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So back in November the car was approaching 100K so I bought it all sorts of new goodies for the 100K mile tune up, new belts, hoses, timing belt kit, water pump, passenger motor mount, etc. The day before the tune up started, it shredded the timing belt. I have not had the heart to look at the motor till today. I know it died at idle, and then the driver (the girlfriend's mom) tried to restart it and it only clicked and there was coolant all over the ground from the seized up water pump. It was towed home.

I pulled the head off today and there is no damage to the valves or the pistons, no dents, no shiny spots no nothing. All the valves seem to be seating while I turned them cam with the head on the bench. The pistons show no marks ether and the motor spins fine with the head off.

So this is the one place I didn't have a plan for because I was sure at least one of the valves were toast. I mentally preparing for anything from replacing at least 1 bent valve to replacing the whole motor if something was really bad but I never expected everything to look, well normal.

So I ask the hive mind what would you do? get a new head gasket kit and put the new timing belt kit on that I have anyway or would you go crazy and have the head rebuilt, take the middle road and buy a rebuilt one. This is just a round around town car for now so keep that in mind.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Pour some kind of solvent into the ports (with the ports facing upward) check for excess seepage at the valves. If it is flowing out at a good pace, the valve is bent. Most likely, there will be two bent, if at all, as they open in pairs. Small amounts of seepage over a few minutes would be normal for a high mileage engine. If it is between a slight amount and running out, a valve job would be recommended.

typically they bend the exhaust valves when this happens, if there is no visual signs of leakage, take the rocker shafts and rockers off the head, this will in turn close all the valves, with the plugs still in the head flip it upside down with the valves facing upwards, pour some water into the chambers and look into the ports for water seepage

^--- what they said.... then if it's all good.

New head gasket, timing belt goodies and dd the hell out of it again.

Yeah, forgot about the rocker shafts, thanks Chris. But if you are going to use water, mix some dish soap with it. The surface tension of water will sometimes keep it from flowing through a small opening. I like to fill the ports, as it is easier to see the leaks on the CC side vs looking into the ports. Especially if they are carboned up.

Anything solvent based will definitely show where it is leaking from. But a good seated valve will not let even solvent through. Tho at 100,000 you will have a few that will seep regardless. The valve faces tend to get a little beat up. They would prolly hold water tho.

Ok so gonna do the test when I get home. But has anyone ever had this happen? All the stories I have read on here have lead me to believe that a failing timing belt is catastrophic near 100% of the time.

Probably just got lucky because the car was only at 750+/- rpm..

Used some fuel injector cleaner to test it last night and they most any of them let by after 5 min was only enough to get the carbon build up on the valves damp. YAY!

So of to order a head gasket, intake gasket, exhuast gasket and valve cover gasket.

One last question of the hive mind. Replace the camshaft seal or the valve seals since I am this far in anyway?

Cam seal is only $9ish, so I would go for it. The cam must be in place to install it, IIRC. Valve seals wouldn't hurt, but you will need a tool to get the keepers/retainers off.

bumping this up

are r/t valves same as reg 2.0?

where is a good place to get replacements valves from?

thanks guys

dblsg wrote:bumping this up

are r/t valves same as reg 2.0?

where is a good place to get replacements valves from?

thanks guys

They're the same size yes, but they are triple bead lock style. So you need different keepers than the single beadlock style that is on regular 2.0's.


I buy my OEM stuff from Mopar Liquidators online. Used to be Bremerton Dodge, but I think they got bought out when the economy went bad. Either way, it's the same place I've bought stuff from for the last 7 years, and they're always helpful.

If it is an '01 up, they are all triple bead locks. '00 is iffy, the 1gns are prolly all single bead locks. It never hurts to check before ordering, as you never know if the head is original/reman. Unless you have owned it from day one.

occasional demons wrote:If it is an '01 up, they are all triple bead locks. '00 is iffy, the 1gns are prolly all single bead locks. It never hurts to check before ordering, as you never know if the head is original/reman. Unless you have owned it from day one.

Thanks for the clarification. I always forget they changed, because all 3 cars/engines I've had the heads off...have all been 2000's.


EDIT: But wait. The 2002 had single bead lock valves too! And it didn't have an EGR port, so it was definitely a newer style head. Thanks Chrysler....your QC is amazazing.....

My '01 SE had triple locks, and the '02 parts doesn't list single locks. the '01 list both.