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Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions
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Comments
I've looked under the hood while its running, and I don't smell any gas type odors, nor do I see any signs of leakage around the fuel injectors or the fuel rails. There's no sign of leakage on the ground.
I've thought about a leak in the evaporative emissions system, but that tends to cause a check engine light, which I don't have. About the only thing I haven't done is inspect the fuel lines from the tank to the engine.
Granted, a couple of drops of gas will go a long way towards stinking things up, so it could be something very small. I just don't want my Dak to burst into flames one day.
What do the resident experts think? Thanks.
I keep up with the various technologies (Recall that I work in the computer-chip manufacturing industry) and I have read VERY good things about the DSG automatic xmissions as sold by VW/Audi.
The DSG xmission has been called an "automatic manual xmission". It contains 2 seperate geartrains each with an eectronically-controled clutch. The "next" gear is pre-enguaged and the clutches "swap" between the gears with lightning speed. It is the FIRST automaticly-shifting xmission that gets better MPG than a manual.
The DSG xmission is the very same technology that is used on F1 race cars with the "paddle shifters" on the steering wheel. The gear-changes are instantanious.
It has been said that this kind of xmission signals the end of the old "slushbox" automatics due to the better efficency. (Virtually no slippage)
By your description of the problem, it sounds as if somthing heat related with the ignition system. I can offer some "tricks -n- techniques" that are commonly used in the electrontics industry to locate thermal issues.
You can use a "heat gun" (hair dryer) to heat up specific components and see if the engine quits. Alternatly, you can use "canned coolant" spray that is designed to cool off electronic components by spraying them.
The above techniques may help you isolate the problem instead of just "shotgunning" the problem by replacing things until the problem goes away.
Also, If you have any experinece with DVM (Digital Volt Meter) or oscillascope, you could actually TROUBLESHOOT the problem to find the failing component.
This thing must be a blem did a search hear and only one post about heater core Leak.
Anyone know how hard to get it out ?
Can it be repaired a rad Shop ? Rather have a New one !!!
Thanks Jon
This thing must be a blem did a search here and only one post about heater core Leak.
Anyone know how hard to get it out ?
Can it be repaired a rad Shop ? Rather have a New one !!!
Thanks Jon
Recall Date:
FEB 09, 2006
Summary:
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR-WHEEL ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS (ABS), THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF FRONT TO REAR BRAKE BALANCE, AND THE REAR BRAKES COULD LOCK UP PREMATURELY DURING CERTAIN BRAKING CONDITIONS.
Consequence:
THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Potential Units Affected:
39274
Notes:
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION F05
Thanks
Replacement thread coil worked fine.
Truck alignmnet was also not fixed first time. This time they over correct the problem and truck pulls left. Truck just feels out of balance. Tires have been rotated and balanced. Maybe it's the wheels and/or tires themselves.
Back to Ford?
To replace the sparkplugs, follow this procedure for each plug. (you may have to remove intake plenum to access some plugs)
1)remove electrical connector and holddown screw
2)gently pull the coil out of the hole.
3)Remove old sparkplug
4)USE ANTISEZE COMPOUND ON NEW PLUG THREADS (not too much!)
5)Install new plug and torque to specification
6)Apply LIGHT coating of silicone grease on rubber seals of coil. (one seal where coil fits over sparkplug insulator and the other is an o-ring where the coil seals to cylinder-head.)
7)re-install coil, screw and connector.
[REPEAT 8 times]
While you are under the hood.... make sure there are NO wires nor hoses lying on the valve-covers. The valve-covers of the 4.7L engine are MAGNESIUM to reduce the weght of the engine... but magnesum is kinda soft so vibration can can wear a hole right thru it. (This warning is right in the factory service manual)
I have a service manual on order, but don't have it yet. You wouldn't happen to know the torque specs for the plugs, would you?
Thanks in advance for the info!
http://www.bgprod.com/bgdistloc/distloc.php?country=USA
Ron35
Coil Mounting stud nut = 70 in-Lbs
The Factory service manual has a BOLD WARNING about using the correct type of copper-core sparkplugs. It goes on to warn about PRE-ignition if incorrect sparkplugs are used.
Also, The factory service manual suggests using compressed air to blow away any debris from around the coils BEFORE removing them to keep crud out of the sparkplug holes.
Love the truck / hate the shake.
Thanks for any feedback.
Has anyone out there run 3318 Champion "Platinum Power" plugs in a 4.7L Dakota? One of the reasons why I'm a do-it-yourselfer is so I can step up to higher grade replacement parts when I am working on my vehicles, but if I am actually going to do harm in this case, I'll step back down to the cheaper copper core plugs.
Do not forget that BOSCH invented the sparkplug and has ALWAYS used copper in their plugs. (While some other cheeper manufacturers claim that copper is some kind of "special" thing!) BOSCH sparkplugs also have nickel-plated threads and high-silicon insulators. (The cheep Champoin plugs may not even offer these)
Using a sparkplug with nickel-plated threads will reduce the chance of having them "seize" in an aluminum cylinder head. (YES!! I have had non-plated plugs do this!!..the sparkplug snapped off in the head when removal was attempted!!!!!)
Other plugs that might work (but I have not tried)
BOSCH APP3923 (+2 double platinum)
BOSCH AP3923 (single platinum)
NGK BKR6EVX-11
NGK ZFR5F-11
NGK PZFR5F-11
DENSO BKR6E1X (iridium)
Any good synthetic in the diff. should pretty much last the life of the vehicle. Anyone that uses the COLOR of a lubricant as a guage of its lubricity may not be the best person to listen to.
