{"id":88917,"date":"2022-12-22T10:59:53","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T18:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=88917"},"modified":"2022-12-22T11:01:55","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T19:01:55","slug":"whats-so-special-about-this-nhra-required-dipstick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/whats-so-special-about-this-nhra-required-dipstick\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"jetpack-slideshow-noscript robots-nocontent\">This slideshow requires JavaScript.<\/p><div id=\"gallery-88917-1-slideshow\" class=\"jetpack-slideshow-window jetpack-slideshow jetpack-slideshow-black\" data-trans=\"fade\" data-autostart=\"1\" data-gallery=\"[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-Lead-min-scaled-e1671735560107.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88937&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Click Here to Begin Slideshow\\n\\nDecades ago I had a big block-powered Impala beater I used as a daily driver.\\u00a0 It was an old high mileage neglected four door.\\u00a0 The price was right. Gas was cheap.\\u00a0 And it was tired. Just before I retired it, the rad developed a leak and some of the engine coolant actually entered the trans cooler. In turn, this allowed anti-freeze to contaminate the transmission fluid.\\u00a0 In the Impala\\u2019s final days, it would regularly push the transmission dipstick right out of the tube, and shower the firewall with hot oil and coolant. This can also occur when the transmission vent is simply plugged.\\u00a0\\n\\nFair enough. It was an old, well-used and abused car, but the scenario where a transmission dipstick is pushed out of a tube isn\\u2019t all that uncommon. As you can well imagine, at a drag strip (or even on the street when you get on the gas), it can cause all sorts of chaos because the fluid can easily find its way under the back tires.\\u00a0 You know what can happen next.\\u00a0 And it is because of this, locking dipsticks are mandatory in many drag race classes:\\n\\nAccording to the NHRA Rulebook (section 2:14 of the General Regulations):\\u00a0 \\u201cAll cars running 10.99 (*6.99 \\u201cin the 1\\\/8 mile\\u201d) seconds and quicker must have an NHRA-accepted locking-type dipstick on the transmission, and dipstick tubes must be securely fastened (i.e., bolted, aircraft clamped). Wire ties, hose clamps, etc. prohibited.\\u201d\\n\\nWhen you peruse the \\u201caccepted\\u201d list, you\\u2019ll find a number of different manufacturers. ATI and many of the other manufacturers on the list purchase their locking dipsticks from a company called \\u201cMasta Performance Inc.\\u201d (https:\\\/\\\/mastaperformance.com).\\u00a0 Dan Masta was the originator of the Trick Stick, and his company has been building them for decades.\\u00a0 Now, you might not know this, but in local Michigan circles, Masta developed a reputation as the go-to guy for Powerglides.\\u00a0 Local lore tells us how it was a pretty common site to see Dan rebuilding a racer\\u2019s transmission in the pits during an event.\\u00a0 And keep in mind, Masta was and still is a drag racer.\\n\\nAnd since Dan was (and is) a drag racer, he too needed a locking dipstick.\\u00a0 So he built one.\\u00a0 Over the course of time, that led to the development of a wide range of custom dipstick tubes complete with calibrated, locking handles.\\u00a0 As of this writing, Masta Performance offers at least 40(!) different examples \\u2013 9 alone for various Powerglide applications. And if you have a special dipstick and tube setup that has everyone else baffled, Masta can custom build it.\\n\\nOff the shelf Trick Sticks all have custom bent tubes. All are designed so that they affix to the transmission or engine solidly (per the regulations).\\u00a0 With off the shelf examples, the tubes are zinc plated (see the accompanying photos). Custom tubes are not plated (although they can be by request). Each assembly comes with a calibrated dipstick and each of them is manufactured with a locking tab.\\u00a0 At the bottom end, each tube comes with a boot style seal. FYI, many OEM transmission dipstick tubes use a more leak-prone o-ring.\\u00a0 We\\u2019ll give you a tip on installation in the accompanying photo captions.\\n\\nSome cars, such as the writer\\u2019s BBC powered Nova have relatively tight confines when it comes to the dipstick tube. Fortunately, Masta offers a special \\u201cTight Fit\\u201d tube just for this application. Essentially, it follows the contour of the transmission and bellhousing.\\u00a0 Topside, it snugs up right behind the top rear corner of the valve cover. It\\u2019s out of the way. Valve cover access is good and there\\u2019s still room to insert a funnel and fill the transmission.\\u00a0 To get the tube in place requires minimal \\u201cgarage gymnastics\\u201d. We found it was easy to slide it from the bottom up.\\n\\nIn the end, the Masta Performance Trick Stick is an inexpensive, solid solution to an age-old dilemma. It addresses the NHRA rules directly and the made-in-the-USA components are readily available.\\u00a0 And by the way, Masta Performance also manufactures engine oil dipsticks for a number of applications (along with specialty Powerglide components).\\u00a0 For a closer look at the Trick Stick, check out the accompanying photos:\\n\\nClick Here to Begin Slideshow&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-1-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88938&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;This is the tight fit Trick Stick mentioned in the text.  The design is such that it closely fits the contours of the transmission (and bellhousing), and tucks up behind the passenger side valve cover.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-2-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88939&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;The actual dipstick handle incorporates a built-in lock. You simply flip the lever down (arrow) to lock the stick. Obviously, unlocking is just the opposite. When locked a large seal just under the handle expands. This ensures the dipstick is fixed in place.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-3-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88940&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;This is the boot style seal Masta includes.  When installing a boot seal, remove it from the tube and install in the transmission. Then lightly grease the tube (and\\\/or the inside diameter of the boot seal) and slide the tube in place.  It may take a bit of downward pressure from the topside to get it started.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-4-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88942&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;This tab allows the dipstick tube to be bolted to the engine. Obviously, different dipstick tubes have different tabs. This one installs on the passenger side upper bellhousing bolt on a Turbo 400.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-4B-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88941&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-5-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88943&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Bottom side, the dipstick is calibrated for the application.  The layout is identical to what you\\u2019d find in an OEM dipstick.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/Dipstick-6-min-scaled.jpg&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88944&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#8217;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;What\\u0026#039;s So Special About this (NHRA Required) Dipstick?&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Here\\u2019s the completed install. As you can see the tube clears the valve cover and it\\u2019s out of the way on the engine.  It is, however, easy to access the dipstick to allow for checking fluid level or filling the transmission.&quot;,&quot;itemprop&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}]\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageGallery\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>In the end, the Masta Performance Trick Stick is an inexpensive, solid solution to an age-old dilemma.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":88937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3697,5008,17,11,3470,5029,4879,3399],"tags":[813,281,41,7,1632,4764,321],"class_list":["post-88917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-galleries","category-engine","category-guest-column","category-how-tos","category-news","category-racing","category-slideshow","category-nhra","tag-gallery","tag-how-to","tag-news","tag-nhra","tag-racing","tag-tech","tag-wayne-scraba"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Dipstick-Lead-min-scaled-e1671735560107.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-n89","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88917"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88945,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88917\/revisions\/88945"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}