How To: Install a Cylinder Head Gasket on a Dodge 3.3 V6 Engine

This video is more of a "How You Don't Want To Do" video, rather than an instructional video. It shows the process from beginning to end of installing a new cylinder head gasket to this Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country, Plymouth Voyager Van with a 3.3 Liter V6 engine. It's a great starting point for doing the job yourself or for making yourself familiar with the intake manifold, cylinder heads, valve covers and engine before you take it to your mechanic.

[@jeffdavis4794]

I work on caravan every day, you did a great job, I like the fact you just stripped it down and replaced every gasket smart move. So don't sell it drive it into the ground you earned the right to not break down.

[@michellemalave7209]

Any way u can help

[@KevinCODunn]

I don't even own this engine, but I got a lot of cool information out of this video! Great way to show it. Most of the time I need to see how complicated an installation or replacement is because I have this crazy abbreviated brain. Nothing looks that complicated to me until I am up to my elbows in it. Thanks!

[@aileenwagner2576]

I have the exact same engine 3.3 Dodge Caravan. Im going to attempt this job myself starting tomorrow. I am impressed with how clean ur engine is! And i think u did a great job. Thank u for sharing this with us!

[@glenoneal7030]

I always Fill with Coolant & water mix at the Thermostat Housing Before the new Thermostat / or / used thermostat is installed to help Prevent Over Heating the Motor in the First Run after coolant system or motor Repair, if this is not done it can damage the motor, blow the new head gaskets, you may already do this step above. this was a fantastic video.

[@danielhumphries9641]

It started right up because you did a damn good job man!!!

[@chamuko1967]

Your video is FANTASTIC !!! very illustrative and is the first I've seen dismantelling the engine for head gasket replacement on a 3.3 Lt. (very similar to 3.8 Lt). I've got a T&C 2006 3.8 Lt which I suspect needs new headgasket since I did the blocktester (Napa) dye on the radiator and the dye after a couple minutes turns from blue into yellow...strange thing though is that there is no coolant presence in the oil, don't wanna open up the engine just to find out it didn't need new headgasket...anyway congratulations on your video, quite helpful.

[@axiom327]

I have a 2005 Dodge caravan sitting on 18's. I have the same issue with leaks plus bad radiator , ran 2 hot & now I have a cracked head. I know this is easily a 2 day job. I have a lic mechanic wants to charge me $600 plus parts. Which after looking at this video I can understand his pricing. Friends told me just Docter her up with a band aid Mickey Mouse job , trade it in but I really dont want to trade her in & create a note as my caravan is paid in full. The transmission , rear end etc works fine & believe any work & money put in is just an investment.. Thanks for video I knew it was alot of work but wow now I have a visual !!

[@cyberzero2010]

Still have your 2005?

[@jamesflananov808]

Daniel, excellent job, thank you. I am going to do 1993 dodge caravan, 3.0 Litre V-6, (Mitsubishi) 6g72). As they are similar animals, I found this helpful. I intend to replace water pump, timing belt, serpentine belt, upper and lower hoses. I have watched other fella's videos on how to mill cylinder head surfaces. I am hoping to fix the car for the price of aforementioned parts and lots of labor. my van failed because of a bad cooling fan relay. Again, much obliged for your post, James :)

[@4ujkdguy]

WHY NOT MAN! YOU DID A GOOD JOB, NOT BAD FOR A DYI VIDEO. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR YOU TO SHOW THE PART THAT BROKE OFF AND WHAT YOU DID TO GET IT OUT

[@jamesgrim3373]

Thanks. No one else has shown how to change the head gasket on 3.3 V6.

[@larisamejia9999]

Hey!!! I think you did a great job on this video. This is not an easy task!!!! Very helpfull

[@patrickbryant9855]

I totally dig your honesty! i am looking into buying a 2000 caravan for 100$ with a blown gasket

[@jeffreyshemayme4055]

I did a dodge 2.4 the timing belt tensioner was my foe , good job man !

