I did a lengthy search and didn't find anwers to my questions below:

Shop installed a UMI K member along with UMI upper and lower control arms and ARH headers at the same time. They did not drop or pull the motor while replacing the k member.

They pulled the dipstick tube during the installation.

The car has 80,000 miles and has sat in storage and in my garage for months being driven monthly and is dry as a bone underneath. In fact the car was parked at the tuners shop for two days and he commented that it was unusual to have a high mileage car with zero leaks confirming car was dry of oil leaks under the car.

Before taking my car for alignment the shop called and said my car was one quart low on oil. I checked the oil before the 200 mile trip to the shop and it was full. I said the car uses about 1/3 of a quart of oil per oil (2K - I change myself) with less than 700 miles since last oil change.

Now the shop is telling me that the car used a quart of oil for a 200 mile trip.

They added a quart.

I drive the car back to Wichita from KC and at first rest stop noticed power steering is out while idling. Topped PS reservoir off - still no power steering.

Put car on jack stands this morning to attempt to bleed the steering rack - maybe there is air in the system since they removed the rack while replacing the k member.

While on jack stands noticed the transmission pan is covered with oil and dripping on the floor just under the dipstick tube.

Dipstick tube appears to be about a third of an inch (maybe more) out of the block.

The PS pump does not whine or squeal and there is no power steering fuid leaks at any of the lines going into the steering rack. Car drove perfect before work done by this shop.

Questions:

Is the dipstick tube supposed to be flush into the block?
Is there an o-ring on the tube to keep oil from blowing out of the tube and block?
Is it possible to get air pockets in the steering system same as brake system and cooling system?

Observations:

If the tube is supposed to be flush with the block that would explain the incorrect reading on the dipstick by a third to half inch or approximately one quart low.

I don't want to reinsert the dipstick if it supposed to have an o-ring.


Note: Another shop while doing a head change forgot to install the dipstick and it blew oil all over the motor after startup while on the dyno confirming that you can get bad oil leaks from the dipstick tube hole.

Is it possible the oil leak is from the improper install of the oil dipstick?
Or is there something else the shop might have done while removing and installing the headers and k member to cause the bad oil leak?

 

My dip stick tube has a O ring where it slides in to the block. I can see oil coming out of the block if there isn't a O ring to seal the hole. When I had the power steering rack out and the tank drained I would get some air bubles it the tank while filling and turning the wheel side to side. I had to remove the dip stick to get my kook's in so the O ring might have been lost. Also there is a bolt on the head that holds the tube in place so if that bolt is in your car the dipstick is pushed all the way down.

 

Takes two minutes to get the dipstick tube out, yank it and check for an o-ring. Might have gotten damaged when they worked on it.

 

Mine doesn't have an o-ring (it's still on the engine stand). Does it just pinch between the block and the "flare" on the tube? Hopefully, it's not any more complicated than that....

Russ

 

Yes, you need an o-ring. I believe the part number is 24504091.

 

According to the Chevrolet parts man pn# 24504091 is for the top of the dipstick. The one I need is located where the dipstick tube goes into the block. GM does not sell it by itself. I have to get the dipstick tube and the o ring.

Will try a simple metric o ring first. I really don't need two dipstick tubes.

 

There is a bracket that is ridigly mounted to the dipstick tube to keep the tube secured to the block. If the dipstick tube isn't seated fully home you're not supposed to be able to be able to install the bolt for the tube bracket because the bolt hole in the bracket won't line up with the threads in the block. That's the theory anyway. You might ask your mechanic how they managed to get that bolt in there if the tube isn't seated fully home. We know they wouldn't bend the bracket don't we? Of course we do.

 

The bracket is easily bent and was - leaving the tube at least 1/2 inch out of the engine block. I replaced the nicked o ring and reinstalled the tube and it is now flush into the block. Hope this corrects the oil leak as I can't find any other place where the motor would start leaking coincidently after the k member was installed.

Rather than paying for $17.95 for another tube just to get the o ring I bought an assortment of metric o rings and in the kit were o rings matching the size of the original o ring. BTW - the o ring fits into a groove about 1/2 to 3/4 inch on the bottom end of the the dipstick tube. It won't fall off while replacing. The original o ring was still on the tube. Before removing I had originally thought an o ring was on the tube placed where the tube butts against the block.

IMO it was if I could feel the extra pressure from the new o ring when re-inserting the tube into the engine block probably at least an inch or more.

Tip: A handle twist and rotate type ratchet wrench worked great removing and replacing the 15 mm bolt that holds the tube bracket to the block. Helps to have the correct tool sometimes.

 

Well, I have used that part number three times on my car, no leaks, no runs, no errors.

 

Well, on second look there is an o-ring. So small I overlooked it...

Mine too, I had to make an "adjustment" to get it to seat fully.

Thanks all for the help and tips!

Russ

 

On a side note, a little black silicone helps to make sure things are sealed up down there when re installing it.

I clean the area, wipe a small amount of RTV around the o-ring, carefully re install it, wipe up any excess sealer when the tube is fully seated so it doesnt look like a hack job with sealer ozing out every were. Wait a few hours before starting the engine so that the sealer has time to set up properly. I am not a big fan of using sealer on everything but in some cases when done properly it can work wonders...