Please ID this part

[architect]

Greetings,

I found this pic on the web, and trying to determine the what part it is (in the yellow cloud)

Also - what is going on with the oil stick? Has this owner shorten the stick and tube? (pink cloud)

[AndyVAS]

The is the oil pump drive gear / block mount distributor plug.

The dipstick used is an early one. Based on your timing cover, you have a 2000 carb motor and it should have a long tube with long dipstick or you have a late 1800 and that should also have a long tube and dipstick. The 1800 used a tube nut to seal to the block and the 2000 used a rubber seal.

[azruss]

the cover in the yellow square was the distributor location on the 1438 cc block. Future models moved it above the exhaust manifold and the the hole was covered. I added a computronix ignition and moved the solid state distributor back to that location and moved the plug to cover the upper location. I also removed the long dipstick and modified it to fit the hole as you see in your picture. The long dipstick was interfering with the dizzy. This cleaned up the top of the engine and got rid of interference with the hood and spark plug wires. this also got the solid state dizzy away from the heat put off by the exhaust manifold. Finally the upper dizzy location was prone to drip oil on the exhaust manifold. Got rid of that issue as well. Since the solid state dizzy does not require any maintenance, the lower location is perfect.

[nelsonj]

Please see my restoration page for some pictures on this. I also reviewed a distributor (a Lada from Vic's) that has pictures of the whole.

[architect]

the cover in the yellow square was the distributor location on the 1438 cc block. Future models moved it above the exhaust manifold and the the hole was covered. I added a computronix ignition and moved the solid state distributor back to that location and moved the plug to cover the upper location. I also removed the long dipstick and modified it to fit the hole as you see in your picture. The long dipstick was interfering with the dizzy. This cleaned up the top of the engine and got rid of interference with the hood and spark plug wires. this also got the solid state dizzy away from the heat put off by the exhaust manifold. Finally the upper dizzy location was prone to drip oil on the exhaust manifold. Got rid of that issue as well. Since the solid state dizzy does not require any maintenance, the lower location is perfect.

Wow you guy's provided awesome feedback!

Azruss - thanks for chiming in. I am assuming this is your pic from the web?

How did you shorten your oil stick. I have a damaged tube on my 78 (1800) and do like the idea of lowering it (this could fix my problem). As of now, the stick is located within 1/4" or so from my intake pulley (no cover) and makes me nervous.

I do understand the inherit risk of locating a "hole" closer to potential ground water... but if I get stuck in rain, I have bigger problems, lol!

Did you simply measure the tube length, cut and modify the stick to match? With a lower tube, and new gasket.. I will be in much better shape.

[architect]

The is the oil pump drive gear / block mount distributor plug.

The dipstick used is an early one. Based on your timing cover, you have a 2000 carb motor and it should have a long tube with long dipstick or you have a late 1800 and that should also have a long tube and dipstick. The 1800 used a tube nut to seal to the block and the 2000 used a rubber seal.

Andy,

I appreciate your feedback... this photo was found on the web, by a user on this forum. I own a 78 - 1800 (and have done quite a bit of business with VAS over the last year! - Dallas local)

My 1800 has a damaged tube, and it's almost impossible to locate a new one (or decent). Can I replace it with an earlier, shorter stick? If so, do you know what year?

Thanks everyone!

[AndyVAS]

I'm sure we have a good tube in the back. Swing by and we can pull down the tote and sort through it.

[architect]

the cover in the yellow square was the distributor location on the 1438 cc block. Future models moved it above the exhaust manifold and the the hole was covered. I added a computronix ignition and moved the solid state distributor back to that location and moved the plug to cover the upper location. I also removed the long dipstick and modified it to fit the hole as you see in your picture. The long dipstick was interfering with the dizzy. This cleaned up the top of the engine and got rid of interference with the hood and spark plug wires. this also got the solid state dizzy away from the heat put off by the exhaust manifold. Finally the upper dizzy location was prone to drip oil on the exhaust manifold. Got rid of that issue as well. Since the solid state dizzy does not require any maintenance, the lower location is perfect.

Good morning, Do you remember what year you swapped your oil stick from?

[azruss]

It been a while so this is what I think I did. I used the stock long stick and cut it off. By removing the tube as well, you can measure how much of the stick is in the pan and where the high/low marks are. The seal at the top of the long stick works for the block hole as well, so you don't need to modify that. You might be able to find a dip stick from a 1438, but odds are that pan is shallower so the stick would need to be recalibrated. I used a grinder to cut off and reshape the shortened stick.