[@marcsmith3881]

Nice job especially for someone that doesn't do this all of the time. You get a thumbs up for tackling a tough job. Just FYI, these vehicles do not come from the factory with exhaust manifold gaskets, except for the crossover pipe & rear cat pipe because they will burn out which is why they are not used. I recently did head gaskets on a 2006 T & C 3.8 and it also had no manifold gaskets. Those metal gaskets you used last about 2-3 years and will burn off. If it didn't overheat, the heads should be ok. I had the heads machined on the T&C because it overheated and I highly recommend that because it warps and usually on the middle cylinder. The tolerances are tight(about .002 or less) on flatness and will blow the gasket fairly quickly if the heads are not flat. It's not a terrible job in my opinion except for the cleaning of all of the surfaces. I spent days cleaning, but the van runs perfect after 600 miles.

[@larsgirlful]

hi im steve....... ok so now i did the same as you did with your van to my van so now is my tranny going to lock up in a few months too?...lol just kidding you were very helpful in your video god bless and stay safe....ps can i still use the same bolts on the new head gaskets or do i have to get new ones? and can i use threadlock seal on the same head bolts? thank you

[@richardgolden3364]

@@larsgirlful no you have to change the head bolts each time

[@revfarwell01]

Thanks for the video. Had a integrated control module ( fuse box) and pcm computer problems on mine. But after throwing parts at it still runs great. Fuel harness and gaskets etc...2003 3.3l 167,000miles and your video inspires me to keep this van and make it run forever.

[@davidparnell1893]

Great overview of the process...I liked it! This is a good video to view BEFORE viewing the more detailed versions. I'm going to view it again before I launch into this journey.

[@willmills1370]

I'm off to change the head gasket on our 2000 Grand Caravan, smoking white smoke, rough idle. I took out the first spark plug, front one by the air cleaner and out poured a lot of coolant... smh twice. Yesterday it was fine, changed the starter today and started up puffing white moist smoke immediately. Thanks for making the video. My 3.3 is a tad different but the same principle applies.

[@CarrieEPrimm]

Well how did it turn out. I think I maybe stuck doing mine myself. It's my only ride...

[@asgman73]

Good vid. Very helpful. I'm starting a job today. Rust is the arch enemy in this one. Thanks for sharing.

[@missmelis7260]

Thanks!! There are how to videos... it’s easy to lose where you were at or find the part you forgot! Thanks dude... you my wrenchin easier!

[@JisINSANE3]

Not sure why some people have such problems with these. I have a 3.3 Chrysler voyager 2001 and its been a very reliable auto. I do all the maintenance and fluids as needed. I only had to replace the radiator, A/c condenser, hoses, Valve cover gaskets. Alternator, O2 sensor, Plugs and wires, But other than that the engine and transmission have been flawlessly operating. 155k miles and the engine is quiet when running people compliment they cant believe its running. Not bad.

[@LynxStarAuto]

Give it some time. It will blow eventually.

[@TheBikemaster94]

Lynx Star Automotive I got a similar one 2000 grand voyager 3.3 @ 250k . Twas well maintained, that's where it counts . The previous owner took it to the lube shops and always bought conventional every 3000 miles.

[@s.l.averythethird5378]

Did you every deal with map sensor issues. Specifically a P0108 code?

[@freaksinuniform438]

155k not much very low miles my 02 town and country Chrysler touring editing 290k same maintenance regularly now having to replace blown head gasket really good van has gone all over country.

[@bminkl8050]

I primed the oil by cranking the engine several times with ignition coil pack unplugged and pedal all the way to the floor to enable clear flood mode.

[@jppgofish]

Great video, thanks! Just found out today that the wife’s Grand Caravan has the same problem. That’s why I’m YouTubing videos on how to do this job. I think I can do it, but doesn’t look fun though. Thanks again, you did a great job 👍🏼

[@grassjadhubbard2256]

Thank you for the information. I will be taking mine apart this week to fix whatever has happened in the heads. Not sure yet. It is running very rough. Sucking paper up to the exhaust pipe. Losing water too. It may just be a gasket. I will probably have the valves done too since my daughter drives this car a lot.

