TheSamba.com :: View topic - Oil Dipstick Seal

Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:19 pm

Is the vitron seal I am replacing the rubber piece that is visible in this photo?
If its not, how the heck do I get behind this? (Lifted this pic from another thread, not of my bus)

My engine is out. I had assumed that once I had it out, it would be painfully obvious how to swap this seal, but I think I am missing something (Probably sanity)

I have had trouble now and in the past of finding good pictures on swapping it.

I did find good advice on replacing the O-ring in the stick itself, which I will also do.

The ovular shape of the aforementioned rubber piece leads me to believe it isn't this seal I am looking at:
http://www.germansupply.com/home/image.php?productid=17288

Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:15 pm

No, that's not the correct piece. You're on the wrong side of the shroud. The dipstick tube goes through the shroud, and the boot goes between the shroud and the engine.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:29 am

You'll need to get underneath and look between the cooling shroud and engine. This can be done with the engine in place.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:52 am

heerojyuy wrote:

(Lifted this pic from another thread, not of my bus)

That's because that's my bus. :P

The dipstick boot IS easy, and it's not in that photo.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 6:14 am

It aslo helps to have very long skinny fingers that are incredibly stong and with 4 joints to wiggle it on there. That would have been a good "genetic option" for me if I had any say in the matter, but I barely have opposing thumbs.

Some WD 40 on the little boot also helps it slide on there. Do the big end first.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:07 am

Soaking the new seal in hot water helps as well.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:08 pm

Wow. I had to do mine through the gap between the bar and the shroud. Lots of anger there. I wonder why I couldn't quite do it as pictured. My fingers aren't the longest. That could be it.

Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:10 pm

Randy in Maine wrote: It aslo helps to have very long skinny fingers that are incredibly stong and with 4 joints to wiggle it on there. That would have been a good "genetic option" for me if I had any say in the matter, but I barely have opposing thumbs. Man, I hear ya. There are many places where I curse that my hand just won't bend that way. Why, just yesterday I was messing with my heater control cables up front, and came out with a terrible wrenched neck and scraped hands. But at least I dod not have to remove my dashboard, like I must do on my Subaru Outback and Honda Odyssey.

Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:34 pm

so to confirm, it just pops off and on (fan shroud pulled) 2.0 fi

Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:44 pm

If you mean the dipstick boot yes, but why pull the shroud?

Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:04 pm

I already had it pulled to chase a oil leak, I thought it was the oil cooler seals, but i went ahead and decided to replace every seal I could think of, I think my leak came from a rubber seal on stem of distributor.