Here I am

Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Head's off. Lessons learned.

Attention: TDR Forum Junkies
To the point: Click this link and check out the Front Page News story(ies) where we are tracking the introduction of the 2025 Ram HD trucks.

Thanks, TDR Staff
Status
Not open for further replies.

GAmes

TDR MEMBER
I'm happy to report there is no engine damage, just a partially dissolved gasket on the outer edge. With the miles I drive I don't believe it would have been a tiny seep for much longer, so I'm glad I did it now while the temps are still in the 60s.



A few things I found during the job of removal. (Replacement will be next week after a weekend of fishing:p ).



1. The $100+ Dodge shop manual leaves out some steps, like removing the alternator/grid heater wire harness, air horn, water temp sender wire, alternator and more.



2. The book has you loosen all the valve rockers prior to removal. Too late I realized that if I had turned the engine to #6 TDC and only loosened the six rockers that had tension on them I would only have to adjust six during install, and not the dreaded #6 cyl at all.



3. The head bolts and the push rods for #5 and #6 are too long to remove from the block because of the windshield overhang. After 20 minutes of cussing and trying different angles I discovered that there are two rubber plugs up there that cover a couple of large holes and with them removed it was no problem. No mention at all of them in the book.



4. Soaking the injectors in carb cleaner for about two hours makes removal pretty easy. (I used a homemade tool inspired by Joe Donnelly).



5. I fashioned a lift beam out of a piece of 1" galvanized water pipe slightly longer than the head. One end goes thru the lift eye at the rear and the front is tied to the lift eye with a few wraps of 1/4 inch rope. Another piece of strong rope in the center acts as an adjustable centering device and hooks to the engine hoist. My hoist is on wheels so once the head was clear I just rolled it away from the truck. A little tilting and maneuvering is required and I wished I had a helper for that part.



6. Once the head is on the bench a shotgun bore brush is the right size to clean the injector holes.



Kinda long but maybe someone will benefit from what I've learned.
 
Great pointers, but my question is , Why did you loose the gasket in the first place, high miles/ high boost? I'm only asking cause I will have the same set up once I install my #11? Thanks
 
I can add a couple

1) Make sure to cover the head with rags... While working to diconnect the fuel filter my socket fell off and landed right next too a pusk rod hole:eek:

2)While the head is off,change the rubber fuel lines . Its just too easy without the head in the way to not do it.
 
Originally posted by Tardog

Great pointers, but my question is , Why did you loose the gasket in the first place, high miles/ high boost? I'm only asking cause I will have the same set up once I install my #11? Thanks



I had a small leak in the front of the head and under the thermostat housing. I was losing about a pint every 5000 miles, and it wasn't getting better. Driving 3000 miles a week I figure (now that I have the gasket off) it would have been a gusher about the last week of Feb somewhere up in yankeeland. Apparantly this is another common happening, like the KDP, we 12 valvers must overcome. I haven't been at this long. Only 172,000 on the truck. It didn't start to leak till after I had to replace the water pump, maybe the new one has more pressure?
 
GAmes, you will want to adjust all your valves when you are done torquing it all down. The new gasket will not be the exact same thickness to start with. I have done two of these and the valves have to be readjusted after some time on the road. I think the gasket may settle a tad because the valves are always quite after a few thousand miles.

I was like you the first time when I went to remove the rear bolts I was like, ok what the hay. So I asked a friend who had done his and he told me about those handy rubber plugs.
 
Originally posted by CumminsPower98

GAmes, you will want to adjust all your valves when you are done torquing it all down. The new gasket will not be the exact same thickness to start with.



Thanks, never thought of that.
 
GAmes, thanx for the post. A friend (and fellow TDR memeber) just (litterally) called when I was reading your post. He pulled his truck into the shop at work, total run time of about 1 min 30 seconds and had pressure in the cooling system. Not just a little, enough to Pop the cap off when he turned it to that point. Sounds like a headgasket is in the NEAR future for him.





Josh
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top