I have told this story here before... The pinion seal on my rear diff. leaked out virtually ALL of the Redline synthetic during an 8-hour trip with a load in the back of my Dak. Thanks to the supiriour residual lubricating qualities of the RedLine lube.... my rear diff. was NOT DAMAGED. After installing new seal, I re-filled with RedLine again and will never consider any other lubricant.
Krusty2, I fully agree with bpeebles here. Apparently you also realize the guy was just trying to sell you additional services. If it were me I would be looking for another shop that I could trust to not try to fatten their hip pocket at my expense.
The lubricant is darker than you remember as it is impossible to get all the old lubricant out when changing and the new lubricant is going to darken up from mixing with the old along with normal useage.
I run valvoline 10w40 in the summer and 10w30 in the winter with no additives.
all suggestions will be greatly appreciated fellow dodge fans .....
Sorry about the late response.
You could have a vapor leak on a vapor pressure line and probably not see a code.
Early '03s and down have two vapor lines that run along the left side of the vehicle body and upwards towards the engine left side in the proximity of the steering column. These are rubber hoses that utilize a black plastic coupling. These vapor lines develop cracks along their length the closer they get to the engine. The rubber hoses also split right at the couplers.
If you have a model with the Leak Detection Pump, there is a filter with one vapor line going to it. This filter is attached to the battery tray. Check this and the other lines going to the pump as well.
In mid-2003 Dodge replaced some of these lines with steel tubing.
Best regards,
Dusty
Thanks for the reply. After further investigation, it smells more like pre-converter exhaust. The smell seems to be coming out from the right front wheel well. I'm suspecting an exhaust leak on that side of the engine. There isn't any abnormal exhaust sounds, however. When I take the truck in to have the heater core replaced, I'll have it looked at.
However the whine has gotten worse. I really think it's the input bearing (in the transmission). The whine shows up past a certain RPM level in every gear (I don't have a tach, so I can't tell exact RPMs).
I have the 2.5L inline 4, and I have the 5 speed manual.
I have about 82,000 miles on the truck. Have not replaced the clutch yet.
Center bearing on rear axle? Not sure what this means.
The truck is 2 wheel drive.
It has a 10 bolt rear end (fluid is full).
I've heard these trannys are difficult if not possible to repair, and that mose rebuilt trannys are junk. With that said, would my best bet be to find a tranny in a junkyard and just swap if one of the bearings IS bad?
Any tips given would be greatly appreciated!
-Josh
Again, according to the book, the New Venture 1500 is a medium-duty xmission that is ONLY used on the 4cyl 2WD Dak.
Judging from the exploded diagrams of the internal-workings of the 2 xmissions, the NV1500 is much whimpier than the NV3500. The case is much smaller and the gears are miniscule.
It is not easy to answer your question. Obviously rebuiilding your existing xmission would take your truck off the road for a longer period of time than just popping in a used unit. Also, a used unit may be of questionable integrity. If you trust the rebuilder and can deal with your truck being off the road for awhile, rebuilding is often a better way to go. (most rebuilds also come with warantee)
I was talking with a guy a while back that works on (mainly older) Dodge transmissions, and I recall he did make a comment about how bad the transmissions are to repair.
I guess another mitigating factor I failed to leave out is that back at ~40,000 miles, my rear transmission seal went out (no big deal, just the seal where the driveshaft comes out), but I did drive it for several thousand miles with the seal out. I know it had fluid in it, just not to the level that it should have been.
I appreciate knowing the model number for the transmission, it will help me start looking for rebuilts, etc. I can afford having the truck off the road for a while, but only when the weather gets warmer (motorcycle!).
So you don't think it could be the clutch or pressure plate, etc?
Thanks,
Josh
Can anyone give me some idea on how to fix this P0720 code (Output speed sensor circuit malfunction). The truck seems to drive OK and the transmission fluid a bit on the low side.
Thanks in advance.
As for exhaust choices on the 4.7L engine. A SINGLE exhaust of not more than 2.5 inch diameter has been found to be best. Any larger diameter will lose the all-important exhaust VELOCITY. (larger = slower velocity) Dual-pipes will also lose velocity.
For me, I wanted an exhaust system that NEVER needed to be replaced. (Salt-covered winter roads will disenagrate most exhaust systems) I ended up with a BORLA cat-back system. It is 100% T-304 stainless steel. It sounds great OUTSIDE the truck but the thicker metal in the pipes keeps the droning sound out the cab.
After 6 winters, my BORLA exhaust still shines like the stainless-steel spoons in the kitchen ;-)
I have a 1997 Dakota 2WD 2.5L Inline 4 5 speed Manual transmission with 82,000 miles that has a sound that continues to get worse.
I was darn sure it was the transmission as the noise wasn't present until the truck was moving down the road and shifting gears.
Now the sound has worsened, and is present when I rev the engine while the truck is parked with the transmission in neutral.
I've never replaced the water pump, nor the power steering pump. The sound really sounds like a bad bearing. I haven't noticed any antifreeze leaking from the weep hole, so I doubt it's the water pump....
I havent' really poked around the engine to try and find where the noise is coming from, but that will be my next step.
The truck has been cared for meticulously, so I'm kinda at a loss for what it could be.
Could it even be a bad alternator?
Baffled... but hopefully someone has been here and done it before.....
Thanks....
Then... after several thousand miles, REPLACE IT AGAIN. This will help dilute the old fluid and remove any metal-shavings which the old pump may have left behind. (It is nearly impossible to remove all the old fluid when it is changed)
Personallty, I run REDLINE synthetic PS fluid. I have the 4.7L engine which has a different PS system than yours. (Rack-n-pinion steering) On cold mornings, my Dak WOULD NOT STEER for about 3 minutes. I tried replacing with "normal" fluid several times but had the same problem. After putting in the REDLINE... that problem was gone.