Dodge Plymouth Chrysler 2.4L Head Gasket&Timing Belt - Part 2 Reassemble

Step by step howto. Also, water pump and front main seal. Dodge Stratus, Plymouth Breeze, Chrysler Cirrus. Part 2 of 3.
Watch Part 1: • Dodge Plymouth Chrysle... Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth 2.4L DOHC 4 cylinder engine. This motor is notorious for a failed head gasket causing a severe oil leak down the back side of the engine.
Buy the parts here:
Head gasket set:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000...
Timing belt kit with water pump & pulleys:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004...
Front main seal:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006...
Head bolt set:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000...
Tools:
3Pc 3-jaw gear puller set:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000...
Harmonic balancer/crank sprocket puller:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001...
This engine is found in the following cars:
Chrysler Cirrus
Chrysler PT Cruiser
Chrysler Sebring
Chrysler Voyager
Dodge Caravan
Dodge Grand Caravan
Dodge Neon SRT-4
Dodge Stratus
Plymouth Breeze
Plymouth Voyager
Plymouth Grand Voyager
Jeep Liberty Renegade
Jeep Liberty Sport
Jeep Wrangler SE
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[@hugoorozco5499]

Definitely the best head gasket explanation. Thanks

[@sg1friz]

Excellent Video! Very well Narrated straight to the point

[@my2centz196]

Appreciate the video. I have the exact same motor in one of my vehicles. It doesn't have a blown head gasket but I'm sure I'll have to replace it sooner or later. It has 240,000mi on it so probably won't be to much longer although it still runs like it did when I bought it about 16 years ago lol. Yeah it's old but taxes are cheap and it's never let me down.

[@orawashington3566]

your voice is so soothing

[@aarog2467]

Would you recommend using that brass wheel on the top of the block to clean its surface?

[@mattisyrtos5434]

Good tutorial.

[@toyotoe3732]

Thank you for this series. In many of your videos you use a Rigid brand battery impact. Is it a 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch drive? I'm thinking of purchasing my first battery impact, could you give any tips on what features and power is important to consider to select a suitable one.

[@ModMINI]

It's a 1/4" hex quick bit. You can put a 1/4 or 3/8 socket. If you want power to remove tough bolts, you might want a 1/2" impact gun. I just use the smaller gun for 13mm and smaller fasteners and to speed assembly and disassembly. The one I have has trouble removing a 13mm bolt sometimes but pretty reliably cracks 10mm and smaller. Check out some tool reviews.

[@CHEAPROLLIN]

The head gasket is it a composite graphite or a multi-layered steel

[@newlife130]

I have a 2006 stratus is the same twrek as on the screen

[@MrGreyna2]

Good video. I have one question, what type of spray are you using to help clean the cylinder head?

[@ModMINI]

Gabriel Reyna Brake cleaner or carb and choke cleaner.

[@theflcourier]

Hi do you have a link for Part 3? I can't find the torque for the engine mount bolts.

[@ModMINI]

Part 3 is here, but I don't call out torque values. I just tighten them until they are good and tight, but not too tight. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqOup5SFaK9mr8k

[@autoparts3217]

DO YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE CAM GEARS FROM THE CAMSHAFTS? IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE NECESSARY. JUST LEAVE THEM BOLTED ON THE CAMS AND PULL THE WHOLE CAMS TOGETHER... WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[@ModMINI]

It's been a while but I think I had to remove them because there were bolts behind the sprockets. Sorry, don't remember.

[@crooke80]

I'm doing a pt cruiser right now, did you compress the hydraulic tappets before installing the cams? I had the head pressure tested and skimmed as it had a 6thou bow across all the combustion walls. I would always recommend pressure testing a head and making sure its flat before re-fitting a new gasket. good video all the same

[@ModMINI]

+crooke80 No, should I have done so? I'd expect any oil to get pushed back down. I didn't do any head work so there should be no change to adjust level. Obviously best to have the head checked out but I realize most people are on a budget and unless the car has overheated, for this engine, more likely than not it's manufacturer-designed head gasket failure and should be good to go if head is flat. .006, wow, that's a lot - head was still straight I hope? That's enough to break a camshaft or wear out cam bearings if head is warped (even if they machine the bottom, the bearings will no longer be in alignment on top)

[@crooke80]

+Mod MINI I usually compress them on other engines but these don't seem to want to budge so I have installed them and just putting it back together, didn't want to risk breaking them. I will get the timing belt on and turn it over by hand and see what happens. before I've had no compression after a head change and had to take all the lifters out and compress them due to holding the valves open. I guess if you didn't and the car fired up it should for me... if here crossed :-) thanks again and keep up the good work with the vids

[@jroccavelliunboxingreviews9194]

+Mod MINI i have a 2004 dodge stratus when i start. my car when engine is Cold it makes a clanking noise stops when put in gear doesn't do it when engine is hot what do u think it is please help me

[@levislate1616]

Hey so if I didn't mark my timing belt then how do I make sure I'm setting it right just make sure I set everything to top dead

[@ModMINI]

+Levi Slate I'm not sure. I marked my timing so didn't have this problem. A google search for "Dodge 2.4L cam timing" should turn up something?

