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2002 b150 van 3.9L engine issues?

907 views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  joe_jeep 
#1 ·
my friend just picked up a 2002 dodge b150 van. its real a clean plain jane work van. the 3.9L in it was overheated badly. the radiator is shot. it turns over very well. has almost no compression on one or two cylinders. we were guessing at cracked heads, but have not torn it down yet to see. anything we should look into?? any problem areas common for the 3.9L?? we have never messed with a 3.9L and was hoping someone had dealt with this engine in depth and could point us in the right direction. he got it super cheap and is willing to rebuild the engine completly if necessary.

any advice is appreicated!

the 3.9L is a 318 minus 2 pistons correct??

thx
 
#3 ·
all of the magnum engines 3.9 5.2 and 5.9 have cracked head problems at one point or another. if 2 cylinders next to each other are dead then it might have a blown head gasket between cylinders, otherwise it might have a cracked head.
 
#4 ·
we messed with it tonight. it will turn over with a socket on the crank just barely now. the starter would not turn it over anymore. when we first went to look at it it did turn over. we took the plugs out they all look to be burning fine, no rust or oil contamination. looks like we might try to find a used engine, or rebuild one ourselves. the radiator is totally smoked, and the engine looks to have been cooked pretty badly. i found a master rebuild kit for 400 on line. it appears to have had a junkyard head put on the passenger side b4. new gaskets on the valve covers and manifolds. the van is real clean and well worth it, just not looking foward to doing it.

thx for the offer of your knoledge chuck! i got all the front end parts for the buggy.
all 35 spline now. just got get out and do it. got a dana 60 hub nut socket??
thx
 
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