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Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions
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Comments
If you are replacing the radio, I think you'll need to remove the Instrument Cluster Bezel. This is the molded, one-piece plastic item that covers the face of the instrument panel, including the speedomer/gauge cluster, heater control, radio, and dash vents.
I believe your '99 has a different configuration instrument panel than my '03, but the instrument base should be very similar.
1. Look for two screws just above the speedometer/gauges. If you have two screws there, remove them.
2. Remove the steering column cover, or if you have tilt wheel, move the steering wheel to its lowest position.
3. The instrument bezel should now be held in place by only molded-in clips. Using care, carefully begin prying the bezel away from the instrument panel housing from around the entire perimeter.
4. After the bezel is completely free, begin removing the bezel away from the instrument housing from the right side. As you move the bezel away, you will expose more of the backside of the bezel and obtain enough space to reach over and disconnect various electrical connectors.
5. Once all of the electrical connectors have been disconnected, tip the bezel toward the rear of the vehicle slightly and remove it.
Never having done this to a '99, I hope this removal process is generic enough to work for you.
Best of luck,
Dusty
You are not experiencing warped rotors... you are feeling the causes of NOT USED HEAVY ENOUGH rotors. Some areas of the rotors have 'slippery' or 'rough' spots. The heavy braking will 'burn off' residual oils and remove surface rust.
I have one comment on how you performed this process. DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE THE BRAKES ARE SMOKING HOT You are INVITING warped rotors by parking the vehicle while the brakes are smoking hot. This is because the portion of the rotor underneath the brake-pads will cool at a different rate than the rest of the rotor.
Instead, continue to drive for 20 minutes or more (Not stop-go driving) to allow airflow to cool the brake components. Park only once you are convinced that the latent heat is removed from the brake components.
Here in Vermont, there is a ski area 7 miles from my house. I just drive up to the base lodge then coast down using the brakes heavilly. To give you an idea how steep it is... I have to shift down to 3rd gear just to climb up to the base lodge! (Manual tranny)
dustyk - I'm guilty as charged: 53 yr old retired guy, not driving much (or riding my old motorcycle), and central Pennsylvania is basically having a monsoon summer. Hell, the tomatoes won't even ripen from all the rain we're having. So, lots of moisture and probably rusty rotors that really need heated up more often so they perform as advertised.
Just like new now.
Dusty
hint: Lots of sawdust after the crop, tilled in, will make a nice acidic soil for next season.
Warped rotors are characterized by a definite 'throbbing' feel to the brake pedal accompanied by slight wiggling of the steering wheel back and forth while braking. It is VERY obvious when a rotor is warped.
scuzzed up rotors may have a pulsing feeling to the vehicle when braking... but the brake pedal will not 'throb' under your foot. It is more a 'sense' that things are not right.
As mentioned in previous appends... 'scuzzed up' rotors can often be renewed by some VERY heavy braking (to the point of smoking the brakes) followed by normal driving until everything cools back down again. If you live in a flat area where there are no hills... you can drive at highway speeds (no traffic behind you and straight roads) then use the brakes heavally (down to perhaps 40MPH) then accellerate back up to speed. Do this a few times to really heat up the brake components.
Real beautiful country along the PA/NY border along there.
Bests,
Dusty
It's been 20k or so w/o a problem, but I have to jump in when the talk turns to Genny Cream Ale. My mother's side of the family is from North of Syracuse (my Grandmother lives on Oneida Lake) and every time I go out East, I have to pick up a case or three of Cream Ale. In fact, I will be taking the annual pilgrimage (duck hunting) to Oneida Lake on October 31.
Unfortunately, this year my Eda ('02 QC 4.7 Sport Plus) will not be able to make the trip with me. The company that I work for is confiscating her so they can load her up with prototype cargo management/roof rack/running boards/tail gater system along with BBS wheels and Goodyear racing rubber, and they're shipping her off to the S.E.M.A. show in Las Vegas. Although I have to suffer through the trip out East with a Ford Escape (which will require much Genny), I can't wait to see how Eda looks when she's all tricked up.
When she comes back, I have to perform the 40,000 mile maitenance, and thanks to you all, I can swap all the production fluids with the proper synthetics. I am still confused on the best spark plugs to use.
I had just brought my 2001 Quad Cab in for the 24k service interval.
It also had a "thump" kind of a sound after coming to a complete stop, sometimes when just driving along and going over minor bumps in the road.