[@CryptoPivot]

Figure you had to fight to get the belt over the tension pulley, even with it loose as possible?

[@ModMINI]

Not really. If you have to pry with much force, either the tensioner pulley is not fully loose or there is too much slack elsewhere along the belt travel.

[@levislate1616]

ok also where did your grounds go on yours I didn't check that when I pulled my off

[@ModMINI]

+Levi Slate I don't recall, I think there was a ground point on the back of the head somewhere.

[@autoparts3217]

I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE USED A SHOPVAC (VACUUM CLEANER) TO REMOVE GASKET DEBRIS AND CARBON BITS FROM THE PISTON AND RING/CYLINDER AREAS... WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[@ModMINI]

That's a good idea. At my old house there was no room so the shopvac was in hard to access storage. I forgot I had it.

[@Sabs761010]

Hi first to all, i want to Say you thank you for this great video tutorial. I have a question what happen if You don't use a torque tool to tight the bolts and just tight it till You feel that it's enough? Because i don't hace a torque tool and Will be My first car fix. By tbe way the car is of my own, greeting from Monterrey México.

[@ModMINI]

You need to set correct torque for head bolts. Other stuff, not a big deal.

[@theta1237]

www.harborfreight.com/12-in-Drive-Click-Type-Torque-Wrench-63882.html for $19.99 ya can't go wrong. Don't scrimp on a head bolt tightening technique....

[@autoparts3217]

it looked like you USED STEEL WOOL to clean the cam bearings... am I mistaken?

[@ModMINI]

I don't know if I would ever use steel wool for something like that. Don't remember what I used but def. not steel wool. usually I'd use a wire wheel or a brush made out of something softer than what I am cleaning. Cam bearings, I'd just use a cloth and some solvent.

[@BOLANBOSNABOSS]

I am not going to replace timing belt for now, unfortunately, but for the head gasket only what should I remove it to replace it .? Dodge Neon is 2003 none turbo and as you know it's very small engine. Also, I have a regular tools and I do not have torque wrench or some professional measurement tools to see how much power ti use for some certain screws. You know what I mean , right? So, even though it is serious job, I think I will be able to replace head gasket with what I have in light of the facts that the car I am working on is my first bigger project so far. Thanks for this video .

[@ModMINI]

You have to remove everything here even if you are just doing the head gasket except for the water pump. Strongly recommended to do the belt and water pump as well. Who would want to do this work twice? :-) You will need a torque wrench to tighten the head bolts. Harbor Freight sells them for just $20-$25. I would not proceed with this job unless you are are confident in your ability and have the right tools or can obtain/borrow them, especially if you need this car to get to work!

[@funkajafuuzy]

So....did you actually skip the 3rd step of torqing and additional 50ft pounds? Or, is the 3rd step simply used for verification?

[@ModMINI]

+funkajafuuzy I don't remember - according to Google, for this year car the torque instructions are "tighten new bolts 25 ft lbs - then tighten again to 50 ft lbs - then final 1/4 turn" - there is no second 50lb-ft specified. Later year cars might have that additional step?

[@funkajafuuzy]

+Mod MINI I asked because in the video you show a spec sheet which has 4 steps. I have a 2.4L in my 2008 Dodge Avenger, but when I do the 3rd step, I keep stripping the threads. I was hoping the solution is what I saw you do. Thanks for the prompt reply!

[@ModMINI]

+funkajafuuzy Sounds like you have a bad torque wrench or cheap bolts. 50lb-ft is 50lb-ft even if you torque twice.

[@funkajafuuzy]

+Mod MINI I just watched another video and actually what it boils down to is a misunderstanding of the torque specs. You're right...50ft pounds is 50ft pounds, but....because the specs show 4 steps, with the 3rd step being the same as the 2nd step, amateurs like myself think the torque wrench is suppose to turn an additional 360 degrees in order to achieve another 50ft pounds. I'm sure i'm not the only amateur who has done this, but hopefully by people reading these comments they can save themselves some time and money.When the 3rd spec is the same number of foot pounds as the 2nd spec, I think the technicians should maybe notate that the 3rd step is just for verification.

[@ModMINI]

+funkajafuuzy No no no! It means 50lb-ft: click. Then go back and pull torque wrench until it clicks again. If you are doing a full 360 degrees, you're adding a whole lot more than 50lb-ft - probably 200! If they wanted you to add another 50lb-ft it would have said Step 1 25 - Step 2 50 - Step 3 100. If they wanted you to go 360 degrees they would have said 360 degrees. Hope there is no permanent damage.

[@autoparts3217]

WHY DIDN'T YOU CHECK THE HEAD AND BLOCK DECK FOR FLATNESS? (using a straight edge???)

[@ModMINI]

I did. Not sure if that made it into the video, but I'm certain I did.