Anyone Ever Bent Their Trans Dipstick Tub

[72 Cheyenne K20]

Hey Guys,

I Have an 80 Jimmy with a 350/350 & replacing the factory under spark plug exhaust manifolds to the earlier rams horn over the spark plug exhaust manifolds. I will be routing the spark plug wires to the back of the block & under the manifolds.

My only issue is getting around / over the transmission dipstick tube. Not sure if they made a different tube on earlier models to go with that setup or bending it is my only option.

Please way in if you have done something like this or have any suggestions.

Thanks Scott

[72 Cheyenne K20]

Here is a pic of what I’m working on. You can see the black spark plug bracket and the position in relation to the dipstick tube. The way it is now, not gonna happen.

[72 Cheyenne K20]

1 more

[Honest Bob]

I have tried and ended up kinking it bad enough to have to buy a new one.

Can you rotate it to a better position?

[Dead Parrot]

I would look at making a custom spark plug bracket over risking ruining a trans filler tube. Or look at mounting the 4 wire loom vertically facing the firewall so the wires go behind the filler tube.

[mongocanfly]

not the trans, but i tried bending my oil dipstick to clear headers, it broke
i wound up using a Lokar flexible on it, they also make them for the trans...you might look into that

[cadillac_al]

Half of my trucks have a shorter dipstick tube, probably from a car. That would be my solution. I bought an aftermarket dipstick tube for my car that seems to work pretty well, doesn't leak.

[72 Cheyenne K20]

Thanks for the input & suggestions! I'm headed to a local junk yard here in a few days. Ill look for a shorter version.

Scott

[Accelo]

Yes It will break if bent.
Consider installing a spacer between the tube attachment point and the back of the block.
If you have the room you might be able to go in front of the tube that way.
Difficult to ascertain how much room you have before the tube impacts the cowl.
Cheers

[kwmech]

I've bent them before --ever so slightly by using an electricians conduit bender. but you have to remove the tube from the vehicle

[87chevy.com]

I bent a 6l80 tube with a tube bender to make it fit a little better. If you have the correct tube bender, then it will more than likely bend no problems. But if you don't have a bender, expect it to kink. If you have a 3d printer, you can print yourself the dies and make a home made bender for a few bucks. I made a set of 3d printed dies to bend some aluminum tubing for an a/c line project. I got the idea to 3d print a set of dies from youtube, these guys 3d printed dies to bend 1.5" steel tubing in a hydraulic tube bending machine... pretty cool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7y5MIux_uQ
clint