----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 11:43
PM
Subject: IML: Where's my dipstick?
In my continuing saga with my 1959 Imperial,
when I went to drive it today, I noticed it was leaking something just about
dead center of the engine. When I smelled it, it was oil, so I pulled the car
around to my garage to check all of the fluid levels starting with the oil.
When I went to pull the dipstick, I noticed it was not there. I thought maybe
I was going crazy, and it was on the other side of the engine, but I was sure
it was on the drivers side. After looking around the location where it should
be, I finally saw it way down by the exhaust header under the plug wires, and
facing forward. I attempted to rotate it into its proper position, and when I
went to pull out the dipstick I got more than I bargained for. The entire
shaft which the stick goes into came out along with the stick. I thought to
myself this is definitely not good for a brand new engine. Fist an overheating
problem, and now an oil leak, the two fluids most important to an engine.
Needless to say it was time again for a trip back to the mechanic. He told me
the bolt hole was missing in the manifold which holds it in place, and I told
him I never had any problems with the dip stick before the engine was rebuilt.
He assured me he would fix it the right way this time, and said the mechanic
that put it on after the rebuild was no longer with him because of things like
this. I told him to please check it for any other oil leaks once it was fixed,
so I would not have to be bringing the car back next week on my day off. There
were also two other vintage Chrysler cars at other mechanics in the complex, a
1959 Plymouth Belvedere (not quite sure of the spelling here), and I think a
1956 Desoto. My mechanic went to the mechanics who had those cars to see if he
could look under the hoods to see where the dipsticks attached, and the Desoto
mechanic and owner told him he could take the dipstick out of his if he wanted
it, but both cars had different engines and very different dipstick set ups.
It seems the more I fix lately, the more things that are going wrong. It will
be a glorious day when I first drive the car to work once again! Then there is
also the dreams of taking it on another road trip!
Bill '59
Crown