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Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Trucks / November 2007Fix or Cut Losses
My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto trans. Some rust on box. Fix or replace? Jasper wants almost $2400 for a reman. I'll also mention that we now have 4 drivers sharing 2 cars. Daughter's car's engine seized in July and I've yet to fix or replace it. Life is still damn good, the logistics are getting tricky. Ken >My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure >goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Ken How about droping the pan and replacing the rod bearings if it runs well otherwise. Also you could try using 15w40 (not 10w40) as that will boost oil pressure and film thickness. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com >>My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil >>pressure [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > ----------------- > TheSnoMan.com Thanks for the reply. I think I'll at least get the pan off and see what I find. Ken > My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure > goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Ken Does this ole truck have any sentimental value???? Assuming 2wd, this truck is about $2,000 in fair condition after you put the motor in. Excellent condition is about $3,000. You'd have to drive this truck for several years with no other major problems to get your money out of it. Maybe it's time to put the ole beast to rest..... Or maybe find a boneyard motor for $5-700?? It's a gamble on getting a good one but it's another option to look at.. Denny >> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil >> pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Denny Thanks for the reply. I'm actually thinking of kinda going with Snoman's idea, except I'm thinking of going with a crank kit and an oil pump and leave the rest alone. It was running pretty good until this problem. Have to see what I see when I drop the pan. Maybe some fresh rod bearings will get me by. Our son is in college and our daughter will be going next year. We're far from starving, but money is going to get nothing but tighter for the next few years. Ken >>> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure >>> goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Ken After college, there are weddings, then helping them buy their first house. Does it ever end? >After college, there are weddings, then helping them buy their first house. >Does it ever end? Not really, not till the grave anyway. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com I was there recently with my 98 Dakota (98k miles) with serious body damage (entire right side). In excellent condition it is worth about $6,000 (loaded Sport V8). The body damage is $4,000. I gave it to my son for graduation so he has sentimental value in it. He didn't want another vehicle either and was going to drive it as is but I felt bad about it. It was on the border of selling it as is or fix it. I decided to fix it. Rear end was recently rebuilt ($1,300 for that little deal). All ball joints and upper control arm bushings replaced, new rubber, paint is not good but not bad either. All in all, the truck probably has another 100k left to it if he can only keep it without wrecking it again. All these years and no body damage at all. I am a two parking spot user and take great pride in the way my vehicles look and drive. It's not a door stop for the irresponsible. Bottom line: Is it worth it to you? With that many miles I would toss it and find another one like it. You can get a nice 2000 or newer with less than 100k for less than $5,000. I did once, drove it for 2 years, wrecked it once, repaired it, then sold it for more than I paid for it. It can be done. >> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure >> goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Denny > My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil > pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Ken After draining the oil and removing the oil filter I saw that the filter didn't have any oil in it. What would cause this? I use Wix filters. Ken >> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure >> goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Ken It's either drainback, doubtful, or oil pump is out, likely. >>> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil >>> pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > It's either drainback, doubtful, or oil pump is out, likely. With the angle the oil filter is at in relation to the block it would seem that drainback would be near impossible. >>>> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil >>>> pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > With the angle the oil filter is at in relation to the block it would seem > that drainback would be near impossible. Is there a check valve before the oil gets into the filter? >>>>> My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil >>>>> pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Is there a check valve before the oil gets into the filter? Not sure. Where would I look? "NapalmHeart" <olsonfamNOSPAM@iserv.net> wrote in news:13gk95thc6ts889 @corp.supernews.com: >>>>> After draining the oil and removing the oil filter I saw that the >>>>> filter didn't have any oil in it. What would cause this? I use [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> > Not sure. Where would I look? Don't even bother! The fact you've got noise in the lower end would lead any reasonable mechanic to pull the oil pan and change out the oil pump. Unless of course you'd rather blow the sumbitch up first. > "NapalmHeart" <olsonfamNOSPAM@iserv.net> wrote in news:13gk95thc6ts889 > @corp.supernews.com: [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Unless of course you'd rather blow the sumbitch up first. Truck is out of service. I wish it was as simple as pulling the oil pan and changing the pump. As was noted earlier in the thread, the pan won't come of this truck with the engine still in the truck, even with the engine lifted. Investigating the possibilities available. This truck may turn into a donor