350 FLV Parts

[tminihan]

I'm replacing the dipstick tube on my 71 XK19 with a 350 FLV. Can I buy parts at a local autoparts store for an LT-1 small block or do I need marine engine parts resources? The dipstick tube is sandwiched between the exhaust manifold and the valve cover. The old one was kinked and wouldn't allow checking of the oil. I bought an OEM replacement from a corvette parts dealer, which I couldn't quite get bent right without removing the exhaust manifold. I may be removing the manifold, which seems like overkill. Some of the hotrod parts dealers have flexible dipstick tubes, which I may give a try. Any advice on parts dealers, dipstick tubes or manifold removal would be helpful. Thanks, Tom

[rgmxk22]

Hi Tom,

I sort of have the same trouble on my 350FLV, except even though the dipstick tube is a little kinked up, I can still get the dipstick in the engine.

I bought a new tube and dipstick from my local Chevy dealer a few years ago. I was going to intstall the new tube when I had the valves in the heads redone, but I just plain forgot about the tube until I had everything back together.

But I also could not figure out how to get the new in place without removing the manifold. So I'm just waiting until the day I have to pull the manifold again.

On a Hotrod type tube and dipstick, you might find something that will work, check Summitracing.com. But unless you plan to make some kind of bracket to hold the tube or figure out where you might be able to attach it, my thinking is that a hotrod type/flexible tube set up would not fit between the manifold and cylinder head either. That flexible would probably be a larger diameter than the original style tube.

Ron Michael
1972 XK 22

[Wood Commander]

When I had my 19' Lancer, I was putting in new valve guide O- ring seals and wasn't happy with the valve cover- to- exhaust manifold clearance, or lack thereof. It made the job a lot harder. Ever since that time, I've wanted to have a 1/2" spacer plate made to sandwhich between each head and manifold.

I've even gone as far as getting just the 3/16" thick head plate from a place that makes hot rod headers. I would use this new piece to supply to a water jet company for a pattern to cut it out of 1/2" plate for me. The hot rod piece itself won't work because the exhaust port holes are too big, they are meant to have the header tubes placed up inside of them, and then flared out and welded to them from the inside, and then ground flat for a tight seal.
I would have the water jet company add about 1/8" to the inside diameters of the new exhaust port holes in the 1/2" plate that I would have them cut so that there will be sufficient material around the opening to hold an exhaust gasket.

On hot rod headers, I sometimes cut the plate to just fit the exhaust port openings and discard the portions in between the port openings. So I would do the same thing with the new 1/2" plates, or just have them cut it into individual port pieces on the water jet. This will provide open spaces between the port locations.

Using extra plates like that would give you 1/2" additional clearance between the heads and manifolds for things like dip- stick tubes or oil suck out tubes.

The steel plate shouldn't be too much more problematic for corrosion than the cast iron manifolds already are. And aluminum could be another possible option.

This modification will cause the exhaust pipes to be spaced toward the outside edges of the transom by 1/2" on each side. In my case, I was going to be installing through- hulls anyway, where there were none before, so it doesn't really matter too much. And you could probably fudge 1/2" with th rubber hose sections for existing applications anyway.