Personally, I’d let the kid learn the hard way. Folks like that need that kind of practical experience so they learn to consult others for their expertise. He at least started by looking at Youtube videos, but those aren’t detailed enough. That’s why people still wrire books on the subject.
The road to success is paved with the prior failures of the successful… Or something like that…You learn a lot blowing things up. Dont ask me how I know. if he has the money…let him play I guess…just be safe. Machines do not care what they smash through…Iron or Flesh and Bone…makes no difference…it wont care or think twice about hurting you if you arent smart about it.
Blackbird
mountainbike
I have to respectfully disagree about reusable gaskets
They do exist
Several manufacturers have reusable transmission pan gaskets and valve cover gaskets, for example
However, I’m not aware of any manufacturer that states their head gasket is reusable
There are even some tty bolts that are reusable . . . but there’s a catch. You’re supposed to measure the length first. But I agree that most tty bolts are not reusable. And I wouldn’t personally recommend reusing them, even if was technically possible.
When going through all the detail work and effort…most intelligent humans would err on the side of caution and use new gaskets.
Ive heard of reuseables before and for my money it aint worth the doubt. When I finish an engine build…i have ZERO doubts about its integrity. Why? Because I was taught and learned the correct way.
Reuseable head gaskets are usually solid copper and rely on spray sealants if Im not mistaken. But when you build an engine to handle 2+ Bar of boost…do you really want to rely on a sealant ? Not me…so I dont… Haven’t had any failures yet…and I’m pushing almost 3 Bar.
What is a “Bar” basically it is one atmosphere worth of pressure…which equates to about 14. something lbs…the weight of the atmosphere exerted on our bodies is 1 bar. This is why when the weather changes, your joints can tell you a storm is coming because the pressure holding your body and joints together is reduced…wreaking all sorts of mayhem on susceptible joints and synovial fluids. But I digress…
My right hip can tell me with great accuracy when a storm is imminent… This is what happens when the side of your right knee/shin smashes into your right ear following a 132 ft tall cliff jump…and you open up your legs too early after breaking the surface of the water. Fun for all…
Blackbird
True enough, db. I’ve even seen allegedly reusable exhaust manifold gaskets made from layered aluminum. And I think someone else mentioned copper gaskets, which can often be custom made using even copper roof flashing from a hardware store.
Most gasket, especially head gaskets, I don’t reuse. Most take a “set” (technically known as “cold flow”) and take on the shape of the cavity they’re in, losing their compression and their ability to seal again, but there are a lot of reusable gaskets. My “broad bush” statement was, as most are, spoken too hastily.
I actually like those exhaust manifold gaskets you mentioned
I’ve had extremely good success reusing transmission pan gaskets . . . the ones that are clearly marked as reusable, that is
I do a good job cleaning them, the pan’s sealing surface, and the sealing surface on the transmission, and I haven’t regretted it yet
However, once in awhile, I’ll run into a distorted stamped steel pan, causing a leak. A quick whack with the ballpeen hammer takes care of that, though. In my experience, this is more likely to happen when you remove all the trans pan bolts save one, and let it hang on that one bolt, before removing the pan. That tends to distort the sealing surface around that bolt hole.
Rather than reusing head gaskets once, he should’ve used his HEAD once. Reusing one on a Model A Ford with its 4:1 compression ratio didn’t even work 50 years ago. Ask me how I know. I’ve improved my technical skills somewhat since then.
It is doubtful reusing the head gaskets will be the cause of failure for this engine, there are other factors to consider, primarily the handling of the crankshaft and rods but using MMC 3.0L engine specifications for a Dakota engine suggest this engines destiny is written.
I will reiterate that I don’t recommend or care to reuse a head gasket BUT I can also state that it can be done with no ill effects; all depending upon several factors.
I’ve also heard of people reusing Cometic MLS head gaskets in performance cars as many as 3 or 4 times.
While I don’t remember the details due to the passage of time I do remember reusing Subaru OEM head gaskets several times for reasons which escape me.
The previously used gaskets were torqued, retorqued a few hours later, the car driven until fully warmed up, and the head bolts retorqued again after the engine had cooled. There were never any issues with the car either.
Again, I’m not recommending or condoning doing this; only pointing out that (depending on variables) that reuse may not be the kiss of death.
As for the Dodge in question I tend to think that head gasket reuse may be the least of the worries.
I’ve seen and made enough hillbilly repairs. sure it might work fine. Honorary hillbilly myself have made a few gaskets, not head gaskets, but carb and low pressure gaskets out of cereal boxes, a litttle oil on the material helps 
On my race engine, I have purposely RTV’d one side of a cork gasket to a valve cover and oiled the other side so I could repeatedly remove and reinstall the valve cover without changing the gasket. Worked like charm. I do NOT recommend reusing gaskets unless you purposely do something like this.
OTOH, I can see reusing gaskets to save money - but I would expect a gasket to fail from time to time, so using a new gasket where a failure would be critical and/or the replacement difficult is just common sense.
Thank you all for your input. I will pass the info on to the young fellow, when he calls and the heads are done.
I feel as @CapriRacer noted;" I can see reusing gaskets to save money - but I would expect a gasket to fail from time to time, so using a new gasket where a failure would be critical and/or the replacement difficult is just common sense."
Speaking of making your own and learning the hard way. I do have to warn you all that 4 paper plates stacked and cut out will make a very poor head gasket. Hey I was only about 12 years old!!!
I also wanted to remove the carbon build up on the head on my home made Mini Bike and soaking the head overnight in Muriatic acid took off the carbon and old burnt on oils, just ignore all the pitting on the mating surface.
Yosemite
Used re use the head gaskets on old L Head Briggs & Strattons engines ,always gave them a good smearing of Indian Head Shellac (loved the smell of that stuff when it was cooking off ) other then the copper head gaskets ,a little pampering probably wont let you reuse a sandwich gasket or steel shim gasket .
That is interesting OK44… Never really heard that before… Perhaps because not many are willing the risk.
But hey…if I was broken down in the jungles of Costa Rica with no new parts avail…you can bet I would give this a shot…all rules are off at that point. But I never had the guts to try it for obvious reasons.
Who knows…maybe it can be done. But after all that detailed hard work…I think few would be willing to try it…but can it work ? I learn something new everyday.
Reminds me of a story my father told me about his Army Days in Germany. He said they would use water or trans fluid in brake lines in the absence of proper fluid. How they would remove a caliper and fold the brake line over upon itself and hammer it to stop pressure loss in emergency situations
My favorite one of all ? How they would crack a raw egg into the radiator to stop errant pinhole leaks ! All true stories…all used in emergency field repair situations however
Blackbird