Correct Dip stick

[L78 steve]

What is the correct dip stick for a late 67 L78, Yellow or red tip?

[Mike S]

 Would it be the same as an L35? If so then mine are both pink. The sumps should be the same size.
Engine dates are T0214 and T0308
I assume the sticks were installed when the motor was assembled?

Mike

[L78 steve]

Are they pink or faded red?

[Mike S]

 That's a good question...pink or faded red. I had to check again.
I was able to remove the button from one dipstick easy enough and comparing the
exposed to the non-exposed area they look the same pink color.

Mike

[L78 steve]

Pink it is. Thank you for your efforts.

[L78 steve]

Is there a part number on that stick?

[Mike S]

 I can't see any P/N but do see stampings near the end as follows-
From bottom tip to up direction:  ADD:     :FULL    ENGINE OIL     M (looks like an upside down W)

Mike

[L78 steve]

Did some research and the Corvette crowd calls the color salmon.

[JohnZ]

Is there a part number on that stick?

As a general rule, assembly line dipsticks didn't have a part number on them, but some Service replacements did.

[big iron]

Looking at page L35 A4 in 67 AIM it is very confusing. Note that there was a revision in 2-8-67 of the Gage ASM from 3902339 to 3925520 and in 3-3-67 the Gage (stick) from 3860316 to ? . No part # shown but  it had a purple identification code ( view A ). This is very confusing until you look at the P&A
69 P&A shows 3902399 as a stick # used in 67 ,  17 15/32 between full and seal, 17 39/32 (miss print 29/32) between add and seal, not sure about this stick (gage) numbers do not add up. The 69 P&A  also shows 3925520 as stick (gage)  used in 67, 17 13/32 between full and seal, 18 1/2 between add and seal.
Going to the 67 AIM I realized that item 4 was not an asm . but the actual Gage (stick) that was used. Revision 1   2-8-67 changed 3902339 ( do not know the identification code color)to 3925520 with purple color code. The tube 3899640 remained the same until 68 when the gage and tube where changed because of RPO C60. Have know idea what revision 2  3-3-67 is referring to
Mike I believe your gage to be correct and the button has faded from purple to pink over time. Blue and red = purple and fades to light red.
Bob

[big iron]

Mike,
As a side note, the button on your gage is round which in itself is very interesting. Does your other L35 have the same gage?
Do the measurements I show for 3925520 come close to the ones on your gage?
L78 steve,
Yellow button was used on 68 69 gages.
Bob

[Mike S]

Bob,
    Interesting.....When I lay the gauges side by side and align the ":" marks, the 05B motor stick is slightly longer as seen visually at the handle end.
What part of the seal is the measurement made to......the closest to the bell or the seal edge closer to the stick end.
I can take measurements. As for the color, it still looks pink (salmon) even on the part that sits into the handle. I would think that hidden area would not fade.


Mike

[big iron]

Mike,
The measurements in the P&A are taken from the seal surface facing the stick end. The problem is that the stick shown is generic in that it has a washer and a seal and no bell.
Stop the press. Just found something interesting in my 67 Corvette AIM that may explain the purple button.
Bob

[JohnZ]

Mike,
The measurements in the P&A are taken from the seal surface facing the stick end. The problem is that the stick shown is generic in that it has a washer and a seal and no bell.
Stop the press. Just found something interesting in my 67 Corvette AIM that may explain the purple button.
Bob

'67 Corvette big-blocks had dipsticks with pink (salmon) buttons, both before and after the mid-season running change.

[big iron]

Mike,
The measurements in the P&A are taken from the seal surface facing the stick end. The problem is that the stick shown is generic in that it has a washer and a seal and no bell.
Stop the press. Just found something interesting in my 67 Corvette AIM that may explain the purple button.
Bob

'67 Corvette big-blocks had dipsticks with pink (salmon) buttons, both before and after the mid-season running change.

John,
Thanks for the information about the Corvette mid-season (3-3-67) dipstick change from 3860316 to 3925520, both with pink (salmon) buttons.
Now, if you look at the 67 AIM L35 A4 everything starts to fall in place.
The first production BB's started in January ? 67 and had 3902339 dipsticks with purple buttons.
The revision record shows a change in 2-8-67 from the old dipstick 3902339 with purple button to 3860316 with pink (salmon) button and then another change in 3-3-67 from 3860316 to 3925520 with pink (salmon) button. This coincides with the Corvette mid-season (3-3-67) change stated above.
The index of part numbers at the top of AIM L35 A4 never reflected the change in the color code identification as it should be pink or salmon and not purple.
This does lead to the question as to why was the dipstick changed so many times when the tube 3899640 and pan 3958658 where never changed until 68.
In 68 dipstick changed to 3925599 with yellow button, tube 3928901 and pan did not change. Same for 69.
Which engine went into production first the L78 or L 35? This is important as early engines should have dipsticks 3902339 with purple buttons   .
Bob