[@allanbrownlow9065]

In aus dollars cost me under 200 for heads up kit

[@theskatemap]

Folks like this are the reason folks like me think we might be able to pull it off if we have to. Paving the way

[@GerryJ08]

Outstanding job. The sounds heard soon after start up, is it from the lifters? and would tightening the lifters reduce or eliminate this sound? I have a 2005 Grand Caravan with 148000 kilometers with that annoying sound that I want to eliminate. Yikes the tranny locked up? how does that happen? Thanks for posting, a keeper for sure.

[@stephaniefigueroa9402]

Thank you for this. I'm putting both head gaskets in this same year, make, and model, with that same problem and approxamite mileage. I've done heads before, but was unfamiliar with this engine. Now I know! Thanks bub!

[@Pk3_Garage]

Great video. Just to let everyone know, there are no Exhaust Manifold gaskets on these engines. I just did a valve job on all six cylinders. I saw no gasket or traces of gasket material. I did apply some red high temp gasket maker, once everything was re-installed.

[@allanbrownlow9065]

Yes they are available tho

[@Militaryman64]

Great video I'm just finishing a 3.8 L engine myself I went a little further with timing chain and also changing the valve stems seals and every other seal except for rear engine Main that will cause me to pull the transmission and that will probably be at a later date if it ever failed I'm going to finish off by doing the transmission filter with a new seal for that pan and hopefully I'll smooth engine start just like yours you shouldn't have to worry about that tapping sound once the hydraulic fluid reaches maximum pressure they should tap out and the clicking sound should go away. You never showed the installation of the head gasket which was tricky with a step of full torque plus 1/4 turn a tricky concept to apply great work on your part wish me luck on mine thanks for the video if you ever want to tackle your timing chain and you have questions don't hesitate to ask.

[@michellemalave7209]

I have few ?

[@erikbreaman9124]

Heads for 3rd and 4th gen dodge and Chrysler vans are $290 a piece new. You can do it in a few whole days or a week evenings with basic tools. The back head and finances are the only thing that makes it a PITA. Also pressure if it's your only car..

[@LiveFreeOrFry]

Hey Daniel !! To make this job much easier: remove the entire windshield wiper assembly with the cowling as one unit first. This will give you the room you need to get at the rear of the engine and engine compartment. ;-)

[@oscargamez6845]

LiveFree OrFry como calibrar las kulatas de una Dodge gran caravana 20006.3.8

[@yemarican]

Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I appreciate it very much.

[@gregdubya1993]

Getting ready to do mine on my 2002 Caravan Sport 3.3 Flex. I just ordered a head gasket set and 2 new sets of bolts. We have been losing coolant and occasionally overheating for a while. Replaced the radiator, water pump, inlet pipe, hoses, thermo, etc. but recently noticed exhaust smell bubbling out of the radiator while running. That led me to the head gasket. Sure enough the back one was blown. I only paid $2800 for the van so I couldn't justify paying someone to do it. I need to pick up/borrow a torque wrench, but I think I'm ready! I have a two week window to get it done. Should be plenty of time working on it in the evenings and on weekends.

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

Good Luck with your project. Mine is running like a new car. I put a little extra "love" into cleaning all the surfaces and I suggest you don't shortcut that part of the job. You will likely also need the intake gasket set.

[@arthur.monticelli]

How did it go?

[@RAGENBUQUE]

Awesome video, U R the man ...now i can tackle mine and see what's waiting for me under there...Now you just need to make a video on how to replace the cv axle drive shaft on the driver side on a Caravan..

[@BibleExposition2022]

Greatly done the way the video speed up, it is not impossible but one must know what he is doing and have the tools to do it. Thx

[@solosword593]

Wow brother, that's a lot of work. I wish that I had time to go to school for that. Thanks again for the video... :-)

[@primalbeans]

sounds like you have the notorious 3.3 / 3.8 death rattle. The noise is the timing chain slapping inside the cover. These motors are common with this noise at high mileage. Supposedly they will not jump time, or break regardless of the noise, but the wear is hard on valve train components, and there will be some valve timing delay. Unfortunately the timing set replacement is not an easy or quick task either....

[@anery71]

thank you I will try to do it myself and i will let you know how it goes!!

