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Gaskets.

 

'01 Dodge Ram 3.9 V6 has a bad head or head gasket (exhaust gas in coolant; intermittent misfire in cylinder #2 - P0302 code).  Fortuitously, just this morning I received a 20% off email coupon from NAPA.  Yippee!  That'll save me $120 on two remanufactured cylinder heads.

 

But back to the gaskets.

 

Napa:  Head Gasket Kit - $120.  Head Bolt Kit - $36.  $156 total.  Even after a 20% discount, that'll be about $125.  (Fel-Pro brand)

 

Amazon dot Com:  Head Gasket Kit with Bolts - $80.75.  (DNJ brand)

 

So, the question is, is there a significant difference that makes one brand worth the significantly higher price?  Keep in mind, this is just a 19-year-old utility pickup... not a high performance engine application.  Hardpan's trip to Lowe's, goin'-to-the-dumps, and haulin'-gear-to Boy Scout Camp truck - not NASCAR.

 

Thoughts?  :)

 

 

                                                                                                        Said truck with a nice dusting of forest fire soot and ash.

                                                                                                  73312794_DodgeRam.thumb.jpg.488b131961599834fc4b2a5c530c5120.jpg

 

 

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Ya get what you pay for some of the time.  My experience with Amazon auto parts has not been good.  Save money buy good parts to start with.

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There must be an O'Reilly's Auto Parts store near you.  Call them and see what they got.

 

Disclaimer:  I am not a mechanic, just boosting a business that started in Springfield!  :D

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NAPA rocks.

 

I'll buy batteries and detailing supplies, maybe license plate frames, some misc. items from the "consumer" parts stores.

 

But NAPA generally works better and lasts longer. And usually gets the right part for the application. (I sometimes have found an equivalent part in their inventory cheaper than the "correct" application but that is rare*). Would not think about buying a starter, alternator, water pump, etc. from anywhere else than NAPA. Same for gaskets and bolts. Particularly TTY bolts. Dealer or NAPA. NAPA usually has 3 options, don't go with the cheapest; those are for warranty work at shops...

 

* The glow plug relay for an F350 7.3 Diesel is almost 3 times the cost of the almost identical part for a diesel tractor. The top is brown instead of black and the terminals are all rotated 90 degrees. But the wires fit and all the other specs are identical. You can't get the tractor part at the consumer stores.

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Just discovered that Autozone lists the exact same gasket kit for $30 and bolts for $6 less than NAPA.  Bein' the bright boy I am... :rolleyes:

 

35 minutes ago, John Kloehr said:

The glow plug relay for an F350 7.3 Diesel is almost 3 times the cost of the almost identical part for a diesel tractor. The top is brown instead of black and the terminals are all rotated 90 degrees. But the wires fit and all the other specs are identical. You can't get the tractor part at the consumer stores.

 

Reminds me of the time Sassparilla Kid said "Dangit, Dad... the glow plug relay in my Benz died.  That sucker costs hundreds of dollars!"

 

"Well, Kid, try this:  Go 'Low Tech.'  Replace it with a Ford starter relay wired through a push button under your dash - learn to mash that button and count to ten."

 

He did.  Cost him less than twenty bucks and worked just fine for years.  ^_^

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Check rock auto if you can wait for shipping

 

Also used to have a ram that would misfire through the plug wires when it was humid. 

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Worked as a mechanic back in the day. No choice, go with Fel Pro. Never had an issue using their gaskets on any engine I worked on. No way would I trust Amazon for internal engine parts regardless of price. Since the gaskets come with bolts they may be "torque to yield" or one use bolts. These have a very specific torque pattern and process, be sure to follow it exactly. 

 

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Well... I ordered the Fel-Pro gaskets and bolts.  Also talked to the fella at NAPA (I've known him for years).  Heads not available, so I'll just pull the originals and take 'em to a local machine shop.  Hopefully not cracked, hopefully repairable if there is a crack - could be iffy for aluminum.  The heads, of course, will be "decked." I'll do a final compression and leak-down test before tearing into it, but pretty sure it's a head problem.  I'm NOT going to pull the engine unless there's an obvious issue.

 

Truck runs strong, but has an occasional "misfire" code, according to the Snap-On diagnostic computer.  Throws a code just often enough to prevent the required bi-annual smog check.  Loosening radiator cap hours or even days after running releases pressure; positive test for exhaust gas in the coolant indicates likely faulty (blown) head gasket or cracked head.  

 

O Joy!  

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There's a tacky headgasket spray you can get from NAPA. Get it and use it on both sides of the headgasket.

Use thread sealer on the head bolts. 

RE-TORQUE the head bolts after the first 1K miles and again at 3K.

Change the engine oil at 1K miles after head work.

OLG 

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4 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

There's a tacky headgasket spray you can get from NAPA. Get it and use it on both sides of the headgasket.

Use thread sealer on the head bolts.

 

Agreed on the thread sealer for the bolts, but for the gasket you gotta read the instructions. Some say to use sealer, while others specifically say do NOT use any sealer.

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3 hours ago, Sixgun Sheridan said:

 

Agreed on the thread sealer for the bolts, but for the gasket you gotta read the instructions. Some say to use sealer, while others specifically say do NOT use any sealer.

The sealer I have always used is a spray on.

With Felt-Pro and that sealer, I've never had another issue.

This is what I use, and it works.

Permatex® Copper Spray-A-Gasket® Hi-Temp Sealant

Number: 80697

 

OLG 

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Found this in Sassparilla Kid's tool box.

 

Politically Incorrect~?   :rolleyes:

 

 

 

                                      1195898126_6Engine-BestSealer.jpg.10d04cad9eadd8a3f38873384c949904.jpg

 

Edit:  I think he used that stuff on his IH engine's cork gaskets.  

 

 

 

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On a steel shim style head gaskets, the use of a good spray on high temp sealer is a good idea.  Also advisable on some composition head gaskets.

 

For genuine FelPro head gaskets with the blue or grey finish you should never use a gasket sealer. A sealer will allow these gaskets to creep and it prevents the sealer that creates that color on the gasket from doing its job.

 

 I quit counting the times I had to go behind someone using sealers on the FelPro gaskets when they first came out!!

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9 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

On a steel shim style head gaskets, the use of a good spray on high temp sealer is a good idea.  Also advisable on some composition head gaskets.

 

For genuine FelPro head gaskets with the blue or grey finish you should never use a gasket sealer. A sealer will allow these gaskets to creep and it prevents the sealer that creates that color on the gasket from doing its job.

 

 I quit counting the times I had to go behind someone using sealers on the FelPro gaskets when they first came out!!

 

I agree,  and was taught the same.

Then that spray on one came out, and it was a game changer.

I have used it with many Felt-Pro head gaskets and no issue to date.

OLG 

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