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I had a rather remarkable experience on Saturday morning. The bottom 6 inches of my dipstick snapped off inside the guide tube as I was pulling it out to check the oil level. Clean break. I'm pretty sure the bottom piece is still lodged in the tube, so no big deal.
Looking into replacements, I discovered that I can buy a used '87+ tube and dipstick off ebay for $30 that looks identical to what I've got. Great. However, not wanting to enjoy this experience in the future, I looked into buying a new replacement dipstick.
So... the guide tube part number has not changed. It's 951 101 027 03. The dipstick part number in the pdf PET that Porsche provides is 944 107 025 01 -- same part number for NAs and Turbos in their respective diagrams. Could that possibly be right?? The dipstick part number that I've seen in Rennlist searches is 951 107 021 01, which is now discontinued and NLA.
I called Sunset without sharing any part numbers and the guy on the phone told me that there were some different numbers for a 1987 951 and he needed my VIN. I gave it to him, he put it in the computer, and he came back with 944 107 025 01 for the dipstick going into the 951 101 027 03 tube. He could also see that the 951 107 021 01 dipstick is discontinued and superseded for my '87 with 944 107 025 01.
Can this possibly be right?? Isn't a 944 NA dipstick a fair bit shorter??
BTW -- in searching the archives, this appears to have happened to a couple of people before. I guess breaking your dipstick due to metal fatigue is a thing? I don't know whether to be heartened or horrified.
This has been a big help. It's a slow day at work, so I went through the PET pdf's and I think I've now got the definitive answer.
There are three dipsticks for all 944/968 series cars:
944 107 221 01 – Wire loop handle used in early 944 NA’s (to unknown transition year; this dipstick is much shorter than the others and has a totally different guide tube)
951 107 021 01 (now NLA) -- Yellow plastic loop handle with twists at oil level marks (used in ’86 and perhaps some early ’87 951’s)
944 107 025 01 -- Yellow plastic loop handle with slashes at oil level marks (‘87+ 951’s, all 944S, all 944S2, all 968, all 944NA after unknown switchover)
So it would appear that Porsche standardized the later yellow loop dipstick for all 944 variants in ’87 and then made different guide tubes for all of the unique motor types to make it work. The dipstick with the twists used in the early 951’s is the one that has been discontinued. If you have this dipstick and wish to replace it, you need to buy a used one or buy the later dipstick and a new guide tube to match (951 101 027 03). Because the ‘87+ yellow handled dipstick has a thicker base at the handle, it will not fit into the older guide tube.
Here’s the complete guide to dipsticks and guide tubes by model:
83 to at least 85.1 NA:
Guide tube: 944 101 223 00
Dipstick w/ wire loop handle: 944 107 221 01
Later NA (? to ’89):
Guide tube: 944 101 027 05
Dipstick w/ yellow plastic handle: 944 107 025 01
’86 951 (possibly switched over during ’87 model run):
Guide tube: 951 101 027 00
Dipstick w/ yellow plastic handle and twists at oil level marks: 951 107 021 01 (now discontinued; note that later dipstick will not fit in this guide tube because the base of the handle is too thick)
This has been a big help. It's a slow day at work, so I went through the PET pdf's and I think I've now got the definitive answer.
There are three dipsticks for all 944/968 series cars:
944 107 221 01 – Wire loop handle used in early 944 NA’s (to unknown transition year; this dipstick is much shorter than the others and has a totally different guide tube)
951 107 021 01 (now NLA) -- Yellow plastic loop handle with twists at oil level marks (used in ’86 and perhaps some early ’87 951’s)
944 107 025 01 -- Yellow plastic loop handle with slashes at oil level marks (‘87+ 951’s, all 944S, all 944S2, all 968, all 944NA after unknown switchover)
So it would appear that Porsche standardized the later yellow loop dipstick for all 944 variants in ’87 and then made different guide tubes for all of the unique motor types to make it work. The dipstick with the twists used in the early 951’s is the one that has been discontinued. If you have this dipstick and wish to replace it, you need to buy a used one or buy the later dipstick and a new guide tube to match (951 101 027 03). Because the ‘87+ yellow handled dipstick has a thicker base at the handle, it will not fit into the older guide tube.
Here’s the complete guide to dipsticks and guide tubes by model:
83 to at least 85.1 NA:
Guide tube: 944 101 223 00
Dipstick w/ wire loop handle: 944 107 221 01
Later NA (? to ’89):
Guide tube: 944 101 027 05
Dipstick w/ yellow plastic handle: 944 107 025 01
’86 951 (possibly switched over during ’87 model run):
Guide tube: 951 101 027 00
Dipstick w/ yellow plastic handle and twists at oil level marks: 951 107 021 01 (now discontinued; note that later dipstick will not fit in this guide tube because the base of the handle is too thick)
Much thanks from a fellow Chicagoan. My 86 951s stick is a bit difficult to pull out. Feels like there is far to much friction or far to little flexibility in the stick to easily go in and out of the tube.
Maybe this is the problem over time and it took Porsche engineers a while to rectify the situation.
interesting how the manual says "944 supercharged cars"..
my early 85 has the plastic ring style dipstick as factory, as well as the turbo-style oil pan.
From an engineering stand point, that would be the correct terminology, with mechanically driven and exhaust driven being subsets. One can digress to common terminology tho to avoid confusion.
This has been a big help. It's a slow day at work, so I went through the PET pdf's and I think I've now got the definitive answer.
There are three dipsticks for all 944/968 series cars:
944 107 221 01 – Wire loop handle used in early 944 NA’s (to unknown transition year; this dipstick is much shorter than the others and has a totally different guide tube)
951 107 021 01 (now NLA) -- Yellow plastic loop handle with twists at oil level marks (used in ’86 and perhaps some early ’87 951’s)
944 107 025 01 -- Yellow plastic loop handle with slashes at oil level marks (‘87+ 951’s, all 944S, all 944S2, all 968, all 944NA after unknown switchover)
So it would appear that Porsche standardized the later yellow loop dipstick for all 944 variants in ’87 and then made different guide tubes for all of the unique motor types to make it work. The dipstick with the twists used in the early 951’s is the one that has been discontinued. If you have this dipstick and wish to replace it, you need to buy a used one or buy the later dipstick and a new guide tube to match (951 101 027 03). Because the ‘87+ yellow handled dipstick has a thicker base at the handle, it will not fit into the older guide tube.
Here’s the complete guide to dipsticks and guide tubes by model:
83 to at least 85.1 NA:
Guide tube: 944 101 223 00
Dipstick w/ wire loop handle: 944 107 221 01
Later NA (? to ’89):
Guide tube: 944 101 027 05
Dipstick w/ yellow plastic handle: 944 107 025 01
’86 951 (possibly switched over during ’87 model run):
Guide tube: 951 101 027 00
Dipstick w/ yellow plastic handle and twists at oil level marks: 951 107 021 01 (now discontinued; note that later dipstick will not fit in this guide tube because the base of the handle is too thick)
Much thanks from a fellow Chicagoan. My 86 951s stick is a bit difficult to pull out. Feels like there is far to much friction or far to little flexibility in the stick to easily go in and out of the tube.
Maybe this is the problem over time and it took Porsche engineers a while to rectify the situation.
Anyway, appreciate your post.
Interesting (and hello from another Chicagoan...)
Double interesting is the mish-mash of engine parts in my car (as well as so many others out there). I have the "twist" dipstick but couldn't tell you which guide tube I have....
The link below has some pics. When I changed mine from an 86 turbo to the newer style I had to get the new tube. The new stick in the old tube would not fit. The newer style is a bit larger in diameter.
Jim -- Kind of funny that our paths haven't crossed in all these years. If you have the twist dipstick, you almost certainly have the matching guide tube. The later one is larger diameter, so if you had that one the handle would be loose in the tube and you'd probably have a vacuum leak if your crankcase is still vented to the intake.
Anyone know the part number for this little green seal on this dipstick?
Off a 1988 944s. i wonder the exact dimensions are or if any other cars share that part. Shame to have to get a new dipstick just for the little green seal.
it
11-10-2014, 12:49 PM
New dipstick part number -- can this be right??
