any questions for a dodge tech

mastertech

have been a chrysler master
tech for 25 years.
invite any question of a technical nature.

bud_light_dude

I am considering a Dodge for the first time in my life. I have always owned GM and love them, but wonder about a change. I have heard terrible stories about Dodge transmissions in the trucks and vans. A buddy of mine has owned all GM trucks but Dodge vans and in his 3 van owning experience has had 8 transmissions. The math tells that he has had more than 2 replacements on one of them.

Others tell me that Dodges transmission problems are a myth and that I won't have any problem. What is the real story. I am considering a Dodge Ram 1500 or possibly 2500 with the 360 and auto transmission. What kind of problems could I expect?

Thanks for your honest and unbiased information.

metallian

I just bought a 2000 Dodge Dakota. Me and the wife have noticed some yellowish/brown drops in the snow in the driveway. It appears to be by the rear axle. Are we just being paranoid? We are having it looked at tomorrow. Thanks!

bowhuntwi

Got a 98 Durango, have had it back to the dealer 4 times.....when you put the window down, you have to almost count to 10, before you can put it back up, is there a timer on the motor or something, this is the only way we could show the Techs the problem, but at other times, the windows won't go up at all, unless you play with the switches. Problem 2, the fan switch whistles on the 2nd speed, was told this was normal..any help would be appreciated

uo2b4x4n2

Mastertech,
Occasionally the seatbelt on the drivers side seat-back hangs up . Presently It will not release at all.Other times after pulling slowly many, many times it will finally 'uncatch' and allow me to unroll it into use. Is this a defective seatbelt?This is on a 2000 D15004x4QC.

uo2b4x4n2

Mastertech,
Occasionally the seatbelt on the drivers side seat-back hangs up . Presently It will not release at all.Other times after pulling slowly many, many times it will finally 'uncatch' and allow me to unroll it into use. Is this a defective seatbelt?This is on a 2000 D15004x4QC.

moparmad

But you seem like a good source for an opinion.
I recently had the 904 Torqueflight in my 70 Barracuda rebuilt.The shop increased the line pressure,but told me that a shift kit would not make it shift any harder(quicker).A mechanic later told me they were wrong and a shift kit would in fact make it chirp the tires into second.It has a bored 318(323 cu in)with a purpleshaft cam(260/268 duration .429/.450 lift),Carter 625cfm AFB,Edelbrock performer intake,1 5/8" headers-2" dual exhaust,ported 340 indy racing heads,cast 9:1 pistons.Currently has a 2.76 open 8 3/4" rear,I have a 3.23 suregrip for it that will go in this spring.What do you think about the shift kit,is it worth the time or not.If it will cause it to shift harder then I better get the sure-grip in first because it will already smoke the right rear in first,second and a good hard chirp in third.

henne

hail all mighty master, i see you have your hands full but when you get around to it i would like to know if you know anything about the ticking in the dash on a 2000 dakota with the 4.7 auto, i heard that the durangos do it also, i heard it had something to do with a fuel purge solinoid, but my dealer said there is nothing that can be done for that. help, it gets louder as rpm increases and you have to crank the stereo not to hear it, its starting to grate on my nerves, other than that i like the truck,

thanks,

robert

mastertech

the purge solenoid mounted on the firewall under the hood continues to be noisy. i know of no factory fix as of yet. there is a factory bulletin concerning ticking noise that involves a
modification of the engine ground strap that attaches to the firewall. see your local dealer.

mastertech

i have many friends in the auto repair business,
working with all the major brands.
my perspective along with their input is that all
transmissions have there problems.in the big picture TORQUEFLITES are no better or worse than
any other auto trans.

bookitty

I have a Quad with 4.7 on order. I have heard a great deal of comment in regard to a build up of foam and water droplets forming in the oil fill tube, under the cap. Is this a real problem that has been recognized by the manufacturer? Are you familiar with this type of episode? Will await you answer. Thank you and good luck. It is very nice to have you aboard.