They replaced the right upper control arm.
Nice and quiet now.
Good luck
Bob
After 2,000+ miles on the new oil, I was still getting enough "inside wheel" spin when pulling away from stop signs to make me want to add the friction-modifier. I started by siphoning off and saving about 8 oz to make room. The oil had already become "sooty" from the clutch plate dust. I added the f-m and then all of the saved oil plus a little bit more. In total, I needed about 5 oz (4 oz f-m & 1 oz 75-90W) to achieve the proper level. When I initially changed the oil, ambient temperatures were 90+ degrees F. I'm now going to recheck the transmission and x-fer case for their proper levels since the weather is cooler. Kind of amasing that either the rear's volume changed or that the oil itself expands and contracts that much due to the temperatures. Remember, I rechecked and insured that the levels were proper a week or so after the initial change over.
Anyway, the additional f-m hasn't made much of a difference, if at all. The inside wheel still wants to rotate a bit faster than it needs to but again everything seems to be fine.
Unless I have some weight in my 2003 Club Cab, I too will get inside wheel spin if I tickle the throttle pedal a little. I think you'll find that this is part of the design. I suspect that Chrysler's LSDs are using a little stronger clutch plate pressures nowadays. This will ensure dual-wheel traction on more slippery surfaces.
Some of the older designs didn't quite have that much clutch plate pressure and if you're like me and have owned older vehicles with "Sure Grip," Posi-traction," or whatever,you are probably noticing the difference.
When I changed mine a little while ago, I flushed the differential components and entire housing out to remove as much of the clutch soot as possible. I've since checked mine and I currently see no evidence of any soot, but finding it is very normal. I suspect the next time I change it I will again find the sooty residue, but I suspect it will be less.
Regards,
Dusty
In any case, are you SURE you have an LSD rear end? I find it almost impossible to spin one wheel (unless it is on ice while the other is not)
More often, both rear wheels will break loose on pavement and the ENTIRE REAR END of the truck will begin to go sideways. This is the 'nature' of LSD operation. With an open differential, you may get one wheel to spin but the rear of the vehicle will not go sideways on you because the other wheel is "tracking" in a straight line.
Keep in mind that "spinning" one wheel with an LSD will quickly destroy the clutch cones within the pumpkin. It would be akin to revving the engine and slipping the clutch until it smoked.
As noted previously, I have not experience a gain or loss of inside wheel spin since adding the f-m. $5 for nothing, I guess.
you are seeing just what you should expect with LSD. Sharp turns at slow speeds causes the instide tire to try to pull forward and slip a bit.
Drive and be happy ;-)
Regards,
Dusty
There are some vapor return line hoses that go to the top of the fuel tank that have been reported to have split and caused the same thing, I believe.
Dusty
Sure, you can clear a troublecode like that....
But you also lose all of the multitude of other settings such as:
How to idle under various conditions
How to start at various conditions
How to produce the best MPG
How to produce the most power
How/when to shift (automatic tranny)
Do not forget that the onboard computers LEARN as you drive and pulling the battery cable makes them 'stupid'. It may take WEEKS to relearn stuff. (even months for adverse conditions such as cold-weather running.)
For the P0455 code, the shop manual describes how this gets reset. All it takes is a specific number of complete "trips" withour a failure. (a "trip" has a definition with a starting enging temp, run time, and ending engine temp. )
I don't necessarily know that is a true statement. I have been experimenting with upgrading the overhead display on my "Monster Quad" The one delivered on the Ram 1500 SLT gives you average miles per gallon, timer and distance traveled functions (called an OTIS) display. The Laramie models are supposed to have an EVIC unit that has greater capabilities as well as programming onboard options and a 3 channel homelink transmitter for garage doors etc. To change these units you have to pull the battery negative lead. I have done this several times trying different units and have had the negative lead off for upwards of 30 minutes or so. When I power back up I find I have lost all my radio presets however the average mpg, timer and miles traveled are always retained and reflect the last figure displayed prior to removing the negative lead. Based on this I suspect the data in the body control computer (BCM) does not get cleared, at least in the case of my 2003 Ram 1500. Rick
Disconneting the battery cable is commonly used by folks that PUROSLY want to reset the computer because it is running or shifting oddly. (If a vehicle is 'shared' by an aggressive driver and and a passive driver... the computer can get REALLY confused about how to shift properly)
By its very nature, ATF is prone to oxidation at a rate much faster than other petroleum-based lubricants/hydraulic fluids. A complete re-fresh of ATF in the transmission will likely make a noticeable difference to the person that drives the vehicle every day.
