What other vehicle has a Dodge 2.5 !

Tiny
SETTERGRENH
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 DODGE DAYTONA
  • 100 MILES
I have a 1990 Dodge Daytona ES with a 2.5 liter that I think has a blown head gasket. Instead of replacing the head gasket I was going to just get another motor. Can you tell me what other vehicles the 2.5 comes in or should I just replace the head gasket, The motor has around 100,000 miles ! Thank You !
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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 AT 6:34 PM

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Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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There is a lot of models that will fit go to www. Rockauto. Com select your car click the engine tab choose long block. Then click the part number link it will tell you which vechiles it fits. If the engine is in good shape you could just fix the head gasket.
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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 AT 6:41 PM
Tiny
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I went to rockauto. Com followed your directions, all it shows me is the motor/part # and price !
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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 AT 7:47 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Hi guys. Now you look up the engine for a different model to see if it's the same. That engine was used in Omni / Horizons, Shadow / Sundance, Spirit / Acclaim, Dynasty, Dakotas, and some others I can't think of.

Change the head gasket. Those are really tough little engines. Why pull out an entire engine when you can just pull off the head? The 2.2L / 2.5L have fewer head gasket issues than a lot of newer cars but you will want to have the head checked for flatness. Most of the time they will be fine. If it is warped, it can not be machined like we used to do years ago. Heads with camshafts on top have to be straightened or replaced. Machining them leaves the camshaft journals still out-of-line. The machine shop will check it for cracks too but it is common and acceptable to find small cracks between the valve seats. Don't panic over those.

Even if you had to replace the head, that would be a lot easier than replacing the entire engine. Be aware too that if you give up on it, there are people out there searching for these cars so if the body is good shape you won't have any trouble selling it.
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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 AT 9:03 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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If you go to rock auto on a computer you will the part number that is actually a link you can click on. Click on the part nunber and it will show what models and years it fits. You can do that with all the part numbers on that website.
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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 AT 9:47 PM
Tiny
SETTERGRENH
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Thanks caradiodoc ! Before the head gasket blew it was or should I say still could be a good running car ! I've had it for 2 years put about 50,000 on it, I love the car and want to keep it ! So i'll just get the head gasket ! Thanks again for your help !
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Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 AT 4:24 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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I also said if the engine was in good shape to fix the head gasket.
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Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 AT 4:43 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Hope I steered you right. Be sure to use an air tool with a scuff pad to clean all the old gasket material off the block and provide the proper surface finish for the gasket to bite into. It's best to have the manufacturer's service manual in front of you to help with things like head bolt torque. There's a special tool, like a weighted wrench, used to set the tension on the timing belt. Any auto parts store or tool truck guy will have it.

One of the most common problems people run into is the cooling system has to be burped of air, otherwise it will overheat. If I had the upper radiator hose off, I started to fill the radiator first and used a small screwdriver to push the thermostat open so the air could bleed out. You can fill the coolant enough that it runs out by the thermostat, THEN put the hose on. The thermostat has to be hit with hot coolant to open; hot air won't do it.

If you already have the hose on and the engine is running, there are hex plugs and / or temperature sensors on top of the thermostat housing and on the driver's side. You can remove any of those things while the engine is running to get the air out. Once the thermostat opens, any air will go out to the radiator and no further bleeding is needed.

Have an engine machine shop check the head for flatness. The industry standard for an aluminum head is.002" max. In any direction. I've seen people use heads with more warpage than that and get away with it but I wouldn't trust my luck that much.

Be sure to use compressed air to blow any debris out of the head bolt holes. If gasket material falls down in them, a bolt could butt up against it and give a false torque reading.

If you have to remove the alternator and it's mounted up high, as in right behind the head light, watch the long bolt in the front for the presence of a big washer on one end. That is a rubber mount to isolate it from vibration, and being flexible, the alternator could move sideways as little as 1/16" and cause a belt squeal. There was a service bulletin that explained how to pop a washer on one end to reposition the alternator to stop the squeal.
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Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 AT 5:12 AM
Tiny
SETTERGRENH
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Another question, will a 2.0 head work on a 2.5 block?
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Thursday, June 21st, 2012 AT 3:02 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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Nope. The 2.0L is a much newer engine and not the same thing.
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Thursday, June 21st, 2012 AT 6:09 PM

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