Official Cummins 6cta 450C thread

Well, have tried threading the bolt in...threads in just fine, but after applying some force to the bolt the dipstick tube the metal is so soft it just pulls out. 5/16" fit and tried both machine and lag threads. Obviously put some heat on to no avail.

The extractor snugs up well, but I am afraid to break it off and go from relative soft metal stuck in the block to hard metal being stuck in the block.

Any thoughts???

View attachment 129262
It’s a press fit and it’s glued like freeze plugs…. My guess is you are going to have to drill it out….. but talk to Cummins local dealer or go to a truck dealership and ask how to remove it

then ask how to install the new one
 
Liking that Promax tool. Thanks!

Ok, Promax doesn't seem to have any fit for me.

Here is my new thought. Turns out the oil return fitting for the walker air sep is right below the dipstick. I feel like making a plug and running as is until annual maintenance is doable (using the dipstick in the broken tube I can get an accurate reading).

When oil change time comes I can drill the tube (that thing is really in there).

With the fitting in the oil pan below the dipstick tube I can remove that and put a magnet in the hole and drill followed by a rigged up fitting for my shop vac to get anything the magnet missed. I uave bore scope so I can do a good inspection and then replace the fitting woth a plug since I went with Envirovents. Big question, is that fitting threaded into the pan or does it have a nut on the backside? Hoping for the former.

Image below (dipstick hole is a bit crispy from torch) easy-out in place.

Thoughts?

20220628_192023.jpg
 
Do you have access to a 110v welder?

Weld a washer and a nut on top... The heat will be far greater than what a propane torch will produce and it'll come right out.
 
Do you have access to a 110v welder?

Weld a washer and a nut on top... The heat will be far greater than what a propane torch will produce and it'll come right out.
That's what I'm thinking, more heat. Maybe someone has one of those mini oxy-acet torch sets he can borrow. The block will suck heat, the top might be hot but down a bit it might not be enough to melt adhesive or orings.
 
That's what I'm thinking, more heat. Maybe someone has one of those mini oxy-acet torch sets he can borrow. The block will suck heat, the top might be hot but down a bit it might not be enough to melt adhesive or orings.

Thanks for the inputs. There are no o-rings or adhesive to the best if my knowledge. This is a interference fit only, also why Promaxx can't help me out.

Welding might be tough, it is broken so close to the block that it would be tough to get even a tack on it without sticking it to the block. Maybe, welding inside the nut, but then the tube isn't that thick either and could blow a hole through the tube and then it is welded to the block. I am not a great welder...lol.

Here is an image of the new, $129, dipstick tube. Just a press fit with some knurling. Probably why they dribble after awhile.

20220629_052214.jpg
 
Thanks for the inputs. There are no o-rings or adhesive to the best if my knowledge. This is a interference fit only, also why Promaxx can't help me out.

Welding might be tough, it is broken so close to the block that it would be tough to get even a tack on it without sticking it to the block. Maybe, welding inside the nut, but then the tube isn't that thick either and could blow a hole through the tube and then it is welded to the block. I am not a great welder...lol.

Here is an image of the new, $129, dipstick tube. Just a press fit with some knurling. Probably why they dribble after awhile.

View attachment 129639
Maybe sacrifice an ez out, weld some rod on it, improvise and make up your own slide hammer like the Promaxx tool.
 
Thanks for the inputs. There are no o-rings or adhesive to the best if my knowledge. This is a interference fit only, also why Promaxx can't help me out.

Welding might be tough, it is broken so close to the block that it would be tough to get even a tack on it without sticking it to the block. Maybe, welding inside the nut, but then the tube isn't that thick either and could blow a hole through the tube and then it is welded to the block. I am not a great welder...lol.

Here is an image of the new, $129, dipstick tube. Just a press fit with some knurling. Probably why they dribble after awhile.

View attachment 129639
Get a quality fine toothed hack saw blade. Reduce the depth of the blade (grind it off but don't put a lot of heat into it) so it just fits into the remaining piece in the engine block; reduce the end of the blade that will have the teeth cut as the blade is pulled out so the cut particles are removed to the outside rather in the oil pan. Then slow stroke by stroke cut a slot into the piece of remaining tube until completely through it's wall thickness. It will collapse and become loose; simply pull it out.
 
