Also, why tear the entire engine down inside the truck? Why not pull it out if you went on the underside as well??? Heads, the motor can stay in, but if you are touching both top and bottom, your better off pulling the motor to get the job done faster. No need to touch something that isn't broke anyways. I mean if your at that point, your better off just thinking a whole new engine because of the coolant/cylinder issue that the high mileage 4.7L's have.
If it aint broke. Don't fix it. Especially the oil pump when your working on the heads...WTF???

 

The Guy might be better off sending the money necessary to the guy in Shreveport (?) getting the heads shipped to him, then getting them to a shop and having them checked out ahead of time, rebuilt if they're flat, buy an engine gasket set, and a new set of head bolts BEFORE he taps the antifreeze drain. Then he'll start out knowing the heads are good that he's putting on, and if the others are ok---CL.

How many of you out there would really want to tackle a head job of this sort, SOHC, for $100 ? The person that offered him to do it for that much I would be very suspicious of.

Best of Luck!!!!

 

Lol, that's the whole point of me looking for someone to help me to save money.

I don't have that much money to blow right now. I wish I did, but =\ I just started my job and I didn't have one when I was away at school

 

I don't even have to get them shipped to me. Shreveport is only a 3 hour drive, so I can just drive out there when I have a day off and drive home the same day. I messaged the guy, but he said he works 7 days a week, so I guess he's been busy and unable to get back to me. As for the $100, it's not like I'm paying him up front, and I have a friend who has a basic understanding of engines, he just has never worked on an OHC one before and isn't comfortable doing it. I think he's just lazy and doesn't want to commit to it lol, but I'm gonna get him to come over and make sure the guy isn't a fool pretending that he knows what he's doing. Giving the guy a chance couldn't possibly put me in a worse position than I'm already in, so I might as well, you know?

Also, I'm assuming the heads the guy is giving me are good or he wouldn't offer them to me like that so he can laugh at me when I put them in and it messes up again lol.

 

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Haha yeah man, I definitely will be taking a lot of pictures and making notes to insure that the engine gets back properly. I haven't been able to do any work on it yet, though. I've worked ten days in a row and got called in on my day off;\. So still waiting for a day off. I have one Thurs and Friday and I'm gonna try and see if I can't drive out to shreveport to pick up those heads from Horse, but I gotta see about it cuz I know his work schedule is also very busy

 

I have a 2004 Ram 1500 4x4 / 318. We bought the truck new, and absolutely LOVE it. I am a real stickler for maintenance on all of our vehicles (3 Fords and the Dodge), so I am just a little "upset" that my Dodge is displaying all the signs of a blown or leaking head gasket. Error code is reporting "misfire on #1". It's pouring white smoke with a sweet smell (antifreeze, I know). Can anyone tell me WHY, with 81K highway miles, a well maintained engine is giving up on me? I don't have the $$ to have a shop replace it, and don't have the time, energy or tools to do it myself. Anyone have any experience with a product called "Steel Seal"?

Thanks!

 

I tell you now Im leary of block and radiator sealers. I just think about what all else they clog up.

 

The 4.7 has a 10 bolt head pattern (along with 4 smaller bolts around the timing channel, this does not provide enough clamping force to sufficiently seal the head's for extended periods of time.This combined with "soft" or stretch bolts reduces the clamping force on the heads over time. This is a design defect and maked the heads very suceptible to leakage and wharpage.

The best way to remidy this problem is to use "copper coat" (a permatex product) on the head gaskets and head studs. this combination will permanently fix the poor clamping force provided by stretch bolts used at the factory.

Just remember that studs will need to be re torqued after a few heat cycles! This can be done by simply removing the valve covers, all studs will be accessable and is not a major project.

Air Ram offers ARP head studs for 4.7l's, copper coat can be purchased at any auto parts store.

http://www.airram.com/product.php?ca...productid=1274

I have 2 4.7l's sitting in my garage as we speak with engine failures due to head gasket failure, one has a washed cylinder (oil lubrication removed by excessive anti freeze in the cylinder, causing gauling on the piston skirt) and one that "hydrauliced" (cylinder filled with coolant, bent connecting rod and broke piston)

For those of you with leaking gaskets, keep an eye on your coolant levels! Overheating can cause major damage to 4.7's

 

My buddy has been working at dodge for 6years and I know thats not longer then about a million people but he has seen countless 4.7L's come in with broken oil pumps and recommended it as a safety measure for peace of mind later on.. And it was only like $100bucks or so

I left the engine in there because I didnt tear apart the whole bottom end just dropped the oil pan to get all the built up classic 4.7L sludge outta there and clean things up...