The Cure ???

    First to answer all the hoopla and concerns I’ve read about ‘THE CURE’, over the last couple of weeks I’ve been doing my research. If I can physically prove a engineering change (and I think I will) that Mopar made in the quest to meet emissions that maybe causing all or some of our over heating problems, it would be of great benefit to all.

    I’m going to put some validity in ‘THE CURE’ and hopefully put it to bed. After doing some digging and research, opposed to the physical (as in just doing it). I’ve come up with some very interesting information, which I will reveal here and now. But will ask from some additional help from fellow MMLers to further validate this information.

    First off one clarification that needs to be make, ‘THE CURE’ DOES NOT' involve port matching, I talked with Ron and he NEVER said to match the water jacket ports.

    OK. Now with that said here we go.

    In my hands I hold three, count them three head gaskets for a big block mopar. And all three are different. One is P/N 3614824 the head gasket that contributes to the infamous over heating problem (it has the three little slots for the water passages).

    In my other hand I hold the other two gaskets ‘pre emissions’ with bigger water passage holes. One is a genuine Mopar heads gasket and the other is a Felt-Pro. The size of the hole in the Felt-Pro gasket is even BIGGER than the Mopar gasket. Both of these gaskets are pre emissions. As a matter of research, I contacted my local Dodge dealer and checked on the Mopar gasket with the bigger holes (and I do have the part number), they no longer list it on their computers, and then they checked directly with Chrysler and again this part number is no longer listed.

    Again DO NOT match the water jacket ports. It may work but you are on your own and taking chances. Wait till I get the information compiled and then I’ll post it for all to see.

   

What we've found out so far:

Year

440 Head Gasket

413 Head Gasket

400 Head Gasket

383 Head Gasket

361 Head Gasket

360 Head Gasket

350 Head Gasket

340 Head Gasket

318 Head Gasket

273 Head Gasket

1978 3614824 ****** 3614824 ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
1977 3614824 ****** 3614824 ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
1976 3614824 ****** 3614824 ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
1975 3614824 ****** 3614824 ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
1974 3614824 ****** 3614824 ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******

1973

3614824

******

3614824

******

******

3698659

******

2863493

3614235

******

1972

3614824 ****** 3614824 ****** ****** 3512520 ****** 2863493 3614235 ******

1971

3512260 ****** ****** 2863225 ****** 3512520 ****** 2863493 2806984 ******

1970

3512260 ****** ****** 2863225 ****** ****** ****** 2863493 2806984 ******

1969

2536724 ****** ****** 2863188 ****** ****** ****** 2863493 3418376 2806984

1968

2536724 ****** ****** 2863188 ****** ****** ****** 2863493 2806984 2463338

1967

2536724 ****** ****** 1851579 ****** ****** ****** ****** 2806984 2463338

1966

2536724

******

******

1851579

1851579

******

******

******

poly

2463338

1965

******

1851579

******

1851579

1851579 ****** ****** ****** ****** ******

1964

****** 1851579 ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** ****** ****** ******

******

1963

****** 1851579 ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** ****** ******* ****** ******

1962

****** 1851579 ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** ****** ******* ****** ******

1961

****** 1851579 ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** ****** ******* ****** ******
1960 ****** 1851579 ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
1959 ****** 1851579 ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
1958 ****** ****** ****** 1851579 1851579 ****** 1851579 ****** ****** ******

   

 

Water Passage Size

Engine Description

Gasket Available

Gasket Part Number

Length

Width

Big Block NOW 4286754 0.720" 0.118"
Big Block 1972 1972 ON 3614824 0.720" 0.118"
Big Block 1972 Felt Pro Pre 1972 ????? 0.940" 0.455"
316 -466W 1958 -1967 Pre 1967 1851579 0.75" 0.25"


Head Gasket Parts numbers courtesy of Mopar Chris, Gary Lewallen and my local Dodge dealer, who let me search though his parts manuals back to 1966.
    The P/N 3614824 for the 440 and 400 years 1972 through 1978 is a match for what is available now from Mopar Performance P/N 4286754.
    Of GREAT interest was the picture of the 8 cylinder gasket in the 1970 - 1971 parts manual.  IT HAD BIG HOLES.   If you happen to have a copy of the 1998 Mopar Performance Catalog turn to page 98 and take a look at P/N 4120093 & 4120094 for the small block "A" engine, these are what the water passage holes look like on the picture of the 1970 - 1971 gasket.

INTERESTING???

From the information and physically seeing gaskets from prior years I feel I can safely say that in the 1972 model year Chrysler make a final and sticking change to their gaskets to help the meet the ever more restricting emissions regulations, and you as a consumer in the end are responsible to use the proper components in your vehicles.   As I said before I  have seen some of these ealier gaskets, and they do have larger water passages, what other changes Chrysler made in later years to compensate for less water flow in the head is for another study.  But, for me if I had a 1971 or ealier Mopar I would NOT just by the same old heads gasket from Mopar Performance and stick it in my engine!!



E-mail Me


Home
TN00607A.gif (1499 bytes)
Plans for Body Rotisserie