# Engine oil dipstick lost in tube, how big of a problem? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047 "2018-01-20T16:09:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/41 "2018-01-21T20:28:26Z")
This guy has a good solution that retrieved his dipstick. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HEByBM__Xq8/maxresdefault.jpg "Oil Dipstick Removal: Drinking Straw Trick") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEByBM__Xq8) ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/42 "2018-01-21T20:40:45Z")
The dip stick tube is probably going to look something like this: [https://www.morris4x4center.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/3/53020782\_1\_5748.jpg](https://www.morris4x4center.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/3/53020782_1_5748.jpg) Just remove the bolt/screw holding the bracket onto the block and pull out the tube. The dip stick will be right there. Some tubes are tapped into the block and fit more snugly. You can use vice grips or some other tool to wiggle the tube out. Even if the tube gets bent or otherwise ruined you are looking at a maximum $20 part. Have a new tube on hand before removing the old one. Dropping the oil pan is a much bigger job. Like burning your house down because you saw a spider. I am surprised that the mechanics that **Arkcon** took the vehicle to originally did not do this. ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/43 "2018-01-21T21:40:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This guy has a good solution that retrieved his dipstick. > [https://youtu.be/HEByBM\_\_Xq8](https://youtu.be/HEByBM__Xq8) Pretty slick! I imagine other forms of stick-um in the straw might work also. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/44 "2018-01-21T21:45:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This guy has a good solution that retrieved his dipstick. > [https://youtu.be/HEByBM\_\_Xq8](https://youtu.be/HEByBM__Xq8) That looks like a good idea to use a straw, but I’d worry about dropping that in as well. Instead of a straw, you could probably get some tubing from the hardware store in a longer length. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/45 "2018-01-21T21:50:12Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Engine oil dipstick tubes have small diameters. While there’s an outside chance that either tool, when closed, could fit into one, there’s essentially zero chance that the claws/jaws could spread far enough to grab anything. Exactly. The tool you’re looking for is a [laparoscopic forcep](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Davol-Laparoscopic-Clamp-Forcep-w-Rachet-Lock-Handle-5872110-Surgical/122918458135). But I’s till try removing the tube first. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/46 "2018-01-22T00:15:16Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > If the stick has iron in it and the block is aluminum, you could possibly get a rare earth donut magnet that is small enough and tie some strong fishing line to it and lower the magnet into the hole and fish it out. DO NOT LOSE THE MAGNET. One of my most used tools (I’m clumsy) is nut and bolt retriever - a powerful rare earth magnet on a telescoping shaft (think radio antenna). Like [this](https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-383NX-Telescoping-Magnetic/dp/B00004T7VF/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1516580066&sr=8-6&keywords=magnetic+bolt+retriever) at Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/47 "2018-01-22T05:01:09Z")
The problems with a magnet are: 1. It will be difficult, maybe impossible, to find one small enough to fit down the dipstick tube and at the same time be reliably retrievable; 2. If there is one small enough to fit it’s unlikely to be powerful enough to pull the dipstick up against its friction inside the tube; 3. If it were powerful enough it’s likely to be thwarted by the fact that tube is steel which will dissipate the magnetic attraction. If someone can get that method to work, great! I will not be holding my breath, however. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/48 "2018-01-22T05:18:35Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > One of my most used tools (I’m clumsy) is nut and bolt retriever - a powerful rare earth magnet on a telescoping shaft (think radio antenna). > > Like [this](https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-383NX-Telescoping-Magnetic/dp/B00004T7VF/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1516580066&sr=8-6&keywords=magnetic+bolt+retriever) at Amazon. I have one of those, it’s great. I was lucky enough to buy it a few days before I needed it. I dropped a screw somewhere really stupid. Like in between the cylinders on my motorcycle (not IN them, like down behind the carb or something). Somewhere that I probably could have gotten, or pushed it the rest of the way through, but it would have taken a while. With that it took about 2 seconds of blindly poking around. > [@Projammer](#): > > Exactly. The tool you’re looking for is a [laparoscopic forcep](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Davol-Laparoscopic-Clamp-Forcep-w-Rachet-Lock-Handle-5872110-Surgical/122918458135). > > But I’s till try removing the tube first. Well, that’s just great, now I gotta buy another tool that I’ll carry around in my trunk for some day. It’s not even that expensive. Someone here (Gary?) mentioned in another thread a little flashlight on a small flexible head. I think he mentioned it in a thread about looking inside a door panel. Naturally I grabbed one the next time I saw it at Harbor Freight. It’s garbage because it’s from Harbor Freight, but I don’t even put it away, I must use it at least once a week. At some point I’ll pick up another one. FYI, in Harbor Freight’s Defense I think I got a two pack for $10, one of them I already threw out. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047/49 "2018-01-22T19:40:18Z")
I really liked that straw trick with 5 min epoxy instead of waiting all night. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/engine-oil-dipstick-lost-in-tube-how-big-of-a-problem/807047.md?page=2)