Wondering about the headgasket problem?

[lagalaxy13]

I've read the site and everyone talks about the head gaskets on the GEN 1's. Well I've been though the classifieds on about every site I can and only like 2 out of the 30 I've looked at have had the gaskets replaced that the current owner knows of.
Most of these cars have 25-40,000 miles on them and are 3rd owner cars. The "2" that I knew of the gaskets being changed where very low miled cars. So is it possible the gaskets where changed on a lot of these cars and the previous owners looked at it as a black eye (having the gaskets replaced) and didn't pass the info on to the new owners or is everyone selling there car right now just have been lucky so far.

 

[viperdude118]

Any prospective car can be checked by getting underneath and using a flashlight to see. Replaced gaskets are metal, while the old originals were of paperlike material.

 

[ruckdr]

Possible, but you can look at the gasket ant tell if it is the old 'filer' gasket. If it has been replaced, I can't imagine anyone replacing the gaskets with the same old 'fiber' gaskets - although stranger things have happened, I guess.
Here is a picture of the OLD 'fiber' gaskets with coolant leaks:
The gasket is that ugly brown speckled thing, just above the bright aluminum, just slightly above the center of the picture.

 

[ryan94rt10]

hey bo,

i hate to say it, but any person who has spent the time and money to have the gaskets changed would be more than willing to let the next owner know...it only adds value to all gen 1's, b/c we all know they are going to go bad at some point!

 

[malcoll]

So my question is... if I my engine was pulled out and sent off to Arrow... for the head gasket problem... were metal gaskets installed or the old fiber gaskets?

This work was done in 2003..... about 13,000 miles ago. The reason I ask is from time to time... especially on a hot day... when I park the Viper in the garage I can detect a slight coolant smell...... I've not seen any coolant on the floor.... or anywhere else... but I smell it ever so slightly.

I checked for the "trails of coolant" down the block, but they were there before the rebuild and they don't look any different... I've not found any fresh coolant dripping like in Ruck's picture....

Just curious if I am going to have to replace the head gaskets again.... and if there is any extended warranty from Arrow???

Thank you in advance,
Lance

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Depending on when your gaskets were replaced, there IS a chance they were replaced with the same crappy paper gaskets! I know because this happened to my car The previous owner had the gaskets replaced under warranty but the work was done before the MLS gaskets came out, so I have "new" paperstyle gaskets. To my pleasure, Jon B has said that later on Dodge did solve the "cylinder creep" issue that caused the gaskets to go bad, so even tho I still have the old style gaskets, I am "most likely" safe. I cant remember the mileage my gaskets were replaced, but I believe it was at like 13k. Car now has 72k on it and no leaks at all (confirmed by several oil analysis tests I've had done after oil changes that showed no traces of coolant in the oil)!

 

[ViperJay]

how much is it for a new head gasket?

 

[dansauto]

Depending on when your gaskets were replaced, there IS a chance they were replaced with the same crappy paper gaskets! I know because this happened to my car The previous owner had the gaskets replaced under warranty but the work was done before the MLS gaskets came out, so I have "new" paperstyle gaskets. To my pleasure, Jon B has said that later on Dodge did solve the "cylinder creep" issue that caused the gaskets to go bad, so even tho I still have the old style gaskets, I am "most likely" safe. I cant remember the mileage my gaskets were replaced, but I believe it was at like 13k. Car now has 72k on it and no leaks at all (confirmed by several oil analysis tests I've had done after oil changes that showed no traces of coolant in the oil)!

you should probably talk with Chuck Tator and not Jon B about this. It actually better that you drive the car if you have the old style gaskets. Regardless-call Chuck and talk to him about why the headgaskets fail.

 

[lagalaxy13]

Thanks I was wondering if you could tell the difference in the gaskets, will have some of these sellers get under there cars and look.

 

[grcforce327]

I got my 94 with 17,000mi on it,and the block already had coolant leak stains on each side!

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

If you got your car done by Arrow in 2003 and would be very confident the issue was addressed. This concern has been known for a long time, and it is not a matter of if, but of when they will go bad. Mileage , as noted , is not a reason for the failure , as we have had to do the last 21 in a row we took in trade -----------mileage fom 300 to 30,000 and all were seeping.

Fortunately very few engines blew up , or had catastrophic failures, they just leaked and most have been caught by now.

Best of luck.

 

[ruckdr]

As Bill said:

Fortunately very few engines blew up , or had catastrophic failures, they just leaked and most have been caught by now.

Is this perhaps because the leakage is virtually all, if not all, from the water (coolant) passages below the the cylinders, thus the leakage down and virtually not possible to leak into the cylinders?

 

[lagalaxy13]

Well so far of the two owners that didn't think the head gaskets where changed, they have with the metal gaskets. So guess my assumption so far was right.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

Not sure how much of a mechanic you are, but changing the head gaskets isn't that hard of a task to do. Could probably do it in one weekend easy if you take your time. While you are at it, I would go with ARP studs.

 

[grcforce327]

While you are at it, I would go with ARP studs.

They will have to be made,since no one offers studs for a Gen I !

 

[malcoll]

Not sure how much of a mechanic you are, but changing the head gaskets isn't that hard of a task to do. Could probably do it in one weekend easy if you take your time. While you are at it, I would go with ARP studs.

Well... I'm no Ab....(I wouldn't touch that awesome Lamborghini write up) but I can rebuild an engine...my issue is the gasket set cost!!!! If I could obtain a reasonably priced gasket set, I could easily change out the head gaskets... heck I'd probably have done some headwork if the gaskets weren't worth their weight in gold...or is it unobtanium?

 

[lagalaxy13]

Honestly I probably would change them myself. But the fact now I know to look to tell if they have been changed will at least save me some hassle.

 

[PittsburghRT]

My buddy and I just trailered my Gen1 to Tators Dodge in NY this past weekend to get the headgaskets changed. The originals were still holding up, but I wanted peace of mind, so I opted to just get it done. I will feel a lot more comfortable with the car once they are changed to the updated gaskets.