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After putting the engine cover on a little carelessly, somehow my engine oil dipstick handle broke off. I forgot about it until I went for an airbag recall to a dealership, who offered to replace it for me for $35. So I bought one from amazon for $21 and when I went to pull out the old one I noticed that the dipstick was in a little further than it was before, with no nub sticking out. I used my smallest needlenose to try to pull it out and got it a few mm further inside. Does anyone have quick n easy for trying to get it out? I'm open to any suggestions. I'm thinking of getting a needle, bending the tip, slipping it through, then turning it to the bent needle curves in and pulling out like that but there's a risk of pushing it in further with that approach.
Update...turns out you cant bend a sewing needle, they just break. I'll try filing down a paper clip to slim it down when my patience returns but any suggestions would be appreciated.
I have some very small and long needle noses and they didn't work well. It seems to have broken off just enough of the handle to leave a perfect seal for the rest of the stick. I couldn't get a needle or paperclip around the o ring in order to somehow pull it up. I used a four pronged grabber tool, which had flat leads, still couldn't get a grip to pull it. all this trying and I seem to have at least bottomed out the thing. I'll see how the tube goes into the engine but it seems like it would be a tough reach. I'm also thinking of putting crazy glue on the tip of a pen or something, dropping it on the head of the dipstick, and pulling it out.
I'm really surprised at how easily it broke. same goes for one of the clips holding the battery cover and who know what other clips I've forgotten about in the engine bay. I think a part of the air intake or the housing around it has a clip missing also.
For $35, you should have just let the dealer do it. That’s more then fair.
then?
Not sure where you live, but you're not getting a labor rate that low anywhere in the US. But thanks for telling me what i should have done in a thread where im asking for a specific technical advice. I never knew taking it to the dealership was an option.
Not sure where you live, but you're not getting a labor rate that low anywhere in the US. But thanks for telling me what i should have done in a thread where im asking for a specific technical advice. I never knew taking it to the dealership was an option.
your best bet from my understanding is to get some surgical pliers. You can buy them online.
Not sure where you live, but you're not getting a labor rate that low anywhere in the US. But thanks for telling me what i should have done in a thread where im asking for a specific technical advice. I never knew taking it to the dealership was an option.
Aren't you the one who told us the dealer offered to replace it for $35? Replace implies labor included! Please be clear!
Can you still reach it with a needle nose? If so, needle nose Vice grips work well and you can really clamp them down.
You might also be able to remove the dipstick tube. I did that on a 2004 Jetta— it just snapped in.
Here it is. Two bolts on the bracket but you’ll have to see how accessible it is.
G’luck!
5
I'll need some etorx sockets but that seems to be the way to go. From the looks of a few used ones on ebay, i guess it slips in and our....I'll think about it....i might just wait til the next oil change.
One of thenfirst things i tried was surgical pliers but there's not enougj to grab.
I don’t think you’ll need a new dipstick tube unless you break it during removal.
My thinking is that you remove to tube in order to access the broken dipstick. It will just slip off once the bracket bolts are removed. There’s probably an o-ring around the bottom connection.
Then replace everything and insert the new dipstick.
On the Jetta, the tube was plastic. That’s my main gripe about older VWs, the plastic bits just disintegrate. At least the MB is steel.
I don’t think you’ll need a new dipstick tube unless you break it during removal.
My thinking is that you remove to tube in order to access the broken dipstick. It will just slip off once the bracket bolts are removed. There’s probably an o-ring around the bottom connection.
Then replace everything and insert the new dipstick.
On the Jetta, the tube was plastic. That’s my main gripe about older VWs, the plastic bits just disintegrate. At least the MB is steel.
i was looking at the used ones for reference, to see the connection onxe it goes into the engine. I can see a seal, but I'm not sure if i can simply push it back in as easily as I'm sure i can pull it out. I dont have a lot of experience working inside Germwn engines, and from everything else German, i know they can get very complicated..
I think the hard part will be removing the brackets bolts. Once they’re out you should be able to remove the tube while pulling and turning.
Pay attention to the exact location when you remove it to make sure you can find the hole when you reassemble. It appears to go into a plastic or rubber bushing (#22). See below.
If that doesn't work then removing the dipstick tube is fairly easy. The pictures above show you how it's mounted and once you remove the intake box you should have just enough room to reach down there.
The actual tube slides into a seal on the engine block. You most likely will not need to replace the seal but the tube should slip in and out very easily unless you have some other problem. The two bolts holding the bracket on will be e-torx and most likely 10mm and if you have a 12-pointed socket you can remove them. They won't be bolted down with much torque so you don't need to worry about stripping them. I've done this on similar bolts in a pinch and didn't strip or ruin the head. This obviously isn't ideal but it avoids buying extra sockets unless you want a set. Anything larger like 12mm or 14mm I wouldn't suggest since the bolt would be held down with greater torque.
I think the hard part will be removing the brackets bolts. Once they’re out you should be able to remove the tube while pulling and turning.
Pay attention to the exact location when you remove it to make sure you can find the hole when you reassemble. It appears to go into a plastic or rubber bushing (#22). See below.
thank you, that's exactly what I needed. The last thing i wanted to do is drive to a shop and ask them to fix my fix attempt. I thought there'd be a more secured seal into the engine, but it looks like its as simple as it seems. I'm expecting the hard part to be pushing the tube back through the rubber bushing. It's a rather small engine and decent space on that side.
thank you, that's exactly what I needed. The last thing i wanted to do is drive to a shop and ask them to fix my fix attempt. I thought there'd be a more secured seal into the engine, but it looks like it’s as simple as it seems. I'm expecting the hard part to be pushing the tube back through the rubber bushing. It's a rather small engine and decent space on that side.
Did you have any luck or was the firewall in the way of being able to slide it out?
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Broken dipstick - needs extraction
