Small piece of tube found in sump

[Dynomax]

When I took the sump off my vx engine there was a piece of tube about 4mm od and 40mm long.  It has a small piece of plastic pipe (at least it looks like plastic) attached to one end which has clearly fractured and the other end is cut on the diagonal.
I've tried to attach a picture but the file is too big and I'm afraid my computer skills don't stretch to that.
Has anyone got any suggestions where this tube might actually belong?

[Dynomax]

It's suddenly come to me, it probably off the dipstick tube. Don't know why I didn't figure it out before!!

[SanRemo78]

It's the end of the dipstick I think. Try pressing the oil level indicator on the dash and I bet it doesn't work the gauge! If the metal part has a flattened section that'll confirm it;s the end of the dipstick. You'll need to reattach the broken bit to the dipstick to determine its original length and replace the plastic section. But I don't know what spec plastic tube is needed, it'll have to be heat resistant and an interference fit to the outside diameter of the metal tubes either side.
Guy

[Dynomax]

Thanks Guy, it did occur to me almost as soon as I posted the question. To be honest I rarely use the gauge I just have a conventional dipstick that the previous owner kept under the bonnet as 'he didn't trust' the standard gauge. No wonder!!

[SanRemo78]

Hopefully the conventional dipstick marks will match the marks on the VX one with the end reattached? If there's anyone on here with a VX motor with an intact dipstick perhaps they can post the length from the bottom of the flange to the high and low marks for comparison? You need to know the right length to avoid overfilling and starvation!

[rossocorsa]

Hopefully the conventional dipstick marks will match the marks on the VX one with the end reattached? If there's anyone on here with a VX motor with an intact dipstick perhaps they can post the length from the bottom of the flange to the high and low marks for comparison? You need to know the right length to avoid overfilling and or starvation!

I think this has been posted in the past if you have a search. The ends coming off used to be a common phenomenon, it is best to check the oil when the engine is hot so the tube is more flexible or rely on the dash gauge which is actually reasonably reliable. Another alternative is to make up another dipstick without the tube and do without the dash facility. If you have the end and the top bit of the dipstick you can put a piece of Bowden type cable in between to make up a makeshift version that's flexible

[Dynomax]

Further to my original post the part I found was definitely the end of the original dipstick tube. However the dipstick now on the car looks like it might well be a replacement as the end looks exactly like the piece in the sump, so I wonder if someone would be kind enough to measure their dipstick and let me know the length from the stop to the end of the tube. TIA Max.

[rossocorsa]

Further to my original post the part I found was definitely the end of the original dipstick tube. However the dipstick now on the car looks like it might well be a replacement as the end looks exactly like the piece in the sump, so I wonder if someone would be kind enough to measure their dipstick and let me know the length from the stop to the end of the tube. TIA Max.

https://lanciabeta.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=110.0

[Dynomax]

Thanks for the link, that's great 👍