Foolproof way to diagnose head gasket issue

[highspeed]

Which is why I phrased my reply the way I did.

The "positive result" for a blown head gasket may also point to a cracked head between the combustion chamber and the cooling jacket - either way, the head's got to come off to be sure.

Uh.........ok

 

[IllianaXJ]

PM macgyvr about his experience with a 4.7 WJ.

His experience motivated me to sell our 4.7 Durango just so I didn't have to mess with it.

 

[PacificEd]

We had that engine in a 2002 Dodge Dakota 4x4 and we loved the truck. I will say that at 180,000 miles it began to have some issues like overheating, and the injectors continuing to seep after the truck was shut off. My wife totaled the truck before we got any further.

I think it is a good engine as long as it has been maintained very well. Unfortunately most haven't been. Those engines are expensive and hard to find to boot.

 

[FlexdXJ]

We had that engine in a 2002 Dodge Dakota 4x4 and we loved the truck. I will say that at 180,000 miles it began to have some issues like overheating, and the injectors continuing to seep after the truck was shut off. My wife totaled the truck before we got any further.

I think it is a good engine as long as it has been maintained very well. Unfortunately most haven't been. Those engines are expensive and hard to find to boot.

At about 212k my cousin drove to the bank in his 4.7 WJ, went to start it up and it wouldn't run unless he buried the pedal. Limped it to a friends shop, turns out it punched a valve through the #1 piston with no warning.