This should have been a red flag.

Wolfe I think you are a little too trusting by not having a PPI done. You should have insisted on having a PPI done before committing. Some assertiveness is required especially in the area of car buying. Wifey will thank you.

PPI does not guarantee that you will find everything that is wrong but loads it in your and your wife's favor. :)

<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/3oeSAD00YsGzUPTmqA" width="480" height="204" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/reactionseditor-dale-step-brothers-3oeSAD00YsGzUPTmqA">via GIPHY</a></p>

Gotta do the math. Depends on the vehicle.

Popping it in is a long or expensive process on a truck that old. Skanky fasteners, etc.

I say nut up and buy the best engine you can find IF the truck is worthy.

Then change the oil lots and lots.

Yea.. might have been a five minute drive at most. I remember being on it with her, it was pretty short, no freeway, etc.




5.2 liter.

Except it isn't noisy... except for a 2-second "dtdtd" noise right at start-up, which I don't recall what she seems to think it was. And runs fairly strong, too.

Have I ever claimed to be an automotive expert? Nope. Guitar expert, yes. Auto mechanics expert, nope.


Beyond my capabilities. Couple days? Maybe with a loaded shop, lift, and all that. Took me two weeks to finish my 968 door handle repairs. I'm not left with a lot of time to do these things. It wasn't a pump issue to begin with.

To me, yes. She owns two. :confused::eek:


Oh.. I have never bought a car without a PPI first. I did't buy it, and she didn't want to pay for one, no matter how much I insisted.



To answer other questions, yea, the truck is straight and in overall good condition, body-wise. She'll think on it a bit and figure out what she wants to do.
She might run heavier oil in it till it takes a puke, then replace the engine. Took her shop guy finally saying something when we picked it up today before she'd believe that heavier oil will improve oil pressure,..

Plus two young pals that know the ins and outs.

Its a hard one week job with a lift first time solo and tools, etc., unless you are a semi-pro.

However, lots of peeps will change an engine out way cheaper than you think. YOU get the engine or approve what they purchase.

Oh heck, if it is a 318, they run forever and should be cheap and easy to find one . Im surprised to hear you have a bottom end out

On the newer (mid 2000's) 3.7's I have seen crank thrust bearings chewed to where you can move the crank forwards and backwards with a pry bar with oil pan off.

They still run with reduced oil pressure but the clock is running towards engine seize

Why would you replace an engine because of low oil pressure? It still runs fine no rod knock. It will probably last another 20k miles. Its still getting oil. My brother had a 69 nova with no oil pressure it would even lock up on rare occasions around a hard corner. Wait 5 minutes start it up and go again he drove it about 8 years like that.

Friends don't let friends buy Dodge's, I tried to talk a friend from buying one years ago he replaced lots of parts soon after.

Did you try a proper mechanical gauge on it? There are some other websites with people having same issue some saying it is the electronic's issue.

(I'm extremely ashamed to forget his name at the moment)
but
Lubemaster started an oil analysis business, which should be a nationwide standard for PPIs.

So, apparently that 2-second "dtdtd" noise during startup IS a rod knock, which I have suspected for quite a awhile. And since the truck has only had about 500 miles put on it since it was bought, she never mentioned anything to me about any knocking noise... but apparently it's there, although not very loud. Yet.

Tell me about it...:rolleyes:

Yea, we did. And two oil pressure sending units... first one replaced at home, and that one replaced when she started having her shop investigate the cause of the low oil pressure.

I convinced her that analysis was a good idea a few months back. We've got an oil analysis kit here that's been waiting for her to decide it's time to do it. Been here for a couple months...
Thinking about using it for my 911, since I don't ever see that actually happening.

I did a serious double-take when I saw your photo! My parents gave me this when I turned 16 (or maybe 15, but I think 16). I gave it to my son several years ago (8-10, I tihnk), and he went through some "issues" so I thought it was gone forever, but he found it again and sent me this pic the other day.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1558484247.jpg

I figured it was the only way to convince her rod bearings... and prepare her for what happens next.

I was in that situation with a Mazda 4 cylinder B2600. In a few hours, I dropped the pan and replaced rod bearings. Still Still running strong when I sold it a few years later........

On your Dakota going South, can you drop the pan w/o pulling the engine?

Doubtful.

Dude, about the best you are going to be able to do is feel bad for her. Whatever you do, don't remind her that you warned her before she got into this deal, better to vent your spleen here.

Run the 20W50 until it blows up, make sure you have Triple A or something so you can get it towed home from wherever it finally craps itself.

You don’t need to do a PPI if you do a little research first. Every vehicle has a forum, check it out and find out the issues. If not motivated to do that, spend a couple of bucks on a Consumer Reports Buyers Guide and look up how they rate. All black circles are not a good sign.

The perennial worst (not recommended by owners, because who knows better than them) are Fiat, Dodge, Range/Land Rover products. I know there are those who dis CR, but I have never been disappointed by their recommended buys.

That said I didn’t get PPIs on my last two purchases because both had excellent reviews, were low mileage, good service history and low miles. Neither has let me down.

I did it to my wife's 2006 Mazda3, which had 2 rods oil starved. Now, *I* starved them doing donuts in a gravel parkinglot, but *she* was the one that let the oil go down 3 quarts...

In fact, I didn't just SPIN the rod bearings, I actually had one of them invert...one half of the bearing crammed itself under the other half. I ain't never seen anything like that before...

Tossed some new bearings in (no measuring, just put them in), buttoned it up and it's driven (somewhat noisily) EVERY DAY for 2.5 years. It's now my DD, and shows no signs of damage (other than the noise...clunk clunk clunk...)

I've looked at it, and I think I recall that crossmembers have to come out. I's more that I'd be comfortable with, for sure.


No kidding. I haven't, but she seems to have figured it out on her own that a PPI is a necessity.

Funny thing is, this same dealer called a couple weeks ago wanting her to trade it in on something else, seems they had someone else looking for one just like it. She let 'em have it and explained she was done with them, and in no case would she deal with them again.
This dealer has been around for decades. 4 star Google reviews, but loaded with tales just like ours.. "lasted 500 miles..." "1000 miles...." "Steering went out" etc. Don't know how they've lasted this long.