Head Gasket 2010 4.7

[metalchewy]

After I lost my water pump a few months ago, it must've gotten hot enuff to weaken the head gasket on cylinder 1 between the chamber and water jacket. Have exhaust gas confirmed in the radiator (blue to yellow). An intermittent misfire code on cylinder 1(recent), and white smoke seen once or twice, usually right after startup , then runs and drives fine.. It's been running hot, but not real hot. 215ish. So stopped driving it a couple weeks ago, after the P0301.

As I collect parts, what else might I need?
Ordered these from rock auto. Saved $300+ by not going to oreilly.
Felpro Head gasket set
Mahle Head bolts ( two sets)
Cloyes timing chain set with gears
Felpro timing gasket set.

I did valve springs and stem seals a year or so ago. Cam and lifters looked fine at that time. Not planning to mess with the heads other than a straight edge to make sure they aren't warped.

Can't think of anything else that I will need. Planning to replace head gasket on both sides. If one is done the other could be really close..

Thoughts on any other 200k mile PM that I should do while the top end is open?

 

[mdc1990zr1]

After I lost my water pump a few months ago, it must've gotten hot enuff to weaken the head gasket on cylinder 1 between the chamber and water jacket. Have exhaust gas confirmed in the radiator (blue to yellow). An intermittent misfire code on cylinder 1(recent), and white smoke seen once or twice, usually right after startup , then runs and drives fine.. It's been running hot, but not real hot. 215ish. So stopped driving it a couple weeks ago, after the P0301.

As I collect parts, what else might I need?
Ordered these from rock auto. Saved $300+ by not going to oreilly.
Felpro Head gasket set
Mahle Head bolts ( two sets)
Cloyes timing chain set with gears
Felpro timing gasket set.

I did valve springs and stem seals a year or so ago. Cam and lifters looked fine at that time. Not planning to mess with the heads other than a straight edge to make sure they aren't warped.

Can't think of anything else that I will need. Planning to replace head gasket on both sides. If one is done the other could be really close..

Thoughts on any other 200k mile PM that I should do while the top end is open?

If its a slight leak, I have had good luck with the GM pellets for the radiator. You crush them and mix them in with the coolant. I had a '05 Ford 2500HD with a 5.4 and a head gasket leak. I was puffing smoke like the old mosquito jeep spraying DDT down the shore in the 1970's. I literally crushed some pellets and put them in the top of the radiator and as I drove away, I could see the smoke dwindle to nothing. It lasted some years. I think I may of had to do it again. Gave the truck to my scrappers, and 10 years later it is still running. He just had to add some more pellets along the way, but the head gasket never gave out.

 

[metalchewy]

If its a slight leak, I have had good luck with the GM pellets for the radiator. You crush them and mix them in with the coolant. I had a '05 Ford 2500HD with a 5.4 and a head gasket leak. I was puffing smoke like the old mosquito jeep spraying DDT down the shore in the 1970's. I literally crushed some pellets and put them in the top of the radiator and as I drove away, I could see the smoke dwindle to nothing. It lasted some years. I think I may of had to do it again. Gave the truck to my scrappers, and 10 years later it is still running. He just had to add some more pellets along the way, but the head gasket never gave out.

I appreciate the advice. I thought about going the bars leak route and just trying to seal it with additive. I did that on an old plymouth horizon back in the late 80s, and traded it in shortly after.

Mine doesnt seem to be a big leak. With the radiator cap off, I have to rev it to blow antifreeze out. The sealer would probably stop it, but if it doesn't then I have that mess to clean up as well. Neighbor offered to let me use his swamp cooled shop this weekend for disassembly. It'll probably cost me a bottle of crown and a case of beer. Which he'd never ask for, but will be supplied.

With the state of Ram and Stellantis , I plan to keep mine until it can limp no more. Then rebuild it. When the body falls off will look for a replacement.

 

[metalchewy]

Progress.
Heads are off. 1 and 3 were leaking into/from the water jacket.

Heads check out square with a straight edge. A couple seats on the valves look suspect. More to do there to make sure they are good.

Will open that can of worms tomorrow...

 

[metalchewy]

Seats check out fine. Look almost new.

Exhaust Valves on aren't shiny smooth like the intake valves are. Smooth but not shiny smooth a little pitting..

Will drop both heads off tomorrow to get worked at the machine shop.

 

[metalchewy]

Exhaust manifolds cleaned and painted with fireproof header paint.

New rebuilt heads will be here tomorrow. New bolts all around already here with the gasket sets. Hopefully re-assembly this weekend.

 

[metalchewy]

Rebuilt heads installed over the weekend.


New timing gears, chains and sprockets installed.

Starting to resemble an engine again

 

[metalchewy]

The install was slowed by a month when my wedding band arc'd a 36 volt golf cart solenoid. Had to wait for 3rd dehree burn to heal to finish reassembly, didn't want to mess up the healimg.process by scratching it on something

This is all back together now. Started up yesterday in limp mode and after I cleared the misfire codes, runs really quiet compared to the ticking of the old tired valvetrain and chains.

Has a fair amount more power as well. Floor it and it will spin the rear tires now. Previously would only chirp them.

All in all it was a whole lotta work. Don't want todo it over anytime soon. With a new top end, I don't see having to do it again for another 200k miles

 

[Ken226]

The install was slowed by a month when my wedding band arc'd a 36 volt golf cart solenoid. Had to wait for 3rd dehree burn to heal to finish reassembly, didn't want to mess up the healimg.process by scratching it on something

This is all back together now. Started up yesterday in limp mode and after I cleared the misfire codes, runs really quiet compared to the ticking of the old tired valvetrain and chains.
View attachment 552935
Has a fair amount more power as well. Floor it and it will spin the rear tires now. Previously would only chirp them.
View attachment 552936
All in all it was a whole lotta work. Don't want todo it over anytime soon. With a new top end, I don't see having to do it again for another 200k miles

Nice writeup and a great looking truck.

How many miles on that truck?


I had a Dakota with a 4.7 from 2006 to around mid 2012. I used it to tow a boat between Tucson and San Diego, and a cargo trailer between Tucson and Tulsa, until it blew a head gasket in 2012. I drove it down the Baja peninsula a few times to San Juanico, Baja Sur. It was a great little truck.

I finally traded it for a Ram, to get more towing capacity.

 

[metalchewy]

Nice writeup and a great looking truck.

How many miles on that truck?


I had a Dakota with a 4.7 from 2006 to around mid 2012. I used it to tow a boat between Tucson and San Diego, and a cargo trailer between Tucson and Tulsa, until it blew a head gasket in 2012. I drove it down the Baja peninsula a few times to San Juanico, Baja Sur. It was a great little truck.

I finally traded it for a Ram, to get more towing capacity.

Thanks @Ken226

It had 205k miles on the original head gaskets.

Great riding and driving truck. The truck is mostly rust free. As long as it stays together will keep fixing things that wear out. It Spent much of those miles on highway and dirt roads in the Wyoming oil fields. Then on a farm and went into probate at some point before I got it.