#1 sharps,that's what I was getting at before....
Direct Link to Download a 2002 Durango Service Manual
http://www.mediafire.com/?2cg2hgim2zz


You're right on the way they feed oil to the tensioner and chain Blind Monkey,could be a better design,Let us know what you find out when you take them out n clean em...I bet there is trapped build up behind there,how could it not? I bet light detergent clean makes it worse,moves debris into the tubes or farther into them...
The diff I was getting at with the FSM is I know copyright law won't let aftermarket print total info in their manuals.They either slightly change something or leave out...but yeah,for general info good enough..

 

i'll have to look at that, didn't know the FSM was available as PDF.

and I was thinking light detergent in the oil might disolve the build up and have it depart the oil passages with the oil. what would probally help is to be running a detergent oil right from fresh eng.

 

yeah,after I got the fram filt off it and cleaned out it's 5-30 only no adds.
On the light detergent...I use Schaler Rislone.I know some here are going to no,don't considering how particular these engines are about visosity and such.I just like it cuz it's mild and works slowly.I'm afraid of washing out bearings with thin det's,specially if they're older engines and you know there's some crank bearing wear.I've had sticky lifters pump back up and even had exhaust smoking stop after using it.I just stay off highways and don't tow till it's changed out.dunno if it would help with those tiny oil feed tubes though,maybe only a dip like you thought or remove and clean by hand.I dunno.All i can say is I used the Schaler and dumped my oil after it was dirty,(bout 400 miles) installed a Mopar filter and 5-30 and I got nuttin for top end noise.

EDIT;
I know I'm gonna catch hell for the Rislone and it's probably gonna be considered another "snake oil". It's something I've used ONLY to clean an engine out a little and not an additive to use regular.I don't really like putting anything in my oil. ( still prolly gonna get chastized for writing this though)

 

yea, ill let hydra do it, he can explain it better than i can

 

He has sharp plus that (like 13 page)thread on oil...I understand it mostly...
and agree.He's right about it all....
(that's why I know I'm gonna get ripped for using an additive)shhhhhhhh

 

So i tore down the side of the engine that was misfiring, i have seen little flakes of metal all over. (Probablly from the torn up tensioners/guides...

when i pulled the head off i saw only one piston (#1) with any marks, just a slight stamp from the valve.(pic) i know im gonna replace that one, should i just replace all of them?

the second thing i noticed was the gasket... im not familiar with head gaskets so much, but this one looked like it was seperating. (Pic) shoulnt it be solid, and not pulling apart into 3 layers? could this be the coolant leak?

im gonna replace the water pump and thermostat while im this deep, anything else i should consider?

Piston


Head



Gasket


Whaddya think?

 

The layers aren't a surprise,after some age and all the heat they get there's all sorts of things that can happen.After torquing and running them(for thousands of miles) they're bound to separate when you remove them.In the first pic it looks like a compression leak into the cooling jackets,someone will chime in and conform what I'm seeing.You might want to have a machine shop check them for flatness unless you have a reliable straight edge and feeler guages.Maybe just get a valve job and install them yourself. Look at your cylinders really well,might be time for honing and rings unless you need to keep costs down....Be careful,you mentioned metal flakes in the engine......

 

Hey Laz,
Thanks first for all the input, i really appreciate you guys. You said the first pic looks like a compression leak, can you explain that to me? lol! this is my first time delving this deep into my engine. how can you tell, and what is my next step if that is the issue? Im planning on having them re-machined, and new valves.

As far as the cylinders are concerned, im gonna cycle them to look. anything spesific im looking for besides gouges and cuts?

As far as the metal flakes are concerned, its only in the valve/timing and pan area. im pretty sure its from where the guides and tensioners got eaten up... but where else should i look for wear?

Thanks in advance!

 

Well your compression issues would be because the valves were open during the tests, and he did not to a wet compression test.

Take the block to a machine shop and have them re-ring and they can test for miro-cracks on the piston face or else where, well if you are thinking about a rebuild.

If you are only thinking about a head job and timing chain job then it looks like the piston is fine and you have had slight water leakage hints the white ash on that piston. If you desire this journey have the heads checked and cleaned at a local shop. They will regrind your valves, check your springs, check flatness and regrind flat if needed, and I would replace the head gaskets with Mopar Performance which you should be able to get at your local dealer, or Fel-Pro Perma-torque head gaskets. Get a good timing chain/gear combo and new tentioners.....ect......Then pray.

When you check the pistons, ensure there is no difference at 12, 3, 6, and 9 O'clock feeler gauge and measure between the cylinder wall and piston side. If you find any discrepancies rebuild the engine.

 

so im ordering the replacement parts but im stumped...

The left head is the one that threw the chain, and it obviously tore up the guide, but i cant find the guide that fits behind the cam gear like the right side...



This is the right cam gear, the thield/guide is built onto the timing gear...


This is the left cam gear. (The one that threw the chain.) You can see where it ate somthing up, but i cant find the guide that goes there anywhere! it looks almost like it is built into the bracket that holds the camshaft in place...


Anyone have anything on this? im stumped, and i have exhausted all my resources, including the parts list i got off this forum... Bahhhh!

Edit--

Ok, so now i know that the piece built onto the right cam gear is what the CPS reads... i hadnt even thought of that. im a noob still. so my question is this, is the left head gonna be safe to use based on the wear behind that cam gear? or should i look into a new head alltogether?