Head Gasket Advice

**ywgbandit** · 01-31-2017

So my 2012 Ram 3500 was written off with only 38K miles and with the money I got from the insurance I ended up with a 2011 Ram 3500 with 54K miles. The truck is all stock so it's been eating it's own soot for the entire 54K miles. I am going to do a full delete like I did with my original truck. RaceMe basic tuner, EGR replaced with Street Gate waste gate and a Passenger Diesel intake and a Grid Heater delete. Do you guys think the head gasket should be replaced when I am replacing the head bolts with studs, or do you think it would still be ok? I know guys that have had head gasket issues with stock engines, I'm just not sure when they show up.The truck was used by a tire shop, so it pulled a small trailer with tires to do deliveries, not worked real hard. My first truck only had 18k miles when I swapped the head bolts for studs and I never had an issue. I'm not running a big tune, (120 hp max at 35 psi boost) I just don't want to be doing the head gasket a year from now, but I don't want to be doing work I don't need to either. How heavy is that cast head to lift off? Does the turbo have to come off to pull the head? Any special tools needed to do the job? Am I over reacting?
I tend to be a**l about preventative maintenance!

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**theaaronbush** · 02-01-2017

Originally Posted by ywgbandit

So my 2012 Ram 3500 was written off with only 38K miles and with the money I got from the insurance I ended up with a 2011 Ram 3500 with 54K miles. The truck is all stock so it's been eating it's own soot for the entire 54K miles. I am going to do a full delete like I did with my original truck. RaceMe basic tuner, EGR replaced with Street Gate waste gate and a Passenger Diesel intake and a Grid Heater delete. Do you guys think the head gasket should be replaced when I am replacing the head bolts with studs, or do you think it would still be ok? I know guys that have had head gasket issues with stock engines, I'm just not sure when they show up.The truck was used by a tire shop, so it pulled a small trailer with tires to do deliveries, not worked real hard. My first truck only had 18k miles when I swapped the head bolts for studs and I never had an issue. I'm not running a big tune, (120 hp max at 35 psi boost) I just don't want to be doing the head gasket a year from now, but I don't want to be doing work I don't need to either. How heavy is that cast head to lift off? Does the turbo have to come off to pull the head? Any special tools needed to do the job? Am I over reacting?
I tend to be a**l about preventative maintenance!

I would imagine that the head is pretty heavy! Probably have to use an engine hoist but I bet the gasket is probably still good. The studs will help keep it good and clamped as well. I don't think that the Turbo would need to come out at all. You might take the front cover off and clean the impeller because the CCV dumps right into it. I was thinking about running the Race Gate on mine. I'm all about preventative maintenance as well. Service that transmission too. Good luck and keep us posted!

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**ywgbandit** · 02-01-2017

Originally Posted by theaaronbush

I would imagine that the head is pretty heavy! Probably have to use an engine hoist but I bet the gasket is probably still good. The studs will help keep it good and clamped as well. I don't think that the Turbo would need to come out at all. You might take the front cover off and clean the impeller because the CCV dumps right into it. I was thinking about running the Race Gate on mine. I'm all about preventative maintenance as well. Service that transmission too. Good luck and keep us posted!

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My street gate was set for a max of 35 psi boost and it would start to open at about 30 psi. Not sure what the drive pressure was at that point, but it had to help dump the excess. I was very surprised at how often it opened, specially when towing. I just had the pipe dump under the truck, not welded to the exhaust and it makes a bit of noise, but I wanted to know when it was working. One time I was towing my 10K trailer up a very steep mountain pass and a big horn sheep was on the road so I had to let off the throttle and hit the brake. That really opened up the street gate and dumped pressure, one second full throttle and the next zero throttle with a turbo spinning like a jet engine. When I heard that waste gate dump the excess pressure the first thing I thought was...where would all that pressure have gone if I didn't have that waste gate? Without the EGR to act as a relief valve, I think a waste gate is a great idea.

