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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2007
18:16:02
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 Subject: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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My neighbors 2000 (4.7) with 140k miles just started sputtering and then blowing white smoke. He'd like me to change the head gaskets. Any tips on this job? Any special tools? I just did the heads on my 5.9 Durango so I'm hoping it's not much different. I still have to check into buying a manual or checking online for any specs and/or procedures.
Thanks,
Steve H.
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big diff..
Dodge Dakota
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1/05/2007
20:47:24
|  RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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5.9 cam in block,
4.7 overhead cams
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
1/05/2007
21:34:35
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Yup. BIG difference.
You WILL have to pull the timing chain covers and remove the secondary chains to each head. That will be the hardest part.
Then it's easy.
The intake and valve covers come off easy and those gaskets are reusable.
The head gaskets are multi layer metal and come off pretty easy as well.
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/06/2007
03:33:52
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Well I'm always up for a challenge... so this will fit right in. I will definitely get a book that covers the steps - I don't want to wing it and mess it up. Do the cams have to come out for access to the head bolts? Head bolts must be replaced? Anything else to change/fix while I'm in there? Thanks for the info,
Steve H.
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/08/2007
20:02:18
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Couple of questions... Is this (head gasket leak) common for the 4.7? Or is there any way for the burning coolant to be an intake manifold port leak or something else? Just trying to diagnose this before pulling it apart. He's got the excessive white exhaust and low coolant level. Also a slight misfire. He (my neighbor) just changed the plugs - I haven't looked at the old ones yet. Thanks for the help.
Steve H.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
1/10/2007
00:45:57
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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That does sound like a head gasket.
There is no water in the intake manifold so no way it is coming from there.
As far as I know, there is no head gasket issue on the 4.7's.
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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1/10/2007
05:06:51
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Do yourself a favor and buy a Chilton manual for the truck.
I bought a Hanes manual (only thing I could find on short notice) for my 03 Dak while dropping the tranny. The Hanes manual was a total POS, told me to remove things that didn't need to be removed and missed other things. It was better than nothing, but severly lacking on information if your used to Chilton manuals.
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/10/2007
08:03:05
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Any chance these heads will come off without taking the front of the motor apart? Can I just unbolt the cam gears and the guides from the heads, then slide the heads up and over the cam gears/chains/guides? Seems like this would save several hours of work over disassembling the front of the motor. Might be a recipe for disaster for the installation, though. Ideas?
Thanks,
Steve H.
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Kowalski
GenIII
1/10/2007
08:56:02
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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I don't think so - the cam chains have automatic tensioners that will take up slack - that's why we use wedges when swapping 4.7 cams. If the chain goes slack, the adjuster takes up the slack, and you have to dismantle the front to reset it. Unless you can think of a way to keep the chain from getting slack as you do it ?
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/10/2007
09:24:24
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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I realize that a Chilton/Haynes might answer this for me but I haven't bought one yet...
So are we talking radiator shroud/water pump/harmonic balancer, or does the WP come off with the cover? Is there an upper front cover and a lower cover with the balancer? I just have the top of the motor apart so far - Guess that the best way is to just dig into the front, too. Those wedges are along the lines of what I was thinking though.
Thanks,
Steve H.
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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1/10/2007
14:05:28
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Depends,,,
If you read a Haynes manual for R&Ring the heads, it will have you removing the rear tires, headlights and oil pan, but not mention you need to take off the valve covers.
Sorry I couldn't resist the sarcasm, can you tell how happy I was with thier manual?
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2007
13:44:09
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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I've got this thing entirely pulled apart. The problem is corrosion on the head between the #2and 4 combustion chambers. Looks like a small ant trail wiggling from the coolant passage to the #2 combustion chamber. Wish I could attach a photo to this thread to show everyone. This thing needs to be welded up or replaced with a rebuilt head. My neighbor's trying to do this as cheap as possible. Not sure that's even possible for this motor.
Steve H.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
1/15/2007
20:40:34
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Go to photobucket.com
Upload the pictures there then copy and plaste the URL in here.
You're the first person I have heard have a head gasket problem on a 4.7
OTHER than obviously blowing one with a turbo or something.
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2007
21:36:59
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Ok here's a link to the photos of the head (I hope)-
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m290/srponies/01Dakota4-5.jpg
or maybe this:
http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m290/srponies/?
Steve H.
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Curly
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2007
22:21:20
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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how about having 10thous machined off
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2007
22:37:18
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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I don't think that 10 or even 20 thousandths would do it. It isn't deep near the combustion chamber, but the last 1/4 inch near the coolant passage is probably .050-.060 deep. Barely enough to weld, but that's the way to build it back up. Not sure what my neighbor wants to do yet. I'm sure he'll decide this week if he wants a local shop to fix it or if he's ordering a rebuilt head from somewhere.
Steve H.
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jayb
Dodge Dakota
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1/16/2007
17:04:49
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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if i had noticed this thread before i would have told you to do this:
Go to a local parts store and pick up liquid block. My X-wife stabbed the radiator in my car and then drove it down the highway. ended up blowing the head gasket in my overhead cam 4.6 ford.. So i was pretty pissed of course. then my buddy told me about this sh!t. So i said ok why not.After i put in a new radiator, and filled it, i put the stuff in exactly as the directions said. and bam. the car ran like a dream for YEARS. the stuff is supposed to be a permanent fix. After having the car forever, i sold it so someone who never knew about the gasket leak.
The worst part is, if the leak is huge, and it doest work, your only out 5 bucks and you end up replacing the head and or gasket anyways.
Just figured i would bring that up for future endeavors.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
1/16/2007
23:48:53
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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That is strange what happened to that head.
Maybe it was some sort of corrosion?
Maybe it is time to flush my coolant? I've got 40k on it. I think I heard the coolant goes a long way for the new stuff.
That engine looks familiar. I've got a spare one for my Duster and have it torn down.
I bet the guys who have never had a 4.7 are sh*tting their pants looking at a block that is CLOSED UP between the clinders where their cam and pushrods would be on a 318/360 LOL!!!
The engine I got has like a little over 100k on it and the guy damaged the bottom end not changing the oil. The heads still look GREAT and the cylinders look GREAT. No ridge on the top of the cylinder, still has crosshatches you can FEEL, and when I stuck some of the rings back down in the block they still had close tolerance. Looks like that part of the 318 longevity may have carried on!
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srponies
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2007
11:21:30
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Well the local machinist was able to surface the head and take out most of the groove. Now I'm just cleaning up the heads before they go bac on. I added a few "After" photos to the Photobucket website... the link should be the same as in the previous post. I'll let you know how it all goes back together.
Thanks,
Steve H.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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1/24/2007
11:49:22
| RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Graph, you are probably right. Corrosion may well be the culprit. Way back when, we had a '64 Buick with a 300 c.i. v8, came with alum heads and intake from the factory. after about 60k miles i had to help my dad tear it down and that's what we found. corrosion had eaten the head away to where it wasn't sealing the water jacket anymore.
we had a local welder build the corroded area back up and then machined it back to factory spec. worked like new after that.
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Srponies
Dodge Dakota
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2/01/2007
11:20:04
|  RE: Any tips -changing head gaskets on 4.7
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Well I put this back together and got it started today. I've had it running at least a half hour, but I'm still getting an occassional (like every minute)air bubble coming out the coolant by the coolant fill cap/upper radiator hose. Runs great though. I do have a dye kit to check for combustion gasses in the coolant, but it's not extremely accurate. I'll probably use it just to check. I don't want to give this back to my neighbor if it's not done right.... it was a big job. I might need to pull some plugs and check them... I'll keep you posted.
Thanks,
Steve
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