[@MarioLopez-ye9nm]

quisiera todos los videos fueran como este, bien esplicitos. tnks my friend, you good.

[@gerryjamieson1861]

Fantastic NOT How to video. Question. Can you give an approximate parts cost? Would have been helpful to see you remove the head gaskets, clean the heads. Where did you source your parts? Thanks so much for the work and effort you put into making and editing the video for our benefit. Vancouver, Canada.

[@oscaralarcon6695]

well done ? I have same problems 2002 Chrysler town country 3.3 v 6 (2 w drive) antifreeze head gasket ??? too ?? jejeje I'm doing this weekend ? se what I'm going through??? thanks for the videos???

[@michellemalave7209]

How.did it go I'm having issues an il jus bought this Chrysler 2002 t an c and having head gasket issues

[@erlinavicente4827]

Your a good dad. I’m sure the wife was happy you went the extra mile to save the family money. I also have to do this, wish me luck.

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

The transmission locked up less than 6 months later... what a mess... sold it still purring like a kitten. New owner got a tranny from a yard for $75.

[@cyberzero2010]

@@DanielScheerHowTo know that sadness... Had 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan ended up junking for 105$ and the guy that picked it up said he got a transmission for 40$ he going to put in... I now have a 2005 Dodge grand caravan dealing with oil dribble after long trips appears to be coming from head gasket but I get no smoke or discoloration of oil / coolant. This will be my last caravan if it doesn't make 200k miles with all the work that I will end up doing.

[@amandahenson7104]

hi =D just a quick question,hope its not a dumb one but Do you have to relieve any pressure in the fuel line before taking the injectors off?

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

Amanda Sinnott If the car has sat overnight, most of the pressure is probably gone. If you turn the key and the pump runs again... you repressurize the system. I don't recall that much, if any, fuel came out the line when I removed the fuel rail, but be careful.

[@amandahenson7104]

Daniel Scheer thx!! great video btw.

[@eprofengr6670]

Nice work and efforts in real time.

[@jaredhuttenstine3492]

Giving some thought to doing the repair myself. About how many hours a day did you work on the project? And over how many days? Also what type of gaskets did you use? I know you mentioned it in the video but it didn't come through very clearly.

[@christopherlopez7381]

what cleaners did you use to clean all the parts im going to do this on the weekend

[@GerryJ08]

Curious. What would a shop have charged to do what you did? Parts cost breakdown? Total time? Thanks for sharing this work with the world. Also. You are a big guy. How was your back with all that leaning over the engine? Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.

[@TechiePocket1]

The biggest advice would be to have all the mating surfaces super clean as this guy did in the video. That way you have no problems and don't wind up having to do the job again lol edit: dont ask me how i know

[@victortolentino6785]

THat was Awesome THanks for sharing. Very helpful.

[@self-sovereignty6705]

Great video Dan! I'm 1/2 way through the project on wondering how you managed to disconnect the rear manifold from the exhaust. Did you have to attack that from beneath?

[@braulioantonioalarconflore5408]

Muchas gracias amigo, tu video me ha servido. Un abrazo desde Chile.

[@indiajesuslovesyou]

Thankyou for video! I have same problem with my 2001 Dodge Caravan 3.3 Lier engine! It is sucking anti-freeze! I don't know if front or rear head yet? Or Intake Manifold gasket? I have had van for 4 years and has been good vehicle! If it front head will remove valve cover and look for loose or broken head bolts? If loose will re-torque and see if will stop leak? If rear head I could try re-torque of those bolts but if need to do head gaskets I will consider replacing vehicle and moving on! James

[@panchoreyes1]

Hey Daniel EXELENT job very helpfull and yea U are The Men Thank You!!!

