Hello everyone, new here but long time Durango owner (17+ years of D!) and I need a bit of help

1998 Dodge Durango 5.9, 46re, 4x4, Automatic

So let's start with a bit of a back story to my situation; went into work one day and just outside the parking lot I lost 90% of power and had to limp into a parking spot. Found some hissing on the against the firewall, which i hope to be a blown cylinder head and not a cracked block won't know 100% until I get the block out and inspect.

So my game plan before I got to the point was replaced the heads with a new set. Heads are almost 30 years old being stock, and rather fighting with relapping the valves just get one new and not have to deal with them again for 30 more years. Got me to thinking I've NEVER replaced the timing chain in the 14 years I've had this Durango and since I'm already this deep let's change that too, and since I gotta take the water pump off anyway to get to the timing chain and the water pump like to die every 5 years like clockwork, let's do that too and be ahead of the game.

So here I am starting with the timing chain alls going good until I make the discovery that not all harmonic balancer tools are created equal...bugger ate up the threads to my crankshaft. Wonderful... Welp time for a rebuild! Needed an excuse do my rings, replace my rear main seal and freeze plugs so here we are.

Now this is my second Durango, used to have the 5.2 for about 4 years before it was totaled in a accident and used the insurance money to buy this one and she's been faithful too me all these years.
On my old Durango before it got totaled, a buddy of mine pulled the engine while I was at work in like 4 hours (insane!) I rebuilt it's engine on my back porch. I'm by no means a mechanic, but I'm a damn good "do it yourself-er" and was able to knock it out with the Haynes bible. He then installed it the following day, again, while I was at work. Didn't think about it at the time, but I probably would've benefit from watching him do the removal/install

So the two main questions I have are:

1: Does the torque converter in the tranny have to be in a certain position during the uninstall/reinstall of the flexplate.

2: What is the best way to clock the distributor and distributor gear so everything fires on time

 

On the 98, torque converter shouldn't require indexing. All four holes should be equally spaced.

To set the distributor, No. 1 cylinder should be at TDC, in firing position, (both valves closed) and the distributor rotor should be pointing at the notch in the distributor body. That gets you close, but, you really need a fairly high-zoot scan tool to set it perfect. It has a tolerance of + or - 7*... so, it's rather picky.

 

Oh cool. I've been trying to source a grease pen so I could get my sausage fingers in between the tranny and oil pan to mark on the plate and converter for reinstall, so from what your saying it shouldn't matter how to connect the two on the early models?
Is it recommended to have the engine be TDC for connection between the two?

Never heard of high zoot scan tool 😂 that usually means its out of my budget. I'll have to look into that one lol

 

For the torque converter, just doesn't matter where the engine is in the firing order, so long as all the bolts line up, yer good.

Any decent shop should be able to set fuel sync for ya. (that's what that is all about.) Any shop level scan tool will work. Even some of the cheaper 'amateur' scanners can read it.

 

Awesome. You have been a great help!

-Edit-
One last question, looking at it my engine is equipped with a block heater from factory and in Florida, I've got no use for it. Figure get rid of it while I'm in there, One less thing to worry about failing. It's connected where one of the freeze plugs go, is that typically a standard freeze plugs size, or should I be prepared to try to source a special plug?

 

It'll be standard size. If you are rebuilding the motor, replacing them ALL with good brass plugs is highly recommended.

 

That was the idea! 👍 I was just making sure I wouldn't be in for any surprises when it came to that one in particular