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Dodge Dakota - Quad Cab
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Comments
When you say "Magnum" form what are you referring to? Did they change the camshaft in hopes of improving torque, gas mileage, etc.? That 6 really lopes at idle but it doesn't run too rough.
Regards,
Dusty
Thanks.
>>I had a Dodge van with a 318 in it and can't help but notice how mopar engines seem to run rougher than other motors.<<
Well, this may actually be the case, I don't know. But, in my experience not all GMs ran that smoothly, either. My 4.7 is very smooth. Not as smooth as my Nissan or our Toyota, but pretty close.
>>On the 3.9 you can't manipulate the throttle to get it to stay at 1,000 rpm (with trans in Park).<<
Yeah, I think you'll notice that on a lot of different vehicles. The engine computer knows when the throttlebody isn't on the idle stop. It's probably the result of being in open loop so close to the closed loop idle speed.
>>Seems to like either 600 or 1,500rpm but doesn't like to maintain rpms in between.<<
Hmmm. There may be something wrong with this particular 3.9. That doesn't sound right. I've driven 3.9s and don't remember them acting that way.
>>Sure wish the 4 speed auto tranny shifted as well as the electronic 4 speed auto in my Buick.<<
I haven't driven much (many) of the newer 3.9 automatics, but they have a "learn" feature which adjusts for your type of driving. It might take a while for this to occur (a number of miles) depending on how you drive.
>>What's Chryslers idea behind no coolant recovery system?<<
According to my Dakota service manual, you have the same coolant recovery tank as I do on my 4.7. When standing in front of the engine bay, with the hood opened, the coolant recovery tank is the right side portion (left side of vehicle) of the washer fluid tank.
>>Curious as to why the 3.9 is only rated at 175hp when my Buick 3800 is rated at 200hp? What did Chrysler leave out of this motor?<<
Nothing. Keep in mind that the 3.9 is not a car motor, but only used in truck or van platforms. Look at the torque ratings of both engines and the rpm of the rated HP. The cast iron 3.9 will most likely have a completely different torque/horsepower curve because of the type of vehicle its used in (truck vs. car). It is typical of truck engines to develop more torque or torque sooner in the rpm range. This is usually the exact opposite of car motors.
Best regards,
Dusty
Dusty
The "Learn" feature is also on my Buick. That probably explains that situation. I have to re-learn my Buick transmission after the wife has driven it around town :-)
I found the coolant recovery tank. Thanks for pointing it out as well as the other information in your message.
Didn't realize the 3.9 is strictly a truck/van motor.
Sorry to have stirred things up. Wasn't intending on doing that. Thanks again.
Word from my GM employee friend is that car/truck sales are off 10% due to all the people who have previously taken advantage of the rebates/incentives.
Around here (Rochester, NY area) the Ford dealers are the ones that have lots of '03 inventory. My local Dodge dealer did have one '02 stripper Dakota for sale up to mid-April, I think. But RAMs around here seem to be moving okay. By March they had moved all of their '02 RAM stock.
Good luck with your new Dakota Quad.
Best regards,
Dusty
Im thinking of getting a 03 quad, here is the setup.
2wd, 4.7l V8, 5sp auto, leather, cd, power driver seat, anti-spin axle, infinity speaker system, pwr convience group, pwr overhead group, rear window defroster, bodyside molding, deluxe convience group. Price is $21,996. Ive looked all around my area and this is the best price ive seen. sound good to you guys? I really want to get a truck now, I wish I knew what the 04's looked like. Should I wait or buy now?
1. Dash rattle when motor idles in gear.
2. Growling sound coming from the steering column. Sounds like power steering pump noise traveling up the column.
Time to test the service departments capabilities. Anyone else experience this?
I do have a slight whistling sound that appears to be coming from the driver's defroster outlet when I have the passenger window opened just a crack. But not one rattle or discrepant noise otherwise.
Good luck with the new truck.
Regards,
Dusty
Steering column growl has stopped and haven't heard it again. Didn't contact the dealer on this either.
My Quad is at 1,500 miles now. Will take it in for the first oil change as recommended by the dealer. Engine is settling down nicely and is running very smooth. 4 speed auto tranny has learned my driving habits and is very smooth. I fooled it by backing off of the gas when it was expecting more. Stayed in second gear longer because of this but realized what I was up to and shifted :-) Seems to be pretty intelligent (LOL)City mpg is around 17 to 18 with one tank at 16 due to the breakin full throttle routine. Applied the first application of Zaino show car polish. If you aren't using Zaino better read the maintenance discussion boards here at Edmunds. Have not found anything that compares to it.
The truck is in good shape and my only concern is the 5.9 engine - I would much prefer the 4.7.
Any comments on the 5.9? I don't see this engine in the Dakota much and I am concerned about it's gas mileage because of older technology. Any other issues to look for in a used '02 or '03 Dakota?
Thanks in advance for your comments.
