I am stumped ---- Coolant Leak

racertracer · **Posted:** Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:16 pm

The cylinder head that was supposed to arrive today failed to show up and the expected delivery date is unknown. The parts department said that it will surely arrive, they just don't know when.

Final cost of this ordeal is still unknown.

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:50 pm

I called Chrsysler parts in detroit today to find out where my Cylinder head was.

It is coming from VM Motori in Italy, 4 to 6 weeks ETA. The item is not a shelf item and is ordered per request.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:06 pm

Welp, that stinks.

flman · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:13 pm

Ey yeyey, you should have done that job your self. :banghead:

I have regretted having others do work for me, and at their own darn pace. :evil:

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:18 pm

Because of the long lead time, I am considering reusing the existing cylinder head if it checks out to be OK by a qualified machine shop, even though the service manager said that he will not warranty the work if I reused the head. He said that even if the shop says that it is good, he has seen used cylinder heads fail soon after installation.

What is your view on this?

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:16 pm

Anybody?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:53 pm

I'll defer to SirSam or someone who has actually rebuilt one of these but of course the service manager won't warranty someone else's work unless they pick that someone. Translation = they will warranty a head rebuild if their "shop" does it and you pay their price but not if another perfectly qualified shop does identical work. Now whether the other shop will warranty the head is the real question.

As to the comment about used cylinder heads failing soon after install that's a worthless toss off remark. Translation = new heads/engines sometimes fail after install that's why they have warranties especially extra pay warranties cause the bet the dealer is placing is the original part won't fail and the bet you are placing is that they will. Dealer always wins in the long run but only because failure is rare. Sure rebuilt parts fail but quality rebuilt parts rarely do. Sorry not much help but I would not rely on a dealer who would rather sell you a brand new head or a captive shop rebuild for an opinion on how to spend your money.

PS as I recall Geordi has a spare perfectly good head for a price.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:04 am

racertracer wrote:

Anybody?

Buy Mr Laforges head, pay for a ticket(or the gas to drive out) plus the parts needed like headgasket(I get 25% shop discount locally if you need parts), and I'll do the labor for the measly price of all the beer I can drink(after job completion of course).

Lets get this thing back on the road for ya.

racertracer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:23 am

Sam,thanks I appreciate it and that would have been a good idea if the CRD wasn't in bits and pieces on the table and labor wasn't already invested.

Would you reuse the cylinder head though?

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:28 am

I would get the specs as I suggested earlier in this thread and run by GDE.

DOC

racertracer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:38 pm

The machine shop determined that the head is not usable becasue it requires machining.

The cylinder head is impregnated with pieces of the head gasket surrounding cylinder number four at a place that it is closest to the turbo.

I will be waiting on the new cylinder head to arrive.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:34 pm

too much wait time. buy mine instead.

racertracer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:38 pm

A new one is $819.00 how much for yours?

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:43 pm

racertracer wrote:

A new one is $819.00 how much for yours?

LOL, no I meant my Jeep for sale.

racertracer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:45 pm

Thanks but no thanks.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 2:01 pm

racertracer wrote:

Thanks but no thanks.

LOL.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:06 pm

I wish I'd seen this thread yesterday... I'm in Virginia right now as I post this on the way to NYC for the next 2 days. I'd have brought the thing with me and we could have dealt in person, you could inspect it yourself for fitness and go from there.

I'm still willing to sell mine to ya Rafaelli, I get that the prices are all over the place, but what's fair depends on the marketplace too. Yea, my original thought of $1500 was right out b/c of the drop in market price... But right now, you are spending lots in TIME while your CRD is in pieces. I'm still willing to deal, but the other option you talked about of $500 is just as out there. There is a middle, I'm willing to find it with you. My last offer of $1050 WITH shipping is still up for haggling.

As for the comments from the service manager, I wouldn't expect him to warranty anything OTHER than brand-new overpriced, for exactly the reasons PapaIndigo stated. You would be lucky if he would even warranty the labor. If you ask him and run the numbers, your BEST financial bet might be to pay him off for the disassembly, buy my head (or get yours oven-treated) and use your shiny new tools to put it back together.

racertracer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:42 pm

Jim, I appreciate your offer but you are just asking too much money for a used head.

I can wait for the new head I don't mind, I have two cars to keep me company while the libby's away.

Considering that the new head is 819 dollars assembled and delivered, What is the lowest you will go for your used head?

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:55 am

Update:

I again made a call to the Chrysler expediting department in Detroit, MI. to see when I can expect the arrival of the cylinder head that my dealer has on order. I was informed that the Estimated time of arrival has changed to late October mid November

That is too long of a wait and the date is not fixed it could be pushed out even more.

I went ahead and purchased a used fully assembled cylinder head that a member had for sale (not Geordi). $339.00 total including the OEM gasket, OEM bolts and shipping. The member selling it works for a machine shop that had 2 heads available and guaranteed that the head was good. He also had the OEM head gasket and bolts available, $250 for the head $50 dollars for the gasket and bolts and $39 dollars shipping. Not bad if it works.

The cylinder head will arrive in the morning via FEDEX. I will then have it inspected by a local machine shop and if everything checks out OK I'll turn it over to the service department hopefully ending this saga.

geordi · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2011 3:12 am

He truly gave that head away, I hope it turns out well for you Raf, honestly.

I was (and still am) willing to discuss prices for the parts that I have from my old engine, but for a price like that, I wouldn't have bought mine either. At the same time, if that is the actual going rate for this giant hunk of aluminum... I might just hold onto it in case I need it one day. Its not like it eats anything.

Good luck, I hope its boxed up well. 36 lbs of aluminum is a big chunk, and there are lots of protruding studs that I wouldn't want to have break off and have to dig out.

--Jim

I am stumped ---- Coolant Leak

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