I was wondering if anyone knew any where to get a complete upper gasket set for a 96 dakota 318 that is a somewhat cheaper then $100. I'm short on money and I'm not working right now, not until I get my truck back up and running at least. Thanks in advance.

 

Pep boys had the cheapest prices out by me on the gaskets, can't tell you if it will be less than $100 offhand.

 

The only place I know to get a full gasket set for under $100 is ebay (just type in dodge 5.2 gasket in the search)... but seriously, only go that route if you absolutly can't afford better ones, cause there is no sense doing the job again soon because the cheap ones don't hold up. I would go for a brand like sealed power, or fel-pro...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLP-260-1708/
or
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FEL-KS2137/

Also, if you're planning on replacing the head gaskets with the rest, plan on buying head bolts as well because you absolutely should not reuse the old ones.

 

i have always had good results with fel pro. thats a good price from summit, i got that kit when i was putting my 318 together. i did not need the head gaskets because it was a long block so i got an extra set incase they blow.

 

I also got mine from summit and went with Fel-Pro.

 

Thanks for the info. I talked to a buddy of mine yesterday, he works at a part store around here and can get me the felpro set that advance auto carries for around 50. Advance wants 90 I believe. So probably just going to go that route. I already replaced the gaskets once, but my sister in laws ex boyfriend was the one helping me. So he put the heads on the one day when I wasn't around and he must of scratched the gasket or something cause the truck is overheating and has a slight water leak on the driver side at the head. Plus, i was in a hurry and short on cash so I didn't replace the head bolts, I know I should of. But so now I have the new head bolts, felpro, and will be getting new gaskets. I might not need them though, but will find out when I take the heads off. I have only drove the truck maybe 50 miles since I replaced them and that was from my father in laws house to my house. So the gaskets might still be ok and the only problem is that I used the old head bolts. But I might just go ahead and replace the gaskets while i have it taken apart again just to be safe. Thanks for the info everyone.

 

Recheck your torque on the head bolts. And make sure you folllow the sequence. Not saying that is the best way to go but while you are getting in there you can at least eliminate that as one possible cause of the leak. Sounds like the head may be warped though.

 

i would not reuse the head gaskets. and like dbilik said you should probably get the heads checked for cracks or if there warped

 

It wasn't too expensive to get the heads checked for flatness, like $10 out here. I woudl have done it but you need a calibrated straight edge and I didn't want to buy one. And they cleaned them up. I believe the head bolts get torqued to 105 ft-lbs in their final stage so yeah its possible the gasket was bad but more likely one of your heads is warped from overheating. Or like Bad said, cracked. A machine shop can pressure test or magnaflux to check for cracks.

 

Im hope that replacing the gaskets and the head bolts will fix it. Cause It hasn't over heated that much cause I haven't even drove it since it started overheating and leaking water. Plus the heads came off of a running truck that didn't overheat, I replaced them cause my father in law said that one was cracked when I bought it from him. But it turned out that the intake manifold was cracked from where someone had replaced the thermostat and had used a longer bolt then what they were supposed to. So they busted right through the bottom of the intake manifold. But, I only paid 200 for the truck and if after this I can get it up and running then I will of only spent 400 total on it.