Bookitty

mwolak

Could you please describe the all wheel drive option on the Dakota 4x4, with a 4.7 engine? Is it the Jeep Quadra trac (II)? The tiny picture in the brochure seems to show a 2 options for the hi position. Is this right?

lariat1

Hey mastertech, I have a 98 dodge ram 2500 with the 24 valve cummins. Recently the tachometer died and the check engine light came on after about a minute the tach started to work again and the next day the check engine light went out. The truck has done this a couple of times do you have any insight on what could cause this? And do you know if the fix is covered under the 100,000 mile engine warranty? Thanks for your time.

carls5

I am going to be ordering a 4x2Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4.7 V8 autotrans within the next day or so. I understand that 3.92 ration will increase my towing capacity to 6100# and that it will only effect my gas mileage when I am towing. Is this correct? What can I expect as an overall MPG figure normal driving when not towing? Also curious about the 4 wheel ABS. I have heard both good and bad thing. Is it a worthwhile expense to get the 4 wheel ABS?

moparmad

Carl5...I know I'm not the master mechanic,but I do know that the 3.92's will affect your gas mileage all the time,not just when your towing,I just couldn't tell you how much.The bad things I have heard about ABS have to do with it's offroad use.I think many people are scared by the pedal shudder that ABS causes when it is activated,I have heard many people say that you can stop faster without ABS.This is true if you can reliably hit the apex braking point of your tires,the point just before they skid.Most people,including me,cannot do this in a panic situation and are therefore better off with ABS.Plus ABS will give you a break on your insurance.
If anyone reads this and I am wrong feel free to correct me I will not get upset about it.

carls5

moparmad - thank you for your response. I ordered my Quad cab this morning and went with the 3.92 to give me more towing capacity so I am stuck with the lower MPG but I am curious what I can expect if anyone has any experience. I decided to go with ABS on only the rear wheels but after reading your response I will have to think it over. Hopefully I will still get an insurance break with ABS on two wheels.

Thanks Again
Carl

bud_light_dude

I like it when people disagree respectively. You get some real varying experiences and learn a lot about different trucks. That is what I am here for and I think most people are.

I have enjoyed reading your posts and info.

Just don't disagree with the old fart in the Dodge Transmission Problems topic. Man is he a cranky cuss. What started as innocent conversation ended in him slamming GM and their trucks. Really set me wrong. I think ALL trucks are made pretty damn good these days. I am having a hard time deciding on another GM (been a loyal GM owner my whole life) or give a Dodge a try. Some really good advantages to both make it hard!

Thanks for your opinions without prejudice. Your input is always welcome from me.

stabbur

Techman,
I'm trying to decide whether to buy a 2001 QC 4x2 2500 with the ETH and six speed or the lower rated diesel that comes with the automatic. We travel with a slide in camper. Unfortunately, there are no six speeds nearby that I can drive. I have access to plenty of 5 speeds but these don't have the ETH engine. My concern is whether my wife (we share the driving) will find stop and go traffic we sometimes encounter on our long trips a bother with a really stiff clutch. Is the clutch on the 5 speed exactly the same mechanically and/or the pedal stiffness of the clutch the same on these two engines?
Thanks very much for your advice.

jonesn41

Are the new Six speeds going to give you a better high end power, or are gear ratios the same range as the five speed just divided more. That is to say can I expect to get better mileage with the six speed doing primarily long distance highway miles.

myersed

Mastertech,
What info do you have Re: the ground strap modification you mentioned?
1) Any idea how it is supposed to eliminate ticking?
2) What ticking is it supposed to eliminate? 3) Also, do you know what the modification consists of?

I asked my local dealer and they pleaded ignorance. I just hate having to get the facts for somone who is supposed to be knowledgable. And to think we are supposed to pay a $60 +/hourly rate for this type of service- after warranty runs out.

myersed

mastertech,
My 2000 Dakota QuadCab has no zerk fittings and there appears to be minmal grease in the upper/lower ball joints and steeing knuckles boots. Any idea how we could lube them.

The owner/operator manual lists these to be lubed at required intervals- kinda tough to do, now that the fittings don't exist. There are no pre-positioned holes to even insert a fitting as far as I can tell.

frank12

I have a problem when I start my 99 Dakota V6,
Sometimes the engine makes a racket (kindof like a belt slipping, but my fanbelt is tight, so I don't think that is the problem) until it warms up, then the noise goes away.

I think I have tracked down the noise and it is
the engine cooling fan. (Once the fan disengages
after initial starting, I don't think the fan
clutch is releasing all the way) But every time I
take it to the dealership, the noise will not
present itself, so they won't even look at it.

