[DeTomaso] 10 qt oil pans

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/19/09 11:00:22 AM, guson at home.se writes:

> I always thought that the dipstick was too long, giving you too little 
> oil in the pan. I have a description where an inch is to be cut out of the 
> dipstick close to the handle.
> 

Not exactly; what you're remembering is TSB Bulletin 5, article 34, in 
which the actual length needed is 38 inches from the bottom of the grommet on 
the stick to its tip. A stock Mustang dipstick was radically lengthened by 
Ford to be more accessible than on the very first pushbuttons which used a very 
short stick suitable for front engined cars. This early stick required 
removal of the engine screen and air cleaner to access it, so few ever checked 
oil. One of Ford's contractors that did the dipstick mod, screwed it up by 
making the sticks 1" or so too long. 
I've also seen a Pantera in which the braze modification broke and someone 
who didn't realize the length requirement simply rebrazed the pieces back 
together. That car had a stick 2" too SHORT, and with a stock pan being 
overfilled to the line with about 11 quarts, blew oil from every seal in the 
engine! Caused one engine builder to be threatened with a lawsuit for 'a 
defective engine' until the non-stock dipstick problem got sorted out- to the 
enbarrassment of all concerned.... FWIW- J Deryke