[Mrock74261]

I created an account just to post this lol
This is my first dodge I've ever owned, and I'm struggling here.
I've replaced the water pump, spark plugs, thermostat housing oring, starter, battery, radiator cap, fuses, the 4 relays in the mythical relay block below the drivers side headlight, intake manifold gasket, and now finally, the head gasket.

After reassembly, did a compression test, and all the cylinders read 0.
In the process of doing the first cylinder, a camshaft bearing cap snapped in two and broke a bolt off in the head.
Because of that, during the 2nd cylinder compression test, the intake camshaft snapped in half.

So now we get to my current dilemma.
A local salvage yard has an 07 2.0l caliber and a 2014 dodge avenger 2.0l that they said I can pull engine /motor parts from, didn't get pricing info.

But, there's also another salvage shop (they don't let you pull parts, they do it themselves) that offered me not one, but THREE complete heads. Camshafts, cam bearing caps, timing gears, the works, for $75
One from, again, a 2014 dodge avenger, one from an 07 caliber, and I stopped listening the third option because all I heard was "complete head from a caliber for $75" lolol

Is there a chance my head is warped, potentially what caused the snapped bearing cap and zero compression?

Or should I try extracting the broken bolt and replacing the intake camshaft, and hope it was just a fluke?

 

[672aq]

I'd say, replace your compression tester first. Then tackle the rest.

 

[Mrock74261]

The compression tester should be fine. Before the head gasket swap it was reading fine. Cylinders 1 and 4 around 120, cylinder around 95-100,and cylinder 2 was around 85.was getting a cylinder 2 misfire code, so the numbers seemed accurate. I could borrow a compression test from an auto store though.

But I don't think I can even use a compression test until I either extract that broken bolt and replace the intake camshaft, or just replace the whole head.

 

[chrisf2012]

Replace the engine...for the few hundred bucks a junkyard engine will cost it's not worth trying to troubleshoot the old one.

 

[Mrock74261]

I don't have the few hundred dollars to replace it. I think I was quoted around $500 at the main salvage yard. I'm gonna go look at the complete head of the 2014 dodge avenger tomorrow after I use a borescope/endoscope to make sure the pistons are still good.

 

[John Galt]

Maybe buy a salvage car with the right engine. Buy an 'engine running' one, like this:

2011 DODGE AVENGER MAINSTREET for Auction - IAA

2011 DODGE AVENGER MAINSTREET for auction at Bowling Green (KY) branch location. Actual Cash Value: $5 - Mileage: 151,690 mi - Color: Black - Transmission: Automatic Transmission - Stock: 24636249

www.iaai.com

 

[Mrock74261]

Guys, I have an update!
After putting the new head on, and dealing with the very unclear timing instructions in the manual, I got it all back together and running, all engine codes are cleared and none have come back!

The Bad news:
I got a flat tire yesterday, not even 24 hours after turning on the engine for the first time in about 2 months. Lolol

Now a new question.
My old car, a 2008 Nissan altima se 3.5l v6 was stolen, then totalled, but I got it back. And all the tires (except one: going to bring it to tires plus and see if it can be fixed or replaced through the warranty) on it are pretty much new.
Tire lug pattern I think is the same, 5* 114.3, and the tire size itself is 215 /55 R17.
The calibers current tires are the 5 lugs @ 114.3, tire size is p225/60 R17..
Tge altima tires are a little Thinner in depth and shorter, but the rim size and lug pattern are the same. Can I throw those on the caliber?

 

[John Galt]

You can use the wheel size site to help answer that. The tires are shorter, so that will throw off the speedo a bit, but as long as all the wheels have the same tire, it will work. My 07 RT Caliber track car runs even shorter tires than yours and it works fine/throws no codes.

However, it looks like the center bore on the Altima rims is smaller than the Caliber, so the Altima rims might not even fit on the car.

You can go ahead and try it. If they do not fit, just have the Altima tires mounted on the Caliber rims. I mounted 215/45/18 tires on my RT rims without problems.

Altima:

Nissan Altima 2008 - Wheel & Tire Sizes, PCD, Offset and Rims specs

Nissan Altima 2008 - Find out the correct alloy wheel fitment, PCD, offset and such specs as bolt pattern, thread size(THD), center bore(CB) for Nissan Altima 2008

www.wheel-size.com

Caliber:

Dodge Caliber 2008 - Wheel & Tire Sizes, PCD, Offset and Rims specs

Dodge Caliber 2008 - Find out the correct alloy wheel fitment, PCD, offset and such specs as bolt pattern, thread size(THD), center bore(CB) for Dodge Caliber 2008

www.wheel-size.com

 

[Mrock74261]

Yea the center bore is exactly 1mm bigger on the caliber. With the same lug spacing/pattern, hopefully it doesn't effect it. Here's a side by side Pic

 

[John Galt]

Give it a try, but they may not fit due to the smaller center bore on the Altima rims.

If you are set on making the Altima rims work, you can take them to a machine shop to have the center bores enlarged 1mm. Any machine shop should be able to do it.

 

[Mrock74261]

If not, I'll see if discount tires can throw the on either the caliber rims or the other rims I have lol

 

[Mrock74261]

Oh no, I'm not to concerned about the rims. There's only 1 that's custom, the other 3 are stock lol
I just don't wa t to spend hundreds when I already spent hundreds a few months ago lolol