Dipstick Tubes

[enaberif]

Dipstick swapped sides around 1980 or so. It could either be driver or passenger side. That is why when you buy the 1 piece felpro pan gasket it has provisions for dipsticks on either side.

[LTZ C20]

Enaberif, this is true. I used one of those Felpro gaskets, it did have provisions on both sides, as did my oil pan. The block has  casting to match the curve around pan for a stick on the passenger side, however there is no hole thru the block for a stick to be installed, thus only leaving the drivers side available.

Felpro also makes the same 1 piece gasket for engines with 1 sided dipstick arrangements.

[Irish_Alley]

we had another discussion about this a little while ago
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=28798.0

i think 79 was the transition years for the dipstick. but if you look at after market dipsticks they say 65-79 was in the block
http://www.jegs.com/i/Mr-Gasket/720/6235/10002/-1?parentProductId=#moreDetails
80-85 used just the pan but it was passengers side, you can make a pre 79 passengers side with a 80-85 pan and a plug for the block.
86+ was also passengers side but in the block

[LTZ C20]

Irish, based on the other discussion, if I get the casting numbers off the front and rear flanges of the block then we can find out for sure what the block is and where it's from, then figure out what I need.

[Irish_Alley]

Should be able to

[LTZ C20]

Ok I will do that tonight.

[fitz]

It will be interesting to see what the block turns out to be.
I always thought that the fastburn and ZZ4 crate motors had passenger side dipsticks.

[enaberif]

Irish, based on the other discussion, if I get the casting numbers off the front and rear flanges of the block then we can find out for sure what the block is and where it's from, then figure out what I need.

This is not always accurate. My truck has a number which says its a 350 on the casting behind the drivers head. But if I pull the numbers from behind the alternator it says its a 305. I measured the bore and its a 350.

[LTZ C20]

Yes I am interested also as to what it really is. Originally I thought, ok cool it's a crate block. All the work the machine shop did checked out good so I was just glad to get a freshly machined and bored block. But now I'm kinda curious as to its true identity,  I mean I'm not gonna cry if it's not a crate block but be kinda cool if it is.

Enaberif,  I know it's a 350 based on the cylinder diameter, boring size, piston and ring sizes, blah blah blah. All that technical dry heave stuff lol.

[enaberif]

Yes I am interested also as to what it really is. Originally I thought, ok cool it's a crate block. All the work the machine shop did checked out good so I was just glad to get a freshly machined and bored block. But now I'm kinda curious as to its true identity,  I mean I'm not gonna cry if it's not a crate block but be kinda cool if it is.

Enaberif,  I know it's a 350 based on the cylinder diameter, boring size, piston and ring sizes, blah blah blah. All that technical dry heave stuff lol.

I was just suggesting that the 2 numbers don't mean anything. The true answer is in the bore.

[Captkaos]

Are you talking about the suffix code or the Casting number.  The casting number will tell you what it is.  The engine/suffix code narrows it down to when.

[fitz]

Did you find the correct dipstick?