[@UEMloayalist]

I have a 1993 dodge dynasty with 74500 on the engine have a problem with weak idle no other problems but that when I hit the gas there is no hesitation, any thoughts or suggestions, oh I really liked this video, you should be teaching an auto class and I would be the first one to sogn up

[@Alan_Edwards]

Great video Dan. I just picked up a 2002 Caravan with a 3.3 myself and was told by the owner it needed a radiator since it was slowly leaking coolant. It was steaming after warming up so I assumed that was it and the price was right and relatively low mileage (135K), so I made the deal. I watched your video on replacing the radiator which really helped. But the heat still fluctuated, so I replace the thermostat and radiator cap. It's still using fluid too and there are no visible leaks, so the last item on the list is to replace the overflow tube in the event it's not allowing the coolant to move back into the radiator when it cools down. The level in the reservoir is always maxed out. Wishful thinking on my part I know. I do suspect it's a bad head gasket. Did you have any foaming on your oil cap and stick? Just curious as mine done not show this....not that it rules out a head gasket. If the overflow does not solve it, I'm going to get a coolant combustion tester just to be 100% sure I need to replace the gasket. Not a job I look forward too, but I have rebuilt my share of motors way back so I think I can handle it. Anyway, this will certainly help. Keep up the good work mate.

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

Alan Edwards Since mine was leaking externally along the head and block, there was no indication in the oil. I have seen other people online with the same problem. It wasn't until I changed the radiator that the pressure built up enough to make the leak increase from vapor to a steady steam of water forcing the repair..Good Luck.

[@leepeterke3971]

dont forget to change the oil, cause of coolant getting in the oil pan from disassembly

[@alexloza2099]

Thank you so much for you video , you do a great job Thank you

[@peggysue9633]

You give me hope that I could do this one day :) Thanks.

[@davecooper360]

Great video!! I need to change my valve cover gaskets and I'm afraid to do that!! Lol!

[@jacksonhokanson7130]

davecooper360 It is a pain to get the intake manifold off, I would be dreading changing plugs and wires on these vans

[@davecooper360]

Jackson Hokanson well.. I did end up changing my valve cover gaskets and spark plugs and wires... and it was very challenging for me... but I really enjoyed it!! However, if I ever need my head gaskets changed, I'll probably leave that to a professional lol!!

[@wesleyward9302]

This was awesome!! I loved the way you videod the whole thing!!

[@dln6374]

Thank you very much for this video. For sometime now, my van has been showing some white gel on the oil cap and the exhaust has been off-color. I have been dreading having to open up the van. Do you have a link for the kit that you bought? Also, I live in a cookie-cutter neighborhood with strict rules about liquids...what do you suggest I use to clean all the parts? Soak them in gasoline?

[@dln6374]

+D&L N I guess he did say Fel Pro gaskets. Is there a non-chemical cleaner I could use for the parts?

[@psallen5099]

Nice job, excellent video.

[@andrewbigelow4653]

Hey man great help but it really should've been slowed down to a how to I could have used it today lol but it helped a lot anyway

[@kennethdewayne1203]

Amazing job brother 👏🙌

[@billyhodges2816]

Why did you hang a LIGHT right in front of your video shot?

[@markrawlison3446]

Great video Daniel. Thanks!

[@jlynn7249]

Was you losing coolant out the tailpipe or was it in your oil

[@nameless674]

Thanks, nice men n good video.

[@1973Type181VW]

Very informative, thanks for making the video

[@allanbrownlow9065]

Just curious as I've done heads and all on a 3.3l same motor but I can't for the love of God work out why the cam needs to come out for the lifters to be done?

[@carslover3509]

super great

[@achievegoals5437]

?Do you have a Lifter replacement video?

[@mrlayy1885]

This video gives me hope!

[@SpanishFly75]

How did you know it was a stud? Did you ran a scan with the code reader?

[@rudymartinez9976]

GREAT FOR YOU TO SHOW

[@Ford0815]

Probably a silly question, but where do you get the specifications on tightening things down? Like how do you find out where to set the torque stick at for the heads, intake manifold, etc.

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

Michael Geckle I used a Haynes Manual, although it can be tricky to make sure you are looking at the correct specs for the correct engine.

[@ommarhernandez9258]

Nice job👍👍👍

[@kevinschmelzer4469]

Good video.... thanks

[@kevinfinney9440]

If you did that work for someone else's Caravan, what would you charge them? Just curious.

[@alexrubio9804]

how do u clean the gasket surfaces and would u recommend cleaning in engine?