You should find the 4.7 does it all, but the 5.9 will give you extra (overkill?)
thx
In either case here is the scoop
3.55 = better MPG, worse accelleration, lower engine RPMs for a given roadspeed
3.92 = more towing power, worse MPG, better accelleration, higher engine RPMs at a given roadspeed
BOTTOM LINE: The 3.92 is most often selected by folks who are expecting to do a lot of towing. It is also the choice for a 2 wheel drive when one expects to win drag races.
How does the higher engine RPMs effect the engine? I mean over time any problems, Im assuming it has higher RPM's to give it quicker acceleration? How much mgp drop is there?
thx for help
I don't think the higher rev's that you will experiance will affect the engine much with 3.92 vs 3.55 as far as problems go.
looking for some real world info on an 03 Quad. Model I'm interested in is a V6 with a stick 3.55 axle ratio. Wondering what mpg might be. I am putting a camper shell on it (does that help mpg). Read some consumer reports about warping rotors and engines being replaced after less than 5k miles. Any truth in this. I am driving a Toyota Tacoma 97 now and have had no problems but need more space.
Thanks
I'm getting 17-18mpg in town (16 with acceleration per breakin procedure) and have seen 24mpg on highway only driving with a/c off. I based my purchase on price and options due to the fact that I live in the flatlands where there are no hills, mountains and I don't tow anything heavier than a small boat. Dealer gave me $2k in addition to the $3k factory rebate. I paid $18k for the truck. Had I opted for the 4.7 the dealer would have tacked on an additional $1,900 because they only had the 4.7 available with a ton of options added in (didn't need or want them).
I drove semis and have plenty of experience with trucks with about the same horsepower as many pickups have these days.
Try driving a truck with 40,000 lbs on the trailer and 220hp under the hood. Of course torque is the key under these circumstances. You don't run up the hills at 60mph. That's a major reason why I could care less if my Quad is "underpowered". I'm used to it. Amateur drivers tend to think you need to be able to pull a load up a steep grade without losing any speed. In 1982 I won an award for high fleet fuel mileage. I averaged 13mpg on single run with a new Cummins fuel squeezer big cam. Last I knew that record has not been broken in the company I drove for.
I would suggest that you examine your needs before making a decision. Word has it that GM will turn the Dakota into an obsolete vehicle this fall when they bring out the Colorado and Canyon to compete with the Dakota. If that happens Daimler better get their act together. I hope this doesn't happen but if it does I plan on keeping my Dakota for a year or so and see how the GM's are holding up.
Mid Size?????????? it is smaller than the S10!!!! by ghislain Canada Jun 24, 2003 (10:57 pm)
Just been on the GM Web sites and decided to compare the Specs for the
Colorado vs the S10. This sure was a downer; I was very excited about
this MIDSIZE truck; but now I would really like someone with GM
connections to explain where the MIDSIZE designation comes from
Here is what I found comparing the Crew Cab versions:
Colorado Width 67.6 S10 is 67.9
height 67.9 S10 is 63.4
Headroom F/R 39.3/37.1 S10 39.6/38.2
Legroom F/R 42.2/34.4 S10 42.4/34.6
Shoulder F/R 57.1/57.1 S10 57.1/57.2
And here is the kicker
The Maximum Towing Capacity of the Colorado is 4000 lb.. vs 5200 lb.
for the S10.
I sure feel like someone has rained on my parade and I sure hope that
the MSRP will be in line with these specs.
GM engineers must be great at optical illusionism to make this truck
appear a lot bigger than it really is.
The only consolation is that the cargo box of the Colorado is approx. 5
inches longer.
Ron
It rolled off the truck Friday morning and I picked up that afternoon with 9miles on the odo.
4.7L 5speed auto, bucketseats, 255tires, 3:92axle, limited slip. 2 tone, Garnet red/gray. Really love it so far, Im being careful and not going over 50mph for the first 500miles, then not over 60mph with some fast excelleration.
Also, is the receiver hitch that comes from the factory a 2"?
Thanks!
I think the ride quality is pretty good, whether its all in the tires, I don't know. Is the ride like a Lincoln tTown Car? No. I'd classify it as "firm," but not harse or abusive on average pavement.
I did drive a dakota SLT in normal configuration (standard suspension, 15-inch passenger tires) and I seem to remember the ride was softer. Just how much I can't tell you, but I went from a Nissan Sentra, a Chevy G20, and a Toyota avalon, and I think the ride with the bigger tires is very good especially considering the suspension.
Best way to find out if the tires will make you unhappy is to test drive the vehicle.
Best of luck,
Dusty
not only a vast number of ball mounts and other accessories such as carriers and bike racks, but the 1-1/4 inch accessories as well utilizing an adapter. The tow capacity is limited by the particular truck.
Bookitty
SLT+, 4.7, 3.55 lsd, 5 spd, heavy duty service grp, tow package, ovr head convenience grp,Infinity speakers, rr window def/heated mirrors,etc. after market accessories Smittybilt stainless steel "nerf" bars, ARE tonneau,
line-x spray on over cap, 3" Dynamax cat back exhaust, K&N drop in air filter, Intake mod with fernco elbow/stainless steel tube/couple wrapped in insulation tape and covered with aluminium tape.
