I was given a Dodge Dakota with a bad head gasket. The gentleman who gave it to me said he was told there was water in the engine due to a bad head gasket. There is no sign of water in the lower end, i.e., no sign of water on dipstick or oil fill cap. It has not been run in years. If I pull the and I find any rust in the cylinder, is there anything you would do to remove or address it? Wipe it out with anything, put oil on it, etc. I am assuming there may be a light dusting of rust but I do not expect it to be heavy. Or is it trash requiring rebuild/replacement?
- Thread starter JimS
- Start date
Janicholson
Well-known Member
If there is no coolant in the oil (drain plug removed to the last thread to see if green comes out first) then pull the plugs to see if there is rust on the plug. Use a cheap bore scope or fiber optic viewer to see inside the cylinders before removing the head. if none it should run. if nasty replace the engine or scrap the car. Jim
cole in mo.
Well-known Member
Simple first test, remove the plugs, if one or more have sign's of water, try turning the engine, if stuck pull the head or heads and make your decision from there.
Ultradog MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Twin Cities
If it looks like this inside it wone hone out.
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Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
Having never seen it run, no reliable history on it, it could be everything from a missed diagnosis, to having been run so hot it's cooked.
I would pull the plugs, see if it will turn over. If stuck try to get it turning and see if it will start.
If you can get it running, you can make your own diagnosis. That will also give you a chance to check out the rest of the engine, oil pressure, blow-by, knocks and rattles, leaks. If it seems somewhat healthy, take it for a test drive, see if it does get hot, find out why. Check out the transmission, brakes, get a general idea what it will take to put it on the road before spending anything on it.
I would pull the plugs, see if it will turn over. If stuck try to get it turning and see if it will start.
If you can get it running, you can make your own diagnosis. That will also give you a chance to check out the rest of the engine, oil pressure, blow-by, knocks and rattles, leaks. If it seems somewhat healthy, take it for a test drive, see if it does get hot, find out why. Check out the transmission, brakes, get a general idea what it will take to put it on the road before spending anything on it.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
If you get that far into it I would go ahead and do an engine overhaul. As much junk as there is on a Dakota it would probably take you all day just to access the heads.
jimg.allentown
Well-known Member
You didn't say what year the truck is or what engine is in it. That would make a BIG difference.
Older Dakotas would have either the 3.9 V-6 or the 5.2 or 5.8 V-8. Either of those engines are relatively inexpensive to work on (the operative word here is RELATIVELY). Newer versions would have either the 3.7 V-6 or the 4.7 V-8. These are both overhead cam engines, and are more expensive to work on. I refer to cost of gaskets and materials.
In any case, I would do some diagnosis before taking it apart. Some of the 3.7 and 4.7 engines are made of unobtainium. They were changed from year to year, and do NOT interchange. I would suggest doing diagnostic work before taking anything apart. checking for coolant in the oil, a compression test, and pressure test the cooling system.
More information needed.
Older Dakotas would have either the 3.9 V-6 or the 5.2 or 5.8 V-8. Either of those engines are relatively inexpensive to work on (the operative word here is RELATIVELY). Newer versions would have either the 3.7 V-6 or the 4.7 V-8. These are both overhead cam engines, and are more expensive to work on. I refer to cost of gaskets and materials.
In any case, I would do some diagnosis before taking it apart. Some of the 3.7 and 4.7 engines are made of unobtainium. They were changed from year to year, and do NOT interchange. I would suggest doing diagnostic work before taking anything apart. checking for coolant in the oil, a compression test, and pressure test the cooling system.
More information needed.
Destroked 450
Well-known Member
- Location
- Harned, Ky
Hard to say until you open it up, pull the spark plugs to see if one has evidence of water (rusted, washed cleaner than the others), this will tell you which cylinder it could be, then it's time to remove the head and see what it looks like inside.
We thought our 2000 Dakota's 3.9 V6 blew a head gasket a couple years ago, middle cylinder on the right bank.
When I pulled the head the head gasket wasn't blown, it had a burnt piston and cracked cylinder.
With 220,000 miles on it and needing a paint job we decided it wasn't worth fixing, traded it to my nephew for parts for his Dakota.
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