Dipstick to gauge engine oil has snapped.

[Jsinus]

A Year ago I purchased a used L3800 . When I checked the oil the dipstick was too short to read to level, it took a while for me to realize the remainder had snapped Didn’t know how to remove it but I ordered a replacement and was able to get it past the broken end and since I had done an oil change it was the correct level. I did another check recently as I’d added 50 hours of usage but the replacement has also snapped.
Even if I undo the nut on the insert tube the sticks will be too far down . Can anyone offer suggestions how to extract the dipsticks?
Thanks in advance !

 

[kubotafreak]

Id say pull the bolt, and dipstick tube. You may find it is damaged. Then you may be able to get a thin flexible magnet down in there. I am guessing you will find the tube is damaged. Good luck

 

[Jsinus]

Id say pull the bolt, and dipstick tube. You may find it is damaged. Then you may be able to get a thin flexible magnet down in there. I am guessing you will find the tube is damaged. Good luck

Thank you

 

[kubotafreak]

Something like this but measure to make sure.

Keep in mind you may need to go through the oil drain hole. Luckily the pan is prob aluminum on that model so the magnet wont stick to everything except the oil pickup or broken piece

 

[The Evil Twin]

Dude, it's a dipstich. Not a Ron Jeremy doll
Kidding aside....Both great suggestions above. I wouldn't be so worried about the ends in the pan as much as if the tube is causing the issue. You need to be able to check the level.
The stick ends are probably laying on the bottom of the pan and not going anywhere. Unless you do a barrel roll. I've pulled many things out of oil pans in the day. The most common is pedestal bolts from the Ford turbo in their diesels. Everyone always seems to drop one.

 

[dirtydeed]

As posted above, a good strong magnet passed along the bottom of the pan could drag the broken piece of dipstick to the drain plug hole. Maybe you could grab it right there.

The second option would be to simply drop the oil pan.

 

[Pau7220]

The second option would be to simply drop the oil pan.

No reason to… if you can’t get them with the magnet they won’t hurt anything.

Something doesn't look right with that gauge guide and bracket, like it’s bent or just misaligned.… aiming the gauge where it doesn’t belong.

 

[lugbolt]

i've done this on that model tractor

ended up taking the oil pan off. It's not hard. Just gotta get the driveshaft out of the way if it's 4wd. The rest is easy. 14mm socket, extension. Clean the pan out real good. Clean the block real good and the pan rail where it meets the block. Apply silicone, reinstall, reassemble. Takes me about 2 1/2 hours if I work normal speed.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I would get a new tube and dipstick.
And I would pull the pan and remove the now 2 or more pieces of dip stick out of there.
My reasoning for the pan removal is 1 to make sure the new dip stick misses the crank and 2 those pieces sloshing around in there, if they stick to the screen that's blocking a fair amount of oil flow.