So, I checked Alldata to see if there were any
TSB's relating to this, and I found 2 that look
like they might help me diagnose my problem

TSB Number Title
07-05-98 Engine cooling fan noise
07-09-98 Viscous Fan Drive Service

Does anybody here have access to the actual
writeups on these TSB's? I would like to be able
to go to the dealership with the TSB writups in
hand so they can see exactly what the problem is
and fix it. (no more of the "we can't create it,
so you must be imagining it crap)

thanks for your help!

jrd49

my son has a 99 1500 small v8 with terrible engine knock. 3 times back in & still no fix. tsb promised soon by regional rep. any knowledge?

please excuse my entry if stated wrong - first time !

davids1

When does the knock occur. At startup, under hard acceleration, etc. Let us know if anything is done about it.

wilmar1

Have a 2000 Dodge Quad, 2x4 w/4.7 & auto trans. It has a rear-end whine (loud) in coast mode. Last car I owned with a rear-end whine, the verdict was: "Acceptable for a mass produced differential." What is the probability; will it go away, get worse, fail or simply continue to whine forever?

bat123

Yesterday 16 Feb I called Daimler Chrysler to determine the order status of 2001 2500 Quad Cab 4X with Cummins. Talked with Dan Bogojevski. Never had the extreme displeasure of speaking to an illiterate, abusive, arrogant, and indifferent troglodyte. He deleted my order placed 24 Jan. How does a person doing phone support refuse access to management support / intervention. These DC customer assistance folks are arrogant to new extremes. According to Dan Bogojevski I have one option only - Reorder. With wait times exceeding 60 days and now having a little insight into DC customer care, reordering has little appeal. There are many vehicles available perfectly adequate to meet our needs At least GM and Ford have alternative venues in place to prevent one employee from taking such extreme measures. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank You. Bruce - bat123@qnet.com

carls5

Bat123, Sorry you hit a bad one. I have dealt with three different people so far and everyone has been polite and helpful. I suggest that you call back the number and ask for a supervisor. Tell them your problem and ask for help. If that does not work ask for the supervisors supervisor, keep excalating. I doubt very much if he could delete your order but if this did happen than I would complain and state that you expect priority treatment and that they should be going back to your dealer, rerequesting the order and give it a high priority when they enter it back into the system.

Good Luck
Carl

tentx

We just bought a 2000 Ram 1500 Club Cab, with the 5.2L V-8. Fuel Filter isn't even listed in owner's manual. None of the maint. sched. mention changing the fuel filter. Does it have a fuel filter? How often should it be changed?
Thanks, Tom

1174

I have 97 Dakota V6 with a pinging problem that don't seem to whant to go away.
I have taken it to the dealer 3 times, they have re-programed the computer, retarded the ignition (which makes no sense, if anything they should advance the ignition) and i am getting frustraded with this.

I would really appreciate your input.. thanks

p.s. I have tried every octane of fuel

cyoungstrom

I picked up my 2000 Dakota Quad Cab yesterday. One thing the salesman told me was that the light switch WILL burn out if the fog lights and headlights are used at the same time. He said they are replacing them on a regular basis, but dodge is only providing them with the same switch, that they do not have an upgraded one yet. Do you know anything about this?
cyoungstrom

markcord

Wow, I get better mileage than that (13-15 highway & 9-10 city) with my V10 4x4 QC LB. Are you sure there isn't something wrong with it?

bigal31

I've heard alot about this problem.I just traded in my "98" Dakota sport for a 2000 Quad 4x4 and when I was there I talked with the guys at the shop. They told me that its the coil wire lying in the wrong spot. It needs to be moved,around and off the motor.Check into it. Let me know how you make out.
Allen

1174

Allen, thanks for your response. I'm leaving for a month, but when I get back I'll take it to the dealer and we'll see what happens. thanks Ed

rrichf

Why would a coil wire lying next to a source of ground cause a pinging or knocking? If the ground caused that one cylinder not to fire on a regular basis I could understand a clogged up catalytic converter.
Rich

townsend5

Is there anything I can do to improve my Rams 5.9l engine fuel economy? I've heard that you can get a mopar air box that draws cold air in to improve fuel economy. Is this true? Are there any other mods. that can be done that don't void the waranty?

bmckenzie

I have been following this Forum awhile, if I am not mistaken it use to be "Ask a dodge truck salesman" (Trex) forum. Back then I had problems getting questions answered, and Trex turned it over to Mastertech, now again I see alot of questions but limited answers from the host Mastertech. Please someone correct me if I am wrong, because I have Dodge Ram (Cummins) questions but am afraid they will never be answered, again.......Bill

bookitty

And I'm afraid that you are absolutely correct. Trex left the world of Dodge dealerships and turned over the topic to mastertech. Now that both have been swallowed whole by a vacuum created in the ether net, we are on our own.

