MTFCA Forum

After sitting in the garage for some months while I worked on other projects it finally became time to work on the '14 Touring project again. One of the items on the list was to install the Advantage dipstick kit. My friend John had installed one of these kits on my '23 a couple of years ago. He did it while I was chasing parts and had it completely done by the time I got back. I have found the dipstick to be very helpful in both checking the oil level and its condition. I do check it much more often now that it is easy to do.

The kit is very well thought out & well built. The parts assemble easily and the tube is pre-bent making the job an easy one to understand. The banjo fitting takes a Ford hubcap wrench and an allen wrench is needed for the drain.

I had some trouble fitting the tube brace as the oil line for the Ford Faithful Oiler kept getting in the way. I finally removed it from both ends which allowed fitting the sleeve nut and starting the bracket retaining nut. Try as I might, I could not tighten that bolt from below. There was just no room to swing a wrench, even a short one.

In looking over my tools I spotted a set I bought and had forgotten about. It was a set of 1/4 drive sockets sockets with a universal swivel built right in. The 9/16 size was just what I needed to sneak down into that very tight corner with a foot long extension which allowed the job to be done easily from topside.

Once all was buttoned up a bit of oil was added to check for leaks. There were none. I added 3 1/2 quarts of oil and the new dipstick read half way between the high & the low levels, perfect!

The handle of the dipstick was painted a nice gloss black but had been chipped up in several places during shipping. My first thought was to remove the old paint & shoot it with fresh paint. After a bit of pondering, it seemed that the chipped paint made it look more at home in the engine bay of this far from fresh T so it was installed in its slightly "distressed" condition.

Paul

What kind of crankcase it that? It doesn't look like any I have seen on a Model T.
Norm

Gee, I dunno. I have been calling it a "4 dip pan" because it have the 4 dip part. Is it not just the later "Improved Car" part?

It is a 4 dip pan, with a curious addition! That large vertical ridge added to the front of the flywheel bulge on the right hand side is unusual. It appears open at the top.
I have no idea of its purpose.
Allan from down under.

Well that is curious! Would this be some sort of home made hop-up for speed purposes or possibly an accessory? This car was built in the early 1960s when the swaps were full of original parts & accessories. Many of them were incorporated into this car. Perhaps I ought to add the rest of that quart of oil and see where in comes on the dipstick.

Mebbee I should shoot more pics? Would that help figure out what is going on?

Yes more pix. How is that protrusion covered? Shape on both sides. Hogs head mods. Very interesting. Part of oil pump/reservoir?

Flathead V8 in a T pan?

Looks like light reflecting to me.

Did you all camp out once too often telling ghost stories? There's an awful lot of things being seen here that I sure don't see myself.

Optical illusion - camera angle, Allan.

I bought one of these when they were in the testing stage.
Other things got in the way, and I finally installed it last winter.
Took all of 5 minutes to install, and I love it ! So easy to check
the oil level. I do it at every gas stop. And accurate too. I am
very pleased with this in every way.

Where does one buy this dipstick kit?

I've looked everywhere online and cannot find it.

Right now I have the one that goes into the lower petcock hole but has the modern handle that says ENGINE OIL and while it works well, looks ridiculous.

That looks like the one offered by Antique Auto Ranch in Spokane. There was a recent post about it.

I bought two of these dipsticks in Bakersfield several years ago from the guys that manufacture them. Installed both and they are very useful to know where your oil level is at all times. The only problem I had was the pan drain holes were worn out and it leaked all the time. Finally someone suggested on this website to put pipe thread sealant on the threads and since then no more drips. Sure beats climbing under the car every time I want to check my oil level. Frank

Discussed here viewtopic.php?t=19287
Manufactured / sold by Antique Auto Ranch Advantage dip stick: $65.00 plus shipping.
There website http://www.antiqueautoranch.com/newwebs ... ranch.html points to
Facebook site has details https://www.facebook.com/AntiqueAutoRanch/
and Facebook Site points back www.antiqueautoranch.com
so just call Tom Tuesdays and Wednesdays 509-535-7789

Yup, that's the one! I bought it from Antique Auto Ranch and it arrived very promptly after ordering. While it was quick & easy to install, I did spend more time than Burger did. Heck, I took more than 5 minutes just to read the destructions . . . .

Paul

You can get them from Antique Auto Ranch - 509 . 535 . 7789
Tom picks up the phone on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lang's has
also picked up some to sell, but I am told that they are not in the
Lang's catalogue yet.

This is a product that deserves to sell well. Everyone I know who has one loves it.

I've seen some of the other dipsticks and even bought one that had a modern plastic T handle on it but none worked as well or looked like it belonged on a Model T. I gave away that plastic handled kit.

Paul

It would bother me to have it under the drain plug. If someone were to snag anything they ran over with the T it could pull it out and you would quickly lose all the oil. I like the one which fits on the bottom petcock better.
Norm

It would bother me to have it under the drain plug. If someone were to snag anything they ran over with the T it could pull it out and you would quickly lose all the oil. I like the one which fits on the bottom petcock better.
Norm

If you are doing a lot of brush bashing that could be a concern. I do drive dirt & gravel roads some but mostly its good & smooth so not an issue.

Paul

I doubt anyone drives their T through rougher country than I
do. Long abandoned roads, clogged with sage brush, places where
no road ever existed. Deep chasms and big boulders, that is where
I like to drive my truck.


The Advantage dipstick tube hangs inches higher than the axle, so
clearance issues at the dipstick tube are gonna snag on the axle
before they ever get near the pan. That is a non-issue. I have heard
argument that humping onto a trailer might be a problem, and I can
see the point. But again, easy fix .... watch what you are doing, and
if it is a problem. change the angle of the ramps. Problem solved !

Some guys would complain that the million dollars you just gave them
wasn't in crisp new bills ....

This is a great accessory, that makes it uber-easy to check your oil
level, is super accurate, and super easy to install/maintain.

Burger in Spokane wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:29 am

I doubt anyone drives their T through rougher country than I
do. Long abandoned roads, clogged with sage brush, places where
no road ever existed. Deep chasms and big boulders, that is where
I like to drive my truck.


fullsizeoutput_89d.jpeg


The Advantage dipstick tube hangs inches higher than the axle, so
clearance issues at the dipstick tube are gonna snag on the axle
before they ever get near the pan. That is a non-issue. I have heard
argument that humping onto a trailer might be a problem, and I can
see the point. But again, easy fix .... watch what you are doing, and
if it is a problem. change the angle of the ramps. Problem solved !

Some guys would complain that the million dollars you just gave them
wasn't in crisp new bills ....

This is a great accessory, that makes it uber-easy to check your oil
level, is super accurate, and super easy to install/maintain.

The instructions warn about hitting it & possible issues. The first time I backed out my T, forgetting I had a pair of 27 axle housings under it, I tagged it with the housing brake backing plate. So its possible. Lesson learned the hard way again.
That said, Its a great product, & I run them & endorse the product. I just gotta be more careful.