So I need some help.....

I recently brought my 2002 Nissan Sentra GXE to get an oil change and after they were taking a rediculously long time, I asked what was the matter. They informed me that my dipstick had broken off inside the car and that they had no way to check the oil. I argued with them for about an hour blaming them for breaking it. They said it was broken when they got the car and that the last person who did the oil change must have done it. The last place that did my oil change won't touch it because they said that the current person did it.....

Bottom line is that now my dipstick is broken off inside the car, and I need ideas on how to fix it (other than remove the whole oil pan, etc). I have tried
1) using a long magnetic rod....but the top part of the dopstick that broke is plastic, so no go
2) heating up a piece of metal, hoping it will melt the plastic, and then harden so i can pull it out......still no go

I searched online and apparently it is a very common problem, no clue why it isn't a recall.

Anyone know if it can hurt the engine to run like this? I had them drain all the oil again and measure exactly how much they put in so it isn't overfilled. I'm just not sure if the dipstick being down in there could interfear with any engine parts.

4/20/2009 10:46:57 AM

Oh, and just removing the sleeve that holds the dip stick isn't an option.....it is welded on (stupid design)

4/20/2009 10:49:16 AM

you need one of those long flexible things with the button/plunger on one end and tiny claws on the other end.



[Edited on April 20, 2009 at 10:52 AM. Reason : .]

4/20/2009 10:52:02 AM

Anyone have anything like that laying around I could use? Or know where to get one? it would have to be pretty long and very skinny to work

4/20/2009 10:53:25 AM

Quote :

"They said it was broken when they got the car and that the last person who did the oil change must have done it. The last place that did my oil change won't touch it because they said that the current person did it..... "

yeah, that is a common excuse.. i've actually been told (rounded off drain plug) "it was the last place that did it" then they made up some more bullshit like "you can't prove we did it" when i told them that this was the last place that did it..

that ^^ tool may work.. any auto parts store should have one.

4/20/2009 11:42:58 AM

claw tool + small hole + long dipstick tube = fail
there's a much better chance of getting the stick out from the oil drain hole.

but I think you'll end up taking the oil pan off after an hour of trying.

4/20/2009 11:48:06 AM

And this is one of the many reasons why I change my own oil.

4/20/2009 12:43:05 PM

^BINGO. I don't trust anybody to work on my shit. MAYBE air conditioning gets done by someone else. But I only have a few that I'll let touch that.

4/20/2009 12:47:09 PM

^^yea, i've been burned a few times by incompetent people doing my oil changes.....I need to start doing them myself

4/20/2009 1:11:57 PM

what needs to happen is you need to take it back to the place that, it was discoverd broken.

any good shop will inspect shit before the work on it, for this very reasongood shops will check the oil level to see if you are low, and or if anything is broken. if they didnt break it they will make a note of it, and come and tell you before they work on it.

"hey sir before we started working on your car we noticed that ----- was wrong. were you aware, of this,"

"no thanks for asking"

"well then sir, you need to take it back to the last place that worked on it"


thats how it should go if they didnt break it.

it sounds like you are getting jerked around by the most recent place.

Also any good shop will admitt to breaking something, if they are up front and honest about it, they will give you a free oil change or something, and try to get you to buy a service as well.

4/20/2009 2:41:57 PM

Damn, what shit hole did you get your oil changed at. The retards at the Jiffy Lube (at least I think its a jiffy lube) on western did that to my car but they at least had the decency to get it out for me. They drilled into the plastic part sticking out and pulled it out with a screw.

4/20/2009 3:44:11 PM

chances are that it isnt broken off very far in there, it should have tension to hold it in place, it is too long to drop into the pan, and your damn dipstick tube will come off, it's just a press fit, a pair of needle nose vise grips clamped just firmly enough not to crush the tube and a prybar under it will pull it right out, you may have to rotate it a little

to get it back in after you get the dipstick out, just put a little silicone around it, and tap it in with a dead blow hammer

4/20/2009 3:51:43 PM

why are you so sure that either one of the shops broke it? sounds like the plastic may have gotten brittle and broke due to vibration.


and we always called that tool "mechanical fingers". got several nuts that i dropped out of lower units with them.

[Edited on April 20, 2009 at 5:52 PM. Reason : .]

4/20/2009 5:50:51 PM

It was the Merchant's tire on Millbrook rd. I guess I learned my lesson about getting an oil changed by the cheapest place where I have a cupon for $18.

^You are right, it is very possible that it broke just because it is a crappy design (which a quick internet search confirms), that is another reason I gave up arguing with the guy about it. There is really no way to know.

I tried a couple things last night and looks like I just pushed it in further......i'll try those mechanical fingers tonight if autozone has them.....but it'll probably just lead to taking the pan off.....

maybe I can get an aftermarket one that is metal instead of plastic so this doesn't happen again.....

4/21/2009 8:53:42 AM

if you're looking for one of those claw things you're more likely to find them at cheapo tool places or tractor supply. harbor freight most likely has them.

4/21/2009 10:52:40 AM

yeah merchants fucking sucks theres no argument about it. some dude on here used to work there, i know this much

4/21/2009 12:43:18 PM

^^The Harbor Freight in winston has them.

4/21/2009 1:15:43 PM

i live right near the Harbor Freight on Capital, i'll stop by there on my way home.

4/21/2009 1:31:32 PM

I'd try 69's suggestion before pulling the pan. You might want to heat the tube where it connects to get it to come out easily, but it should come out if you've got room to work in there.

4/21/2009 1:32:20 PM

^questions about that....By heating it up, do you mean like let the engine warm up, or heat the pipe with a torch? There's not much room, but I think I may go that route.

If I crush the tube, does the dealership sells just that part?

4/21/2009 1:39:11 PM

Also, will oil come out when I pull that out? I should probably drain the oil first right?

4/21/2009 1:39:59 PM

you might get a few drips but nothing a 1 or a 2 sheeter cant clean up

4/21/2009 1:54:41 PM

Getting the engine to operating temp would help, but I was thinking along the lines of a torch if you have one and can get it in there.

4/21/2009 2:25:53 PM

Quote :

"chances are that it isnt broken off very far in there, it should have tension to hold it in place, it is too long to drop into the pan, and your damn dipstick tube will come off, it's just a press fit, a pair of needle nose vise grips clamped just firmly enough not to crush the tube and a prybar under it will pull it right out, you may have to rotate it a little to get it back in after you get the dipstick out, just put a little silicone around it, and tap it in with a dead blow hammer"

4/21/2009 4:43:24 PM