Hey all,

my 2005 Jeep Liberty's head gasket is leaking engine coolant. My mechanic said that Chrysler released a bulletin about it and suggests the following fix:

Tear front end of engine apart, remove gasket, put gasket back and then torque the heads back to factory specs.

My issue is with not replacing the gasket. What do you all think? Anyone had this issue and used this fix?

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2005 KJ Flame Red
3.7 4x4 Limited Edition
Rancho RS9000 Shocks
Hypertech Tuning Chip


***Words to live by***
-God
-Family
-Jeeps
-Guns
-Friends
and in that order too

I cannot see the reasoning behind all that labor and no new gasket.

I agree, now do the heads have to be machined when you do that? My mechanic says they need to be. Any advice?

_________________
2005 KJ Flame Red
3.7 4x4 Limited Edition
Rancho RS9000 Shocks
Hypertech Tuning Chip


***Words to live by***
-God
-Family
-Jeeps
-Guns
-Friends
and in that order too

My KJ is a CRD but I have worked on several gas engines so.
1. if there is a Jeep TSB on this I cannot find it although I can find, without details, a TSB on retourqueing KJ gasser head bolts. Head gaskets can be reused if they don't stick with the head is lifted and IMHO if that gasket is not the source of a coolant leak. I have personal knowledge of reusing, with no problems, a head gasket on a CRD when the head was just lifted enough to remove the tip of a broken glow plug from a cylinder but in that case we also replaced the OEM head bolts with ARP studs so head gasket clamping force was significantly improved.
2. if in fact there is such a TSB the mechanic should be able to show you a copy.
3. notwithstanding seeing a copy I would not reuse any head gasket associated with a coolant leak; way too much chance of future head gasket failure given the small cost of a new gasket.
4. NO heads do not need to be routinely machined under these circumstances. The head needs to be checked for "flatness" and any damage (ex. pitting) caused by a coolant leak and inspected for cracks. Any decent machine shop can check it out for very few $s. Then and only then should machining be considered based on the actual head condition. This is the same as disc brake rotors - many mechanics will routinely machine them as part of a brake job when in fact if there is little to no run out and the surface is near smooth then machining is totally unnecessary.

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs