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Dodge Dakota - Club Cab
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Comments
marty b
despite what many experience, I've found that if you drive it right a 4.7 will give you almost as good a gas mileage as the V6. The new 3.7 is a more efficient engine than the 3.9 it replaced. I have talked to only one person with the new V6 in a 2004 and he was getting about 17.5 MPG average. I can do that with my 2003 4.7 if I'm patient and slow down. I do believe that around town you'll probably do a little better with the 3.7.
The 3.7 is nothing more than a 4.7 with two cylinders removed. The block architecture is the same, so plugs and filters would be in the same position, except you'll have a little more room to work on the engine.
Best regards,
Dusty
On the '05 (don't know about the '04, personally) 3.7, everything is more accessible than it was on my '01 3.9 engine. The '01 3.9 was a manual, while the '05 3.7 is an automatic. I experience about the same fuel mileage of the two.
With the '05, I have gotten as good as 22.9 on the hiway (not driving conservative speeds), and average around 14.5 in town.
With the '01, I got about the same in town, while on one journey to Tucson (1,100 miles in a little less than 19 hours), I averaged about 23.5.
Of course, these are Quad Cab mileages, so the Club might do a bit better.
After 2002 the Dakota got different front brakes and presumable better rotors. I just had mine replaced at 47K, and they were not warped. The factory pads seem to wear the best and still produce reasonable rotor life. Some "long life" pads will last longer at the expense of faster rotor wear.
Most people tell me that on pre-2003s that aftermarket rotors will last longer. Well, in some cases. There's been complaints about aftermarket rotors, too. Cheapo aftermarkets are no better than factory and could even be worse. Then again repair techs are telling me the newer factory rotors are much better for pre-2003s.
Regards,
Dusty
I have gone on many, MANY roadtrips that last well over 18 hours.... no one has ever needed to recline a seat to sleep. Youd Dak is no worse than an airplane. Many folks find a way to sleep without reclining.
To please your wife (which is what it is all about anyway) I guess you could look into installing seat from older Dak.
I know that a Futon -matress fits perfectly in the bed of my Dak. With the cap on my Dak., it is a GREAT way to go camping.
I recently had the dealer install the mopar bedliner in my 2005 dakota (I got them to throw it in with the deal, but had to wait for it to come in). Where the rubber plugs are, there are round covers over them in the liner. Where the rear tie downs are, on either side of the tailgate, there are no covers, just sort of rectangular openings exposing the tie downs. Is this the way it's suppose to be or did the installer forget to put on the covers? I emailed dodge to ask them and they emailed me back (get this) that they didn't have a clear picture of a bedliner to answer my question and i should check with the dealer.
thanks.
Vinny
Dusty
Is Dodge known to have problems with their systems?
I just bought an 03 x-cab 4x4 2 months ago. Today while I was driving to work, the "service 4wd" light came on. Never used the 4x4 yet.
Could it be a vacuum problem?
Because of the year I'd recommend checking the electrical connections at the transfer case for corrosion. If it is, clean up the contacts and the rubber connector cover and pack the heck out of it with wheel bearing grease. Then reseat the connector.
The "Service 4x4" lamp is illuminated anytime the Transfer Case Control Module defects a fault. There are electric motors internally that do the shifting. these could be bound. But if you haven't even used the 4x4 position yet, I'd bet on the connector or a defective control module.
Best regards,
Dusty
Also, there's a noticeable whine developing in the front left that starts at approx 5 mph and increases with road speed. I thought this may be a tire problem; putting the spare on made no difference BUT the sound disappears completely when turning right. CV joint? Could this in any way be related to the rotor issue?
TIA for any suggestions.
If inspection and testing proves the caliper is otherwise okay, the problem could be the rubber brake line from the frame to the caliper. After long exposure to brake fluid they can swell on the inside causing the reverse flow (releasing) to be blocked and the caliper to be partially pressurized. This cause the pads to drag or be partially applied and this is the usual cause of scoring.
If you find the brake line to fix the problem on the left, I'd recommend replacing the other side, too.
Regarding the noise, I don't know. My first recommendation is to check the the tires, rotate, and then check front end alignment. You could have a shifted cord in one of the tires. I've never heard a CV joint "whine," but there's always a first time for any thing.
Best regards,
Dusty
Drive the vehicle (preferably at highwayspeeds) and WITHOUT USING THE BRAKES go into a rest-area and come to a stop. (I use emergancy-brake pedal to do this)
Then, gingerly feel the lugnuts for heat. Both sides should feel equally the same (perhaps warm to the touch)
If one side is noticabbly warmer than the other, suspect sticking caliper.
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY: Even if a caliper does not "stick", the brake-pads can bind on the sliders. If the mechanic that replaced your pads did not file off the burrs and apply brake-grease to this area, I would put MONEY on that being your problem.
BTW: I have replaced BOTH of the calipers on my 2000 Dak. They both started to stick within 3 months of each other.
PLEASE help, i want to know more and i want more power in my truck
THANKS & PEACE
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I was scanning the forum for any pertinent info on my 2000 v6 2wd dakota sport, and saw the download you offered rockinpoppa for his 05. I am trying to save $ with first child on it's way and was about to order a haynes or chilton. Any recommendations? Is a 2000 service manual available for download?
Getting ready to change the shocks, probably going with edelbrocks, trying to decide if I can handle it myself. Any thoughts?
Ron35
The reason for this is to ensure that the gears and other moving parts get a chance to slosh in the gear-oil for awhile.
Also, you would not get into a situation where you NEED to use 4WD but it wont go in (or come out).
Here in Veromont, my Dak may be locked in 4HI for weeks at a time in the winter. During the summer, I occasionally enguage 4HI on a STRAIGHT stretch of road for about a mile.
I use 4LO once in a while when I need to "creep" such as backing into a tight spot. (again IN A STRAIGHT LINE on dry pavement)
You may wish to consider doing the same to keep the 4X4 components in the xfer case lubed and functional.
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