[@oscaralarcon6695]

good video thanks 02 Chrysler town and country 3.3 you know the torque for motor head

[@hb5914]

First pass-45 ft./.lbs, second pass-65 ft./.lbs, third pass-verify all eight bolts in the individual cylinder are torqued to 65 ft./.lbs and the fourth pass-turn ninety (90) degrees (1/4 turn)

[@cancunence35]

Mr Daniel how many hours of work it took to do it

[@phillipmccormick1508]

good job thank you

[@gordonchakas]

hi Daniel scheel i wondering know if u have the tork for tha balancin and the head bold thanks

[@hb5914]

First pass-45 ft./.lbs, second pass-65 ft./.lbs, third pass-verify that all eight cylinder head bolts are torqued to 65 ft./.lbs and fourth pass-turn each cylinder bolt ninety (90) degrees (1/4 turn).

[@dustinpool]

Hey , Im doing this same project right now.. How did you remove the rear header ... Im having a problem removing the bottom bolt on the exhaust extention that runs around to the front.. I tried gettting it from under the car but there is barely enough room for a box wrench.. any insite would be helpful .. let me know thanks

[@joemonroe9456]

use an extension

[@javierbotello7364]

Good job brother

[@davejames2015]

Was it pushing air through the rad or external leak

[@toofine9]

these engines last forever if u keep them up..we have over 230k and still running perfect

[@billyhodges2816]

You can maintain an engine perfectly and still have a head gasket blow, so I'm not sure of the purpose of your comment.

[@kennethdewayne1203]

We have 2010 3.3 600k miles always runs 24 7 from. Transporting

[@Migul-pq2nl]

Nice job when you tight the heads exactly how much presher should it have please like t to now

[@hb5914]

First pass-45 ft./.lbs, second pass-65 ft./.lbs, third pass-verify all eight bolts in the individual cylinder head are torqued to 65 ft./.lbs and fourth pass-turn each of the eight head bolts ninety (90) degrees (1/4 turn).

[@thechileansclinic]

buen trabajo amigo.

[@dustinpool]

When reinstalling the head did you insert the pushrods back in the head then place the head onto the block or did you place the head first then remove the lifters and drop the pushrods in ?

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

+dustinpool I cleaned them, blew air through them and put each one in place as I carefully put the head on the block. I did not want to loosen any of the rockers and add the possibility of more problems. This job was purely done to keep an old car on the road... not to make an old car new again. Good Luck!

[@scottboucher7467]

Thank you ! Some good insight.

[@gustavoarmendariz5142]

so I saw how to take engine apart and take off long bolts in valve cover leaving to the heads but I have no idea how to re-tighten them. what could help me find out how to do that? I got that van without vehicle manual hand book.

[@ataseallle7594]

Is that timing chain rattle I hear? Yea noisy lifters on this engine, is what it is for an old motor.

[@vincentjohnson7545]

im working on mine thanks i just need the torque specs

[@jmmb602]

about how long did it take you to do the job ?

[@alchemy1]

Can a person install hydrolic valves without removing the head on this engine?

[@hb5914]

?

[@diversity2739]

Thank you Daniel

[@cedricbolton3052]

Good job

[@ryannason5568]

next time you do a head gasket job on these vans it makes it so much easer to get the back end and that if you remove the whispers and motor and that ... that whole thing comes right off and gives you a lot of room to get at the back of the motor

[@MrRustyfishy]

what u mean by whispers

[@MrRustyfishy]

+dakota gramiak whispers and Mortor got it haha will I'm doing one tomorrow

[@MrRustyfishy]

+dakota gramiak whispers and Mortor got it haha will I'm doing one tomorrow

[@MrRustyfishy]

+dakota gramiak whispers and Mortor got it haha will I'm doing one tomorrow

[@Disappointed739]

wipers. His cell phone probably "corrected" the spelling.

[@jacksonhokanson7130]

did you machine the heads before putting them back on?

[@DanielScheerHowTo]

+Jackson Hokanson I did not... I just didn't want to put any more money into it. I checked them with a straight edge and they were still really flat.