Bookitty

bigal31

You are right ,there gonzo. They must not own a dodge.. If they did they would understand the importance of their input on our dodge trucks. Oh-well. We'll manage,just stick together.
Allen

bmckenzie

I am with you guys, I think we can probably fend for ourselves pretty well, and use our own experience as a jack of all trades (mastertech) of none............Bill

wildmanbaker

The fuel filter on you 318 in part of the fuel pump that is in the fuel tank. It is only serviced when the fuel pump is changed, hopefully in a very long time. Dodge did this this to try to improve the longevity of the fuel pumps, as it filters all fuel before it goes to the pump.

good luck,
Wildman

bookitty

Hey guys and girls, how about helping out a student working on a doctoral dissertation by participating in a painless survey. Go to topic 1693. Thanks.

Bookitty

jcmdie

If you don't get an answer here, I would suggest trying another dealer. Bringing the problem back to the same guys and having them overlook the problem isn't helping either of you out. Fresh eyes, hands and minds might peg it out. Good Luck.

sadie2

I have been experiencing a "bucking" in my '99 Dakota V8 especially between 55-60 mph and when going up any type of incline at any speed. Seems like the truck doesn't know what gear it is supposed to be in or the timing is off. I took it to the Dealer, they said there is TSB 18-48-98 out on this. They rerouted the Spark plug wires per the bulletin to eliminate drivability concerns including surge in 4th gear and torque converter engagement. I cannot seem to get a copy of this TSB. It seems to have corrected the problem but I just got the truck fixed last night. Anybody else have similar problems?

bmaige

I have a friend who has a Dodge with the diesel engine, and I owned a Ford with a diesel some time ago. I advised him to get the shop manual on his engine, learn to change the fuel filter himself, then put the tools and an extra fuel filter in the truck in the event he got some bad fuel and had to change it on the road. He got the manual, read it, had his brother, who normally does all his own maintenance read it, and said the task of changing the fuel filter on the Cummins engine seemed to be pretty tough, mentioning sensors and so forth, so his brother suggested that he let the dealer change it. The parts (filter) cost $20.00 and the labor $42.00. I am thinking of buying a new Dodge truck with the Cummins diesel, and like to do my own maintenance, as well as know how to keep a vehicle running. Has anyone changed their own fuel filter on this diesel, and is it that much of a bear to change?

rrichf

bmaige,
I've always changed the fuel filters on my Fords. No real problem. I think that in the '92 there was a sensor in the filter assembly but not a big deal. If the manual is talking sensors maybe it is just a cautionary thing.

The biggest problem that I had was getting the air out of the filter. The '99 is slightly more difficult as it is necessary to drain the bowl before installing the new filter and then refilling the bowl.

Rich

bmaige

I had no problem changing the fuel filters on my Ford, either, and looking at my brother-in-law's Power Stroke in a more recent model F-350 it appeared to be even easier to change than mine. I even have a Ford 5000 diesel tractor (agricultural)that I change the fuel filters on, and they aren't that bad to work with since they and the injectors are out in the open. I haven't seen any information on changing the Cummins filters, however, and that is what I am curious about. I don't know if my friend just got spooked or if it really is a bear of a job. I like to keep diesel fuel filters changed even more frequently than called for to insure clean fuel goes into the injector pump and injectors.

tpeters1

My 5.9L sounds llike it has tappet noise coming from the passenger side of the engine. I've got 500 miles on the truck and need help in resolving this problem. Any TSB's or fixes for this? Anyone else with the same problem?

trambitis

I'll soon be buying one of these units for my 2001 Ram diesel 6-speed manual but which one to go with? I like the Jacobs name but their unit is about twice the price of the BD. Any insight on this, fellow Ramheads? Thanks

cmick

I have a 2000 cc with the 4.7 multispeed tranny. Since I got the truck it has had a slip in the 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 2nd shift. My dealer has had it 3 times. They have reprogrammed the TCM twice which has not fixed the problem. They don't seem to be too concerned with the problem but it is unacceptable to me. Any suggestions on what the problem could be and what could be done?

drewsky

ttechmoose, Did you find a solution to the pulling brakes?? I have been dealing with the same problem on mine for a long time. Multiple dealers have been no help and the truck is long past warranty. It does make for some interesting rides in emergency braking situations.

warfish

Or anyone else who may know the answer.
I have a 2001 2500 Quad cab diesel with auto and 3.54 gears. Can I expect this rig to pull a 8500 to 9000 lb fifth wheel in OD. Friends with similar rigs say they do it and cruise the highways at 70+. I can't get it up to 65 without it shifting in and out of OD, and it downshifts on the slightest grade. Driving with OD off is very noisey and the mileage sucks at 9.5. Am I expecting too much or is this truck not performing up to par?