tube was the part that took the longest when I was installing my EL headers. Getting the bend just right literally took longer than installing the headers. You can definitely take it on and off with then engine mounts still in place as I had to take it on and off about 50 times before I got it just right, You will need to drop the shields and braces that are there but it can be done. As others have mentioned the pre-bent dipstick tube will help but you will still need to modify it some to make it fit right. Patience is your friend.

 

I installed my PPE EL Headers in my garage by myself with the car up about 18 inches. Bending the dipstick tube was a royal pain in the a__. PPE should offer prebent tubes as an option if at all possible. I would've gladly paid $100.00 not to lose several days, over two separate attempts, getting it right. With that said all my hard work paid off as I was able to get the tube installed around the header's, without touching anything and without using that bracket included with the header's so it's bolted in like stock. I'm ridiculously meticulous about anything I do and it's why I did the install myself. I could never own my own shop as I'd lose my ***. "good enough" has never come out these lips. It's got to be perfect.
I'm not going to lie, figuring this out, and getting the tube to fit properly and bolt to the stock position with no bracket took me several days. I installed the headers earlier this year and I used that bracket that came with the header's, but my bends were off, lowering my dipstick, therefore the readout was inaccurate. In my infinite wisdom, I figured OK, I'll fix it later, for now I'll just score two new marks. Bad idea. VERY bad idea. I tested it several times and on the 4th or 5th time pulling the dipstick out, the bottom 1.5 inches broke off in the lower oil pan right where I scored (let's call it what I truly did = weakened) it. Yea. Don't ever do that. That cost me 3 or 4 wasted day's on my back trying a multitude of different things to remove that broke off end. Guys told me not to worry about it, as it's too large and will never go through the screen for the oil pump. I'm sure they're right, but in my head, I could not do it. It had to come out. Would've been much easier if the dipstick was magnetic, but not to be. Filling and draining didn't remove it. I probably should have pulled that lower oil pan right when it happened but I kept thinking I could get it without doing that, and I succeeded in the end, but it took too much time. I ended up using a Milwaukee camera through the drain oil, locating the broke off tip, then bending a wire inside clear plastic tubing and using my shop VAC to finally get it out. I won't ever do that again. But it did give me the opportunity to mess with the dipstick tube again and I was able to remove it, put the bends I needed, and install it, in the stock position without having to touch anything major. I didn't touch the motor mounts. I only had to remove the air filter and that right side of the airbox.
I have to say, after all of this, after all the extra days I spent correcting things, would I recommend doing header's ??? ABSOLUTELY. It's not even close. Adding an exhaust is nice for changing the sound on these RCFs, but that's really it. The header's is where you'll truly notice a "seat of the pants" difference and it made the Apexi aftermarket exhaust sound AWESOME !!!!! I'm telling you, I wouldn't hesitate, even after spending upwards of an extra week getting through all my mistakes, including figuring out the CEL that kept coming on, to recommend header's, and the PPE EL are beautiful, fit great, make power and sound. Love um. I believe the installation directions could use a little bit of work, including more photos, but as far as a product and the final result, PPE EL Headers are worth every penny and I'd highly recommend them to anyone with an RCF that wants to truly wake up that motor.

 

The tube is such a pain because a pipe/tube bender just isn't a very common tool in your toolbox.

The final positioning isn't going to change the readout, and that's because the length of the tube doesn't change at all. The part going into the oil pan is the same.