The story of the missing tractor dipstick: Misplacing parts can lead to difficulties

The story of the dipstick (Sorry gals, I am not talking about Bob -- at least directly.)

My story begins with Bob (does it ever begin any other way?) He had his brush hog on his 430 John Deer tractor mowing trails and clearing out brush.

He came in for lunch and said "I think I need to change the oil in my tractor." He removed the dipstick and very carefully laid it on the axel.

But from there things got fuzzy. He racked his brain trying to remember if he took it out and laid it some where safe where he would remember it. You know one of those great places to put something and you never remember that spot, or if he might have left it on the axel. He thinks he put it somewhere, because if he left it on the axel and then started up the tractor it would have fallen off in less than ten feet. But just to be safe, he took his big magnet and started combing every spot within 50 miles (or so it seems like 50 miles). He spent the better part of that day, hoping against hope that he would miraculously spot it. That just didn't happen.

He then started looking in his wood shed and his big shed with his workshop, but to no avail. He even came in and looked down in the basement and the garage. That was really a stretch, but who am I to second guess him?

Son Rob and grandsons were coming up for the weekend to help Bob paint the upstairs sun porch (that is another story) when they arrived it was quite late, but he informed them if they would help him look for his dipstick the next day he would give the first one who found it five dollars. He wishes now he had upped it to 15 or 20 dollars.

They were up early the next morning 'rearin' to get started so they could find the dipstick and claim the five bucks. We had a big hearty breakfast, fried eggs, hash browns, sausage, English muffins, juice, and a bowl of cantaloupe. After breakfast they were off on their adventure. They all searched for 'most of the morning but to no avail. By this time they were tired of looking for that blasted dipstick. Needless to say, it wasn't found that weekend.

The next day Bob again spent most of the day with his trusty magnet going over and over all the places that he had been with his tractor. At the end of the day it was another complete failure. He knew by now he was going to have to do something as he couldn't drive his JD with out the cap and dipstick.

So he spent the next day calling various Implement Dealers around the area and several out of state Dealers. All of them said they didn't have that part nor could they get it. By now he was getting a wee bit discouraged. The last place he called was an Implement Dealer in the little town of Granton, Wis. He had done business with them several times. And much to his surprise, they said they could order him a new one, and it should take just a couple of days. He asked what the price would be, now mind you this is a little metal cap about two inches in diameter, and the dipstick is eight inches long. The clerk very casually said it would cost $80, Bob's mouth dropped open and if he had had false teeth they would have dropped out. But he had no choice, and went ahead and ordered it. Sure 'nuff in two days the clerk called to say it was in, and we drove to Granton and picked it up. It was in a wee sack and Bob didn't bother to look at it 'til we got home.

When he opened the sack he was stunned to see it was not new but an old cap with not an eight inch long dipstick, but 12 inches long and very sloppily welded on. He couldn't use it as it wouldn't give an accurate measurement on the oil. So the next day back to Granton we went to return it.

Bob asked the clerk if he had looked at it before he sold it to him and he said no, it was in the original sack it had come in. After taking a look at it, he couldn't believe it, he too could see that it was used. He said "I suppose you want cash back" and Bob said "You betcha."

On our way home he said "What am I going to do now? I can't even use my tractor." The next day he was talking to his friend Al, and told him his tail of woe and he said "I have a metal detector I will bring it out and maybe we can locate your dipstick."

They spent quite a bit of time trying to locate it, but again utter failure. Al said I just may have a cap at home that might fit it. Bob didn't get too excited as he too thought he might have a cap that would fit, but none could he find. We drove out to his house and he and Bob went down into his basement and voila, it was just the right fit.

Bob had another friend who is retired and a welder, and he told Bob he would spot weld it for him.

Let me tell you Bob was like a kid with a new toy, he could hardly wait to get home and put it on his JD. And praise the Lord, it fit. I hope that is the last I ever hear about that blankity blank dipstick.