Now have 26,000+ miles, this is a great vehicle for travelling, July 5 drove from La Mesa (San Diego) to San Fernando Valley and back 370 mi. 70-80 mph with a/c on 20% of trip and 35 mi of city driving 19.6 mpg on computer actual 20 mpg ( 369 mi 18.4 gal)
Took 2 trips to Oakland, Ca. in May due to family deaths, not fun but avg 18-19 mpg for both trips running a/c 70-80% of trips 2300 miles total.
I'm using 5w-30 Mobil 1 oil w/ Mobil 1 filter changing every 3-4000 mi's.
Still planning on changing tranny and rear end over to Redline, where is everyone purchasing the redline from?
Otherwise no problems, only complaint is only 1 12volt outlet in cab, and side dash vents don't put out enough air ! After 26,000 miles if this is my only complaints I guess I'll keep this truck !!!!LOL
Have a good day !!!!
Lee
I agree with your suspicions about a relay sticking. You could take the cover off of the PDC (Power Distribution Center) that's in the engine compartment (driver's side) and check the relays to see which are still warm. You should be able to rule out relays that control things that make noise or illuminate something, or other obvious signs of being energized, like the radiator fan relay.
(If the radiator relay was still energized, the radiator fan would be operating.)
Or, just pull them all out when you park the vehicle, and re-insert them before the next restart. That could confirm or eliminate a relay problem.
Another not-so-obvious culprit could be the alternator. I've seen diodes short and allow battery drain.
Let us know what it turns out to be.
Best of luck,
Dusty
Good luck with it; as a previous poster stated, please let us know if you find out what the problem is.
Jeff
Bookitty
(Since technicians at auto dealerships usually get paid flat-rate, there is little incentive to invest precious labor time on a mystery problem like yours, when there are other flat-rate jobs waiting that can make more money for them.)
I have a 2003 Dakota service manual, not the RAM, but I suspect that there are genealogical similarities in the electrical systems. There are, depending on the optional equipment your's has, up to 8 or 12 discrete electronic devices in the system that draw current when the ignition switch is in the off position. This current is drawn through the Ignition Off Draw (IOD) circuit. There is even a fuse for this. For Dakota, the service manual states that normal draw is anywhere between 5 and 35 milliamperes.
Now, again for Dakota, the service manual does state that:
"A vehicle that has not been operated for approximately 20 days, may discharge the battery to an inadequate level. When a vehicle will not be used for twenty days or more (stored), remove the IOD fuse from the junction box."
Seven days is out of the specified range. If the IOD current drain is within specification, and you have no other load devices taking current, I suspect that you have a defective battery.
There appears to be a tool called the "Micro 420 Battery Tester" that can (should?) be used to check the battery's general health. But, this takes more than 10 minutes, I'm sure.
There are now three reports on the Edmunds boards that mention battery failure on 2002 Dodge trucks. It's possible that there's a bad batch of batteries out there.
By the way, since I have the distinct pleasure of visiting our Toyota dealer now and again, you may have been equally dissapointed in a Tundra. Unlike the Camry, which is one of the best cars built in America, I've not been impressed with what I see at the Toyota service department regarding Tundras.
I'd have another dialog with your truck's service department, that is if you can find someone with motivation or intelligence to talk to.
Best of luck,
Dusty
Anyway, thanks for the ideas!
Jeff
4X2 in Atlantic Blue
4.7L V-8
3.92 axle
P245 Tires
Heavy Duty Service
Tow Package
Security Group
Power Overhead
Anti-Spin Diff
Power heated side mirrors
Rear sliding window
Power bucket Seats
6-disk CD changer
8 Infinity speakers in 6 locations - what does that mean?
Leather wrapped steering wheel with audio controls
Under rail bed liner
Paid $ 23,525 after rebate.
MSRP was $ 28,550
So far, I'm absolutely loving the vehicle. I plan on towing a good sized pop-up tent trailer, and, according to mother-in-law, her horses occasionally.
I have noticed a low pitched moan when backing and slightly pressing on the brake. Pushing more pressure, the noise goes away. Sounds like vibration from the disk and pad. Is this normal, or should I take it in to get looked at? Is it something that will go away once the brakes are used a little?
Other than that, no complaints. Would love some advice on the brake noise... thanks.
Bookitty
Then you'd see some real wheel spin.....trust me, I've ridden in Hemi cars with this very setup and boy do they light the tires.
Bookitty
Glad to be here.
Dakowner
I've been in a Quad Cab that had a 4.7 and it would spin the rears. In fact, there's a video on the web of a 2002 RAM Quad in a bumper pull that get's lots of wheel spin. (By the way, the RAM won.)
My daughter did a burn-out with my Dakota that left about 150 feet of tire marks on her street, and mine's got LSD. Granted, my Dak is lighter than a Quad, but I know the 545RFEs will do it.
But, yet to see a 5.7 do it.
Bests,
Dusty
Bookitty