Block and heads prep for new gaskets

65GMK · Apr 22, 2021

First I would like to say like Jonathan Lawson and his whole life colonial Penn coverage for just nine dollars and ninety five cents a month, changing the oil pump on a 2010 ram 1500 4x4 5.7 without dropping the oil pan IS possible. Took me forever. Now on too the serious stuff, motor still in truck so how are you men cleaning up the block and heads to get ready for new head gaskets? I've always just used razor blades then wiped them down good with brake cleaner but I definitely do not want to have to pull a head back off over a blown gasket. Thanks

RedSRT4Me · Apr 23, 2021

65GMK said:
First I would like to say like Jonathan Lawson and his whole life colonial Penn coverage for just nine dollars and ninety five cents a month, changing the oil pump on a 2010 ram 1500 4x4 5.7 without dropping the oil pan IS possible. Took me forever. Now on too the serious stuff, motor still in truck so how are you men cleaning up the block and heads to get ready for new head gaskets? I've always just used razor blades then wiped them down good with brake cleaner but I definitely do not want to have to pull a head back off over a blown gasket. Thanks

Get some bar stock and line it up diagonal across the combustion chamber area. With feeler gouges check between cyls for flatness. You have to Google tolerance. If your heads are out of round/warped you'll need to have machine shop deck the heads for flatness.

James OBrien · Apr 23, 2021

What you described I think is generally acceptable. You should probably have the heads checked for flatness, a good machine shop has calibrated/verified straight edges and test stands to test for trueness and it's always worth having them true them up. I'd be cautious about taking a razor to the aluminum heads and risk anything that's going to gouge them, get a green scotch pad or something and carefully clean them off. When I did mine I used goof off and greenie. On the cast iron block you can be a bit more aggressive but be careful about what gunk/chemicals you get in the water jacket/block/cylinders.

65GMK · Apr 23, 2021

All good advice thanks!

65GMK · Apr 23, 2021

How about using any RTV, permatex stuff around the main water passages front and rear of block on head gaskets? Some say to use a thin layer around those areas. Some use a spray sealer on both sides of gasket some say they use nothing at all. 2010 5.7 and using factory mopar head gaskets if that helps any.

RamRod37 · Apr 23, 2021

Use these in my little right angle air grinder they work wonderful and save a crap load of time I use the fine ones for contact with aluminuim and use the med grit on cast iron love the Roloc disk's

Dodge 1500 4X4 · Apr 23, 2021

X2 on the Roloc disks, they have a extra fine one thats great on aluminum

65GMK · Apr 23, 2021

Ramrod wonder if those pads have any abrasives like aluminum oxide etc. In them. Stuff does nasty things to bearings if get into your motor but it's working for you so I guess that's not an issue. Definitely save a metric ton of time. Thanks man

65GMK · Apr 23, 2021

On the head gaskets ramrod are you using any type of rtv permantex type sealer around the main water ways to the block on both sides front and back or just using head gaskets as Is. Ive gotten maxed answers on the topic

RamRod37 · Apr 23, 2021

65GMK said:
On the head gaskets ramrod are you using any type of rtv permantex type sealer around the main water ways to the block on both sides front and back or just using head gaskets as Is. Ive gotten maxed answers on the topic

no sealant on head gaskets I have never used a sealant on head gaskets. I used felpro when i done mine they have the blue seal over entire gasket. and the roloc disk do not just clean gasket off and slap the part on its then blowed off then cleaned with brake parts cleaner. For part that you can and should use sealant on this helps the sealant bond to the mating surface.

65GMK · Apr 23, 2021

Ramrod I've got the factory mopar ones myself. Still no sealer for those as well you think? I probably should have just went fel pro myself. Guess I just like throwing money away I don't have

RamRod37 · Apr 23, 2021

65GMK said:
Ramrod I've got the factory mopar ones myself. Still no sealer for those as well you think? I probably should have just went fel pro myself. Guess I just like throwing money away I don't have

I Do not ever remember ever needing sealant on a head gasket worked on vehicles all my life been a full time auto tech working on them 4-5 days a week for over 2 years and never had a issue with a head gasket failing to seal. we always get our heads reworked too so we know we have a good flat mating surface

65GMK · Apr 24, 2021

RamRod any reason why I cant torque the heads down with plugs already installed? I can't see it affecting torque values what little the air would be compressed inside the chambers. Thoughts?

RamRod37 · Apr 24, 2021

65GMK said:
RamRod any reason why I cant torque the heads down with plugs already installed? I can't see it affecting torque values what little the air would be compressed inside the chambers. Thoughts?

yes you can leave plugs in

65GMK · Apr 25, 2021

Truck up and running so far so good. Big thanks to everyone who offered advice and help especially RamRod37
Only thing I'm not sure about is if the diablo tuner actually turned off the mds. Light still comes on and very slight rpm drop like it's still working. I'll have to call their tech and get all that straightened out so now my only question is this. The truck is a 2010 ram 1500 5.7 I deleted the mds system with all new non mds lifters and a non mds cam VVT. If the mds is still trying to come on is their any danger of piston to valve contact if the ecm is trying to do whatever it does with the cam and obviously my cam and lifters now don't work with it? Thanks

Block and heads prep for new gaskets

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