Up next Diesel Enthusiasts: Share Your Custom Rigs! Published on January 14, 2025 Author TUCKER HARRIS Share article Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Mail 0 Step-by-Step Dipstick Replacement for 1994-1997 12-Valve Cummins Trucks Fixing the Cracked Dipstick on Your 1994-1997 12-Valve Cummins One thing I KNOW you ’94-’97 Dodge guys are looking for is a solid solution to your cracked and broken OEM engine oil dipstick tube. I’ve been dealing with mine leaking all last year, and it’s finally time to nip this issue in the bud with a Lokar locking dipstick. This replacement not only looks really cool, but it’s also the fix for when your OEM dipstick cracks at the handle and inevitably leaks oil out of the top while your truck is running. Let’s get into this quick install! Today, we’re going to put this locking dipstick and tube on “Stock to Not,” our Diesel World project truck that we’ve been tinkering with for a little over a year now. Like we stated before, the stock dipstick has been a pain in the neck being that it is cracked, and replacing it with another OE one knowing it’s just going to crack again doesn’t sit well with me. So here is our replacement—a Lokar locking dipstick with the tube. Featuring a full braided hose, Lokar’s patented locking mechanism and e-bracketry allow for mounting in a few different locations, but we’ll be putting ours where it mounts on our Pusher Dual Ram intake. It’s just a quick bolt out at the top and a lay underneath the truck with a pair of vice grips to get the old dipstick tube out of the oil pan. Make sure to clean around the hole so that you don’t drag any grime or dirt into it, so it’s easy to get the new one back in. Here’s what the 238,000-mile dipstick and tube look like compared to the new Lokar locking dipstick. After cleaning up the hole for the tube on the side of the engine, feed the new locking dipstick down, and use your OEM dipstick hardware to mount it back to the intake horn. We used a torch to discolor the dipstick at the correct engine oil level so it didn’t disappear after use. Next, I tightened the knob back on and clicked it into place. That wraps up this install! We’re back to ripping without having a rag zip-tied around the crack of the old dipstick in Stock to Not! This install was super easy, although getting the stock tube out of its home was the biggest complaint I saw when doing my research on the 12-valve dipstick tube replacement.Happy wrenching! Subscribe Our Weekly Newsletter Total 0 Shares Share 0 Tweet 0 Pin it 0 Share 0
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