I have 1998 dodge dakota with 5.2 v-8 engine. I have two cylinders # 4 and #8 with no compression. I have a Haynes and Chilton's manual and neither go into much detail about how to remove the passenger side head. Can anyone offer any websites or webpages with good clear instructions on how to remove head and change valves(if indeed the valves are the problem)?
Any help you could offer is greatly appreciated.

 

I will move this to the 2nd generation Dakota sub-forum. In there you will find the FAQ which has the factory service manual free to download which has the a complete brake down of the engine and the rebuild with torque specs and lots of pictures to help.

 

You can get the 2000 shop manuals here, free. This is from a sticky on the forum.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzA-...GMw/edit?pli=1

Use the 5.9 liter as a reference, they are very similar engines.

If it is valves, it's not a matter of just putting a new one in. The valves and the valve seats need to have specific angles. Any good machine shop can easily rebuild your heads.

Good luck.

 

Appreciate the replies. Yeah this gets a little beyond my skill level(which is not much anyway) . I plan on taking it to a good mechanic. I took it to this new shop for something totally different and got it back with this problem and a couple more. Anyway sure you do not want to hear my woes. Thanks again

 

One other question. I see you can buy new heads. Do you come out cheaper or is it less involved to do one over the other?

 

Depending upon what needs to be done, rebuilding a cylinder head is not a complicated job.

I'd keep what I had, assuming you mean rebuilt heads. If brand new, go for it.

 

For a time Direct connection had heads with the premium valves and springs for less that you could rebuild them
If you rebuild
pressure check and mag first
use viton seals
If you are going to keep the truck get hard chromed (ground after chroming) valves not flash (thin chrome after grinding mostly for break in)
Watch that you do not grind through the thin hardness on the seats
If you do install inserts
If towing the high nickel or high quality sintered ones work best
old exhaust tubing or chrome molly roll bar tubing not so much (called HD or CrMO_
just knurling the guides does not cut it unless you are going to blow out the truck
K line bronze inserts, knurled (for oil) then reamed (for size) and id honed (also to hold oil) work good
What is your compression?- none is very strange
did you squirt some oil in and recheck?
no busted valvetrain?