so I broke my dipstick tube and trying to find a new one... the cheapest thing I found was $55!! for the factory black $68 for the cheesy chrome ones and $78 the stainless flexable steel ones! that was crazy so I look for 1991, and pretty much every other year, and they have chrome ones for 14 bucks. -.- so I got a 1991 dipstick tube and sure enough its shorter and the stupid braket is all wrong, looks like a driver side tube, not the passenger side like my rs is.

so what gives?

 

Are you wondering why you can find a dipstick tube or are you complaining about the price or both?

 

both I guess. but im really carious why a 1991 rs dipstick is $14 but the 1992 is $55, and also why they are different.

 

Should be the same dipstick...

 

but they are not, that's why im puzzled I never heard of a change 90-92

 

all the 86 and later blocks have the same provisions for the dipstick tube- but they did use different parts for different applications. some of them bolted to an exhaust manifold bolt, some to the bolt in the side of the block... some weren't much higher than the valve covers, some pointed up towards the front of the engine to make it easier to reach in a truck or van... i like the 94-96 Caprice LT1 dipstick and tube, personally.

i think that short one you got was for the 80 and older small blocks..

 

Who said it was for a '91?
Maybe the shop had it labeled wrong ?

All the 1 pce RMS blocks ('87+ ) have the dipstick hole low down on the block by the pan rail ,so a longer tube is needed
2 pce RMS blocks with the drv stick have the hole up top nearer the head ; so a shorter tube

2 pce RMS w/pass side stick ('81 - '85 ? ) I don't have so can't comment on what style stick they have.