In the case of your '01 Dakota, I wonder if you are also noticing the difference between ATF+3 that might have come with your '01 from the factory. I do not know exactly when ATF+4 was introduced, but I think in 2001 ATF+3 was the latest version available, or ATF+4 was introduced in that year.
The major difference between ATF+4 and previous versions is that ATF+4 is a synthetic blend. The additive package has been significantly modified to broaden the temperature range by extending the pour-point and low temperature pumpability characteristics, typically from -35F to -60F. ATF+4 is listed as a High Friction Modified (HFM) fluid that reduces clutch face wear and subsequent shudder.
ATF+4 is currently the highest rated ATF classification on the market and I'm being told that it is increasingly being used by independent transmission shops in lieu of Mercon and Dextron.
Dusty
Dusty
My original cheep stainless steel (SS) exhaust is rusting in the back yard (awaiting disposal at the approprate metal-recycle place) The muffler has a hole in it... SURPRISE: only the PIPES are SS!
The bottom line is that there are different kinds of SS. My current BORLA exhaust system is made of aircraft-quality T-304 stainless steel -- stainless inside and out. T-304 stainless steel has the highest chromium content, making it the most resistant to corrosion and therefore the most desirable material for a long-lasting exhaust system.
I bought this BORLA system used and it looked as shiny as kitchen silverware. Now, after 2 winters of my use ... it is STILL just as shiny. It has a 1 MILLION MILE WARANTEE.... which means that it will NEVER wear out.
I am planning on runnin my Dak for at leat 12 years... and this BORLA will pay for itself in the end. Thru experience, I know that anything less than T304 SS would need replacing every 3-5 years.
Approxamate exhaust life expectancy in Vermont.
Mild steel = 1winter
aluminized mild steel = 2winters
cheep SS = 4 winters
T304 SS = FOREVER!
http://www.geocities.com/maldbnsf/Dualback.html
Do not forget that a properly-sized SINGLE pipe will produce more power than DUAL pipes. Besides, a TRUE dual exhaust on a Dakota is illegal. (removal of main cat is not allowed.) Splitting after the single main cat adds more weight and reduces exhaust velocity.
Are you looking for power, looks, or sound from your exhaust system?
A neighbor has a '97 Dakota that's still original.
I might be mistaken, but I thought the complete exhaust system on my '03 Dakota is stainless.
Bests,
Dusty
I've really only done internet searches on the possibilities. I've seen the footnotes about limiting the spare tire size for certain systems but nothing on eliminating a spare altogether. Thanks for bringing up the specter of spare tire heat damage. The local Gibson vendor pushed the single pipe system as the most trouble-free installation, which is an understandable position for them to take.
bpeebles - Is the picture a Custom-Bend system? The one Dak I did see with dual side exiting tips was a lowered 2WD and that made it hard to see if the spare was removed.
Dick
One last question, do those of you who have switched to power slot rotors and ceramic pads feel that the the improvements you have, justified the extra expense.
I almost forgot shocks. I've seen a few names mentioned over the boards, any feed back on those used.
Thanks in advanced for all your great answers.
Kevin
I had four sets in 28K and had I kept the truck, I would have gone powerslot or something else.
I think you will find that the newer rotors on Dakotas are much better than they were a few years ago, but I don't think you will realize a big price difference between new, over-the-counter Chrysler and new somebody speciality units.
At 16K miles the rotors and pads on my Club Cab are doing exceptionally well. I do build up a scuz layer of rust every couple of weeks, but someone in here, I think, suggested to hit the brakes hard once and a while and that seems to be working in my case. I just put on 300 miles over the weekend and the 240 or better interstate miles seem to have polished the rotors nicely.
I seem to recall that PowerSlots were about $160 a piece. There are a few people that have used them and have had excellent results with them.
Best regards,
Dusty
On the good side, the new rear end seems to be doing fine. They pretty much replaced everything but the outer axle bearings, pinion bearing, and LSD unit. Just had the reaf diff drained and refilled with Redline 75W-140. The dealer only charged me $30 labor to do it.
Everything else seems to be doing fine.
Just for grins, today I priced out a 04 QC with the same options my 02 has. The MSRP was over $30K. My 02 was barely $28K. Ouch!