for a different truck. I hope not. Ken getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure > goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto > trans. OK, I followed the instructions in the manual that I've got. Even with the engine lifted as high as I can get it and the transmission mount unbolted I can't get enough room to get the oil pan out. Any ideas on how I can get the pan off w/o pulling the engine? Thanks, Ken > getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure >> goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 V-6, auto [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Ken is this a 2wd dakota? if so i have NEVER been able to remove the pan fully without removing the engine. i dont care what the dodge service manual says it cant be done, no-one in any of the dodge shops i ever worked in was able to do it. that being said, you can drop the pan far enough to reach in, whipe the gunk/sludge out of the bottom of the pan and be able to replace the oil pump. its not fun but doable.  SignatureChris 05 CTD 06 Liberty CRD >> started >> getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > oil > pump. its not fun but doable. It is a 2WD. I was thinking about separating the transmission and engine, then lifting the engine just enough more to get the pan off. I want to get a better look at what's in there than I would be able to with the pan still on it. Thanks for the reply. Ken > It is a 2WD. I was thinking about separating the transmission and engine, > then lifting the engine just enough more to get the pan off. I want to [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Ken I always found it easier to just pull the motor and then you can see everything you need to. I have tried doing the bearings from below and it is a real PIA. Once I pulled the motor and could see everything I found that my crankshaft needed turning so I went to a machine shop and they had the right crank already done at 10over (just swapped the old crank) and I got the bearings there too and that did the job right with no guesswork. While everything was out I put in an oil pump and put the motor back in. The whole thing was a one day job taking my time. This was after spending almost a full day trying to take the shortcut......:-). IIRC, the total cost was well under $500.00 for everything including seals and gaskets. Ed >> It is a 2WD. I was thinking about separating the transmission and >> engine, then lifting the engine just enough more to get the pan off. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Ed Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to get by with just replacing the oil pump. One thing leads to another! Ken >>> started >>> getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > Ken if your going to separate the engine and trans its just a couple more plugs and hoses then the engine is totally out and much easier to work with. if your going that far you may as well pull her all the way out and hang it on a stand. much safer than hanging from the crane, i had one fall on my left hand because of a crane failure its not pleasant and i'd hate to hear about it happening to you, i was lucky it didn't totally destroy my hand but i still have pain 10 years later. SignatureChris 05 CTD 06 Liberty CRD <snip> > if your going to separate the engine and trans its just a couple more > plugs [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > hand > but i still have pain 10 years later. I really appreciate your input and concern on the safety issue. This is turning into a far bigger project than I wanted to deal with right now. If I go this far, I'm tempted to go with a complete rebuild. It would cost more than I can really afford right now, but far less than the cost of replacing the truck. At least I know what the condition of the rest of the components are with what I've got. Ken > <snip> >> if your going to separate the engine and trans its just a couple more [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Ken you know a jasper re-man comes with a 3 year 75,000mile warr. or at least it did nearly 5 years ago when i got out of working on cars. SignatureChris 05 CTD 06 Liberty CRD I think I posted a reply to this a while back about my 98 Dakota that was wrecked and I was thinking of replacing the truck or repairing it. Well, I'm glad I decided to repair. The body shop did an absolutely beutiful job! I am amazed! The truck looks better now than it did before it was wrecked. The entire right side was replaced for $3,900. That includes new fender, used rear bed panel, used door (all electric), new OEM front fender, and new cab side extension panel. They repaired the rocker and included a hood paint job because the paint started to come off due to Chrylser's insufficient amount of clear coating. And the best part is - NO bondo was used except to cover a couple welds - less than 2 oz. total. >>>> started >>>> getting some rod clatter and the oil pressure [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > about it happening to you, i was lucky it didn't totally destroy my hand > but i still have pain 10 years later. Sounds like you need to add a page from the GM book on the S Series. The little part about unbolting the front body mounts and spacing the body up a couple inches to work on it. SignatureSteve W. Near Cooperstown, New York > My '97 Dakota just started getting some rod clatter and the oil > pressure goes to near 0 at idle. Approx. 202,500 miles on it. 3.9 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Ken Update: Bought the daughter an '02 Malibu and have determined that the Dak motor is toast. Just from looking at 1 rod bearing I can see that approx. 200,000 was the life of this particular motor. Since I don't want another payment I'm looking to replace the engine. I figure that if I fix this truck I know what condition it's in from bumper to bumper. If I buy something else used, I may well be buying someone else's problems. New isn't even in the picture. Been working almost everyday. Wednesday was my 1st day off in 30, so things have moved slow. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Ken Olson Clarksville MI |
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