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**theaaronbush** · 02-01-2017

Originally Posted by ywgbandit

My street gate was set for a max of 35 psi boost and it would start to open at about 30 psi. Not sure what the drive pressure was at that point, but it had to help dump the excess. I was very surprised at how often it opened, specially when towing. I just had the pipe dump under the truck, not welded to the exhaust and it makes a bit of noise, but I wanted to know when it was working. One time I was towing my 10K trailer up a very steep mountain pass and a big horn sheep was on the road so I had to let off the throttle and hit the brake. That really opened up the street gate and dumped pressure, one second full throttle and the next zero throttle with a turbo spinning like a jet engine. When I heard that waste gate dump the excess pressure the first thing I thought was...where would all that pressure have gone if I didn't have that waste gate? Without the EGR to act as a relief valve, I think a waste gate is a great idea.

That's exactly what goes through my head too! I've read that a waste gate is not needed for our trucks but it seems that that relief would be good insurance or at least peace of mind! Were you happy with the Street Gate? Did you have to reroute the coolant? I think it has to be rerouted on the Race Gate or plugged. I would not want to plug it though, but that's just me. I would have it pay off to the atmosphere also. Sound doesn't bother me plus like you said, I'd want to know it was working!

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**ywgbandit** · 02-01-2017

Originally Posted by theaaronbush

That's exactly what goes through my head too! I've read that a waste gate is not needed for our trucks but it seems that that relief would be good insurance or at least peace of mind! Were you happy with the Street Gate? Did you have to reroute the coolant? I think it has to be rerouted on the Race Gate or plugged. I would not want to plug it though, but that's just me. I would have it pay off to the atmosphere also. Sound doesn't bother me plus like you said, I'd want to know it was working!

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I was very happy with the Street Gate. It's a pita to mount because it's so far back, but it's not in the way of anything. I had already purchased a Sinister Diesel EGR delete that re-routed the coolant line. When I got the Intake Horn it sure made for a clean looking engine compartment. I think the Pro Gate is overkill for the boost I'm running and makes re-routing the coolant much more difficult if not impossible. I too wanted the coolant line so I would keep the high point bleed valve and not mess with circulation. I have no idea how you'd get the air out of the system without it. I found it was easiest to bolt the flange to the exhaust manifold first then clamp the waste gate in place. It's very easy to adjust.

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**theaaronbush** · 02-01-2017

You're probably right about the Pro Gate being overkill! The street gate should work just fine for stock Turbo. I have the sinister kit as well so I guess I'd have to tap the manifold for my EGT probe. I know that would be a more accurate reading anyway. I have The GDP air horn as well so I should be able to use one of the tapped holes for the air lines.

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**AnOldBiker** · 02-01-2017

As for the head gaskets, I know many that have well over 100k and no gasket issues, so 54k is nothing. Just retorque when recommended.

By going to head studs, your even better. Just make sure you switch them out correctly and not disturb the gasket.

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**MrCrowley** · 02-25-2017

The gasket is probably fine. Especially if the vehicle was unaltered. Some tard had it waxed it and drove to home depot and back.

Doing studs is easy. One at a time starting from middle.

Head gasket �� eat your weaties and start early.

Get the biggest strap and pry bar you can find LOL.

No way I would change gasket 54k stock truck

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**beans20** · 02-25-2017

@ywgbandit here is a link to a write up that @Double R Diesel did a while back on head stud install.

https://www.igotacummins.com/threads...d-Stud-Install

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**ywgbandit** · 02-25-2017

I e-mailed RaceMe and they said that if you leave the EGR cooler and valve in place even though it's no longer functioning it will act like a relief valve at 40psi of drive pressure. Not sure how much boost 40 psi of drive pressure is but it would work if you were WOT and suddenly let off the throttle. I prefer the waste gate and to remove all that EGR crap, but it's nice to know there is some protection if you leave all the EGR emissions in place but disabled. I also talked to a local mechanic and he said to swap out the head bolts with the studs, which I did on my last truck and that the head gasket should be fine. He said it would cost a lot less to change it out at a later date if all the EGR emissions were already removed and not being reinstalled.

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