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Get a quality fine toothed hack saw blade. Reduce the depth of the blade (grind it off but don't put a lot of heat into it) so it just fits into the remaining piece in the engine block; reduce the end of the blade that will have the teeth cut as the blade is pulled out so the cut particles are removed to the outside rather in the oil pan. Then slow stroke by stroke cut a slot into the piece of remaining tube until completely through it's wall thickness. It will collapse and become loose; simply pull it out.
Get a Lenox 32 TPI blade. Starrett also makes very good blades. You will need a quality hacksaw blade to do this right.
 
Get a quality fine toothed hack saw blade. Reduce the depth of the blade (grind it off but don't put a lot of heat into it) so it just fits into the remaining piece in the engine block; reduce the end of the blade that will have the teeth cut as the blade is pulled out so the cut particles are removed to the outside rather in the oil pan. Then slow stroke by stroke cut a slot into the piece of remaining tube until completely through it's wall thickness. It will collapse and become loose; simply pull it out.

Had that thought in my mind, but was thinking a long nose die grinder on my Dremel instead of the hack saw blade, but the hack saw should be less messy.

Also, thinking about packing the broken tube with bearing grease before sawing/cutting/drilling to help hold the shavings. A guy did that on you tube and it went well.

In any case, probably not happening until after 9Jul as I have committed to take a good friend's out of town guests to the Blue Angel's Pensacola Beach Airshow and can't afford for an "oops" to totally down the boat.

Temp fix for now while I make my special saw blade...:)o_O

Thx!
 
I have pulled broken tubes out of chevy blocks by using a small chisel between the flange and the block to loosen it and then going to larger chisels until you can grab it and pull it the rest of the way. Of course you need room to work!
Anything you put inside is just making the fit tighter.
 
I have pulled broken tubes out of chevy blocks by using a small chisel between the flange and the block to loosen it and then going to larger chisels until you can grab it and pull it the rest of the way. Of course you need room to work!
Anything you put inside is just making the fit tighter.

Great point in the usage of something inside to pull the tube, just pushing it out against the block.
 
Does the tube stick down below the surface inside the block?

You could fab up a tool that expands when you put it into the tube and the slide hammer it out. You'd have to design it in such a way that the tool opens one way and closes the other way so you can actually remove it.
 
Omg…… call your local Cummins dealer….. don’t torch your block

or Tony has a forum on sbmar.com….. ask your question there
 
Omg…… call your local Cummins dealer….. don’t torch your block

or Tony has a forum on sbmar.com….. ask your question there

Lol. He's not going to torch his block. You don't think the block gets hot during normal use??
 
Omg…… call your local Cummins dealer….. don’t torch your block

or Tony has a forum on sbmar.com….. ask your question there


Not getting it red hot, and not even getting hotter than normal temps. Most mechanics use heat all the time for bolts and other things that are stuck. I have put heat into many other engine blocks over the years and had no ill effects. Probably wouldn't use anymore than propane. MAP and a acetylene are little aggressive for me personally.

Asked on Tony' forum, as usual, no answer. Also, his team was no help on even getting the new dipstick tube. Which a local shop got me in 5 mins.

Cummins dealer is no help, they want me to spend $1200 for someone to come look at it and my guess is it will be something ridiculous like they need to pull the engine out to drop the oil pan. Marine mechanics really just aren't very imaginative.

This is solvable. @tmott saw blade suggestion seems to be the best way forward. Worst case, drain the oil, drill it and use the rear drain plug to go in and clean out any filings that get in there with a magnet and a modified shop attachment.

At this point it is on my schedule. The engine is completely usable and I can still check the oil level since the dipstick tube broke off right at the block with the dipstick in it. Just check oil and then plug the dipstick hole. Will probably try the hack saw method after I get through the beginning of July.

I certainly appreciate all the advice and suggestions.
 
The piece of tube would heat faster than the block when putting heat on that area so the tube will actually get tighter in the hole. It is a significant interference fit so no matter how much heat was applied, it would make little difference.
 

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