An  O ring is very thin, it could not make a big difference, the one you
have.  I would measure the length from the top and not the bottom, unless he
broke the oil dipstick TUBE and replaced it with a wrong one that is longer.
Possible that the tube is not in deep enough too.
You definitely need the help of the ones who know this for certain.  You can
go around and measure the ones they have at the dealer or a wrecking yard.
Well, I was just thinking...
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Ruffalo" <aruffalo@sprynet.com>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 6:01 PM
Subject: Oil Dip Stick

> I think that I have the wrong oil dip stick in my new engine.
> My new engine seems to be overfilled when I fill
> the oil mark up the top of the two part mark on dipstick. It will smoke
> something terrible until it burns the oil off to the bottom notch. I have
a
> feeling that there is something wrong with the measurement of the new
> dipstick. It seems to take too much oil with the new dipstick. I remember
my
> mechanic saying that he accidentally broke my old dipstick and had to buy
a
> new one when he put the new engine in. Is it possible that he installed
the
> wrong oil dipstick?
> He is out of business and I can't contact him on this matter now.
> Does anybody know the correct measurements on the "High & Low" marks on
the
> oil dipstick for an 88 Westy?
> I would like to know the measurements from the bottom of the dipstick to
the
> low oil mark and then to the top mark (high oil mark notch) on the oil
> dipstick. One mechanic thought that he might not have removed the old O'
> Ring in the engine case when he installed the oil tube on my new engine.
> There was the thought that the two O' Rings might have changed the
> measurements on the dipstick reading. I don't know this new mechanic and I
> don't know if I should put any stock in that theory.
> Most likely - the new dipstick is not the right dip stick.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alan Ruffalo
> 88 Westy