Pontiac 326 engine.

[wcoh9225]

I need help in finding a dipstick and tube set for a Pontiac 326 engine without air conditioning.

When I took my oil pan off I found the dipstick tube was a one piece arangement and although it directed the dipstick to the hole in the windage pan I'm not sure it is showing the correct oil level.

Help!

wcoh9225

[maxwedge]

Welcome to AF, you could try some of the parts suppliers listed in Hemmings News for a starter.

[MrPbody]

Ames Performance and Performance Years are your best bet for virtually ALL Pontiac-specific parts.

The stock system has two tubes w/o AC. There's one that presses into the block, about 10" long, slightly flared at the bottom, and enters through the crankcase, toward the head. The other is about 4.5" long, curved, with a small "notch" bent into it. This one inserts into the upper tube and slips through the hole in the windage tray. Once the windage tray is bolted in, the lower tube is "captured" and can't escape. If the lower tube wasn't present when you opened it up, "last man in" (syndrome) left it out. Who knows why... And, if it WASN'T there, no, your dipstick is not reading correctly.

Jim

[wcoh9225]

Thank you, Jim.

After my first post I looked at the dipstick tube more closely and saw that it in fact was in two pieces. Someone had spot welded them together into one piece for some reason so I guess I am OK. I checked out the pieces on Ames and found a set of staneless ones for $48. I am going to reuse the one that came out of the engine.

It's nice to find someone that knows what he is talking about on Pontiac stuff. I thought I was going to need help on another matter yesterday but I got it resolved. I took the instrument cluster out to replace the bad bulbs and according to the repair manual once I remove the bolts holding the steering weel to the dash it should rest on the seat giving me plenty of room to remove the harness conector and spedometer cable. Mine wouldn't lower that far and I had a heck of a time trying to get my hand in the back of it to reach that stuff. I finally did it though.

Thanks for your help. I have two '67 and '69 Firebirds and I'd like to be able to contact you directly sometime when I get stuck on one of them. My e-mail address is [email protected].

Walter G.

[MrPbody]

Walter,

No problem! Pontiacs are our "thing"! (not small blocks with Pontiac covers, REAL Pontiacs!)

My e-mail is in my profile here. Also, check us out at:

www.centralvirginiamachine.com

The Pontiac "underground" has "come out"! Most parts makers report over 200% increase in orders for Pontiac engine parts in the last year or so. That compares to about a 30% increase in Chevy stuff and little growth in the Ford and Dodge areas. Over the last 5 years, its more than double that rate! Since the new blocks, heads and AFFORDABLE steel cranks have arrived, Pontiac is again taking its' rightful place in the GM Performance hierarchy, between small block Chevy and big block Chevy. There are still some "high-end" goodies available for SBC not yet released for the old Injun, but they're comin'! Wait 'til you see those Tiger heads!

Never say "Die!". Afterall, GTO didn't earn a reputation for losing...!

Jim