Bit size to drill dipstick boss on 5.3
#1
Bit size to drill dipstick boss on 5.3
Just wondering if anyone knew what size bit to use to drill out the oil dipstick boss on a 5.3 engine... I used the search function and couldn't come up with an answer. Couple of references to it being "metric", but nothing specific. Doing this on an 04 alluminum 5.3. Any tips on drilling this perfectly perpindicular??? Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.
#2
TECH Regular
Are you sure it is not just plugged? I have never used a truck block, but all the other aluminum blocks that I have used that did not have a dipstick in the block, just had a expansion plug driven into the hole. I just took a punch and punched them out.
Regards, John McGraw
Regards, John McGraw
#6
Freeze Plug
I have never seen one that needed to be drilled out, but then again "never say never" I think you need to look at it really good and you should see a little bitty freeze plug in there and you just use a punch and knock it out for the dipstick installation.
#7
I'm a little confused at this point... I can clearly see the boss for the dipstick on the lower edge of the back third of the passenger side of the engine... no freeze plug. However, I've not taken the oil pan off yet. So.... are you guys saying that from inside looking out, that the boss is mostly drilled??? Because there is definately no plug externally. I'll post a pic for additional help. Thanks for all the replies.
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#8
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I'm a little confused at this point... I can clearly see the boss for the dipstick on the lower edge of the back third of the passenger side of the engine... no freeze plug. However, I've not taken the oil pan off yet. So.... are you guys saying that from inside looking out, that the boss is mostly drilled??? Because there is definately no plug externally. I'll post a pic for additional help. Thanks for all the replies.
#9
So, here is the pic I promised. So, is the passage drilled 90% throught from inside the oil pan?? Why would it not be drilled all the way through and then plugged from outside???
Any comments appreciated.
Any comments appreciated.
#10
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it is drilled all the way through and plugged from the outside. you will see the hole on the block when you remove the oil pan. take a center punch and knock it out from the inside out.
#11
So.... I posted this question a few weeks ago and didn't get any great answers other than "It's already drilled , just knock out the plug". While this may be true for the 06? and up alumimum 5.3s, it is most certainly not true of mine, which is an 04. This can clearly be seen in the picture I posted above.
Anyway, the short answer is that the hole, which I would be quite sure is metric, is closest to a 3/8" bit, the next size up is a 25/64 and that's too big. I used the 3/8" after drilling a pilot hole with 5/32" and the dipstick fits nicely, snug but not too tight. Hope this helps someone else.
Anyway, the short answer is that the hole, which I would be quite sure is metric, is closest to a 3/8" bit, the next size up is a 25/64 and that's too big. I used the 3/8" after drilling a pilot hole with 5/32" and the dipstick fits nicely, snug but not too tight. Hope this helps someone else.
#12
So.... I posted this question a few weeks ago and didn't get any great answers other than "It's already drilled , just knock out the plug". While this may be true for the 06? and up alumimum 5.3s, it is most certainly not true of mine, which is an 04. This can clearly be seen in the picture I posted above.
Anyway, the short answer is that the hole, which I would be quite sure is metric, is closest to a 3/8" bit, the next size up is a 25/64 and that's too big. I used the 3/8" after drilling a pilot hole with 5/32" and the dipstick fits nicely, snug but not too tight. Hope this helps someone else.
Anyway, the short answer is that the hole, which I would be quite sure is metric, is closest to a 3/8" bit, the next size up is a 25/64 and that's too big. I used the 3/8" after drilling a pilot hole with 5/32" and the dipstick fits nicely, snug but not too tight. Hope this helps someone else.
#13
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
I can confirm that the Gen III aluminum block 5.3L engines most definitely do not have the hole drilled in the block. I had an 04 5.3L aluminum block engine and it did not have the hole. A buddy of mine got one as well, and it did not have the hole drilled either. As I recall, when I drilled the hole, I used a 3/8" drill bit. I did it from the top with the pan off, no drama.
Andrew
Andrew
#14
I can confirm that the Gen III aluminum block 5.3L engines most definitely do not have the hole drilled in the block. I had an 04 5.3L aluminum block engine and it did not have the hole. A buddy of mine got one as well, and it did not have the hole drilled either. As I recall, when I drilled the hole, I used a 3/8" drill bit. I did it from the top with the pan off, no drama.
Andrew
Andrew
#15
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
I do not have any pictures. However, I recall that the process was not that complicated. There is a pad that is cast into the block where the dipstick needs to go. Just drill square to that pad.
I can also say that I have a GenIV aluminum engine (LH8) and it did have a hole in the block. But I had to use a plug (there is a GM plug for this...PN in my Cougar build thread) to plug it up, because I am using the front sump GTO pan, which has the dipstick in the pan.
Andrew
I can also say that I have a GenIV aluminum engine (LH8) and it did have a hole in the block. But I had to use a plug (there is a GM plug for this...PN in my Cougar build thread) to plug it up, because I am using the front sump GTO pan, which has the dipstick in the pan.
Andrew