440 Bad head gasket. Repair or swap with fire damaged 318?

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 21, 2012, 06:43 PM

Long 3/8" drive extensions and a real good wobble joint. Put front on jackstands and remove the wheels so you have more room.

Dave

LJ-TJ · May 22, 2012, 07:01 PM

Well she was a good couple of days. Got most the stuff off the intake manifold. The biggest part was taking the air conditioner bracket off, and believe it or not I actually got the exhaust off the exhaust manifold WOW! Tomorrows the big day as I'm going to try and get the exhaust manifold off the drivers side first. There are defiantly going to be some challenges as the bolts and plugs aren't particularly accessable.

ClydesdaleKevin · May 23, 2012, 08:28 AM

Good job! You have a lot of time before the jam, and by doing it yourself, not only are you saving a BUNCH of money, you know it will be done right!

Kev

Froggy1936 · May 23, 2012, 11:50 AM

Doing repair work wile engine is in the veh is always more difficult especially getting surfaces very clean compressed air is essential for blowing away debris If a compressor is not handy a shop vac will do for blowing out clys ,intake manifold etc Frank

LJ-TJ · May 23, 2012, 11:56 AM

Thanks Bud, thanks guys . Just took the front plug out of the drivers side. Oh JOY.

LJ-TJ · May 23, 2012, 09:09 PM

Well tomorrows the big day. All the accessories are off the valve covers off, rocker arms off, rods labled and out. All that's left to do is unbolt the intake manifold and the heads. Maybe, just maybe I'll be able to get the heads to the machine shop before closing. But boy do we got to talk. I don't know about the drivers side,it's a killer. D:oH!

LJ-TJ · May 24, 2012, 11:10 AM

So had a heck of a time getting the drivers side exhaust manifold off the head. Finally got it off and out over the transmission and over and out the passangers side. I didn't think I could leave it on the head and then pull them both out at the same time through the top. Has any one put the exhaust manifold on the head and then dropped it down through the top? I'd hate to get the new head back get everything bolted together and then find out it won't fit down through the top. Thanks. Might be on the way to the machine shop to night.

Elandan2 · May 25, 2012, 11:38 AM

I don't think you can get that together with the manifold attached. Besides being quite large to get in there, the piece would be really heavy. Sounds like the job is going well. A couple tips for the "next time" (lol), the intake manifold will slip out from under the air conditioning bracket, and you can save considerable time by just leaving all the accesories on the intake and pulling it off in one piece. You'll be running in no time! Rick

LJ-TJ · May 25, 2012, 08:38 PM

Thanks Rick, I made the machine shop in time for Friday. The parts are going to sit in the vat for the weekend. Looks like a couple of the valve springs may have overheated and become weak but we'll see. Go thing I took both heads off as it looks like the drivers side was just starting to go. We'll know a little better by the first of the week. Going to spend the weekend cleaning some of the small parts and try to clean some of the block. Got to clean up were the heads go. So we'll see. i??

ClydesdaleKevin · May 25, 2012, 09:20 PM

To quote Red Green, if the girls don't find you handsome, at least they'll find you handy! :)rotflmao

Kev

Froggy1936 · May 26, 2012, 12:01 PM

Most important, Remember clean, use 80 grit sandpaper to clean the top of the block surface and manifold gasket surfaces, then use vacuume cleaner with small nozzel to suck debris out of clys and around top of pistons unless pistons are heavily carboned no need to clean them ( slight carbon buildup increases compression) vacuume cleaner can be used to blow away debris also . I personally use aviation gasket cement on every gasket surface (no matter what the gasket mfg says) But thats just my way. Make shure you retorque all bolts to specs esp. head bolts and in correct order. (check the book)Just because the gaskets are new does not mean you wont have to do it over if you make a mistake!!!

LJ-TJ · May 26, 2012, 06:01 PM

Frank your a mine reader, I just came on to ask that very question. Is there any special way to clean the tops or just a little sanding block and start sanding. What about all the little holes, bolt holes, water jacket holes. Should I plug them first so crap won't go down the water jacket holes? Ditto on the torquing the bolts. Still nerve racking but starting to get exciting. Took the day off to regroup and paint some little parts and clean the carb. Man that bolting the exhaust manifold to the head before mounting the head's looking awful tempting. It looks like it would fit and then bolt the rockers on and then put the valve cover on. Any more comments. I'm open to suggestions. Should have the dimples jr. boat ready in the next few days. Helps relieve the stress. D:oH!

Oz · May 26, 2012, 08:58 PM

So, is swapping to the 318 not in the equation at this point?

LJ-TJ · May 26, 2012, 09:10 PM

What happen was I figured the 440 was junk cause I didn't know how to fix it. Then to swap out the 318 I would have to do the rear end, drive shaft, transmission and the engine. That I could do. Then the boys got into it and said hey nothing to it just pull the heads pop a few gaskets in and your good to go. I believed them. I figured if the things junk how bad could I screw it up. :)rotflmao Well with a lot of help from the boys here I started to pull the heads. The passanger side was a piece of cake but the drivers side made up for the piece of cake on the passangers side. I'm still not sure I can get it back together but the boys say noth'n to it, piece of cake. So we'll see. The heads are at the machine shop as we speak and should have them back by Wed or Thur. and then the fun begins all over again. D:oH!

Oz · May 26, 2012, 09:36 PM

Nothing on the driver's side is easy to get at, in, or out. Including the front plugs and starter. I was lucky working on mine because I can fit in there without having to remove the front wheel. Truth is, the 318 is a world easier to work on (which you are now finding out). But, you'll be a pro on both very soon. Heck, you can add "Vintage Dodge 318/440 Mechanic" to your spare time money making. See ya at Jim's this summer!

ibdilbert01 · May 26, 2012, 10:54 PM

Yup... a "Vintage" Mechanic.... :)rotflmao

Froggy1936 · May 27, 2012, 12:09 PM

After sanding the top of the block clean, Sucking & blowing out all the bolt holes (if you did not drain the block you will get water blowing out of the water jacket) As you try to blow off debris, At any rate the correct way to do the bolt hole is to run a tap into all of them then blow them out Clean the head bolts on a wire wheel & oil them Let them drip off they only need a light coating. Frank

LJ-TJ · May 27, 2012, 02:42 PM

Okeedokeee SmokeEeee. Sounds like a game plan. Back at her tomorrow. Trying to get everything tidied up for Wed. Hey Frank, if you see this, what does the tool look like that you use to pull the bearing on the air conditioner compressor. Have you got a link to a picture. Thanks Mate. Hm?

burt6666 · June 08, 2012, 09:31 PM

Quote from: LJ-TJ on May 27, 2012, 02:42 PM
Okeedokeee SmokeEeee. Sounds like a game plan. Back at her tomorrow. Trying to get everything tidied up for Wed. Hey Frank, if you see this, what does the tool look like that you use to pull the bearing on the air conditioner compressor. Have you got a link to a picture. Thanks Mate. Hm?

So any word on how this all turned out

?

LJ-TJ · June 08, 2012, 09:58 PM

Well fix'n the air compressor is on the shelf for a bit. Didn't swap out the 440 for the 318,went with having the heads done on the 440. Dismantling went ok. Installed the driver side head today and just waiting for the head to show up from California. Should be in Detroit by Monday and hoping to pick it up Tuesday. Then off to the machine shop and hopfully have her running by Saturday. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hm?

burt6666 · June 09, 2012, 04:27 PM

Just read both posts on this...hope it all works out for ya !!!