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I went and done it now.... #1954622
11/20/15 12:11 AM
11/20/15 12:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline OP
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline OP
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
So, I hear all these bad things about the infamous 4.7. I guide my daughter away from buying a 4.7 Jeep. I avoid them at all costs, because of what I hear about all their issues after about 140,000 miles.

Background. So I have this snow plow & brackets off my 50 Dodge 4x4 (that was mounted on an 80 Dodge chassis) that got wrecked. Its been sitting around here for 4 years now, the replacement 93 V6 Dakota 4x4 is too light for that big plow, so I never mounted it up. I've been using a snow blower to clear my drive.

A few months ago (end of Aug), a young man stopped by and asked if I would sell my plow. After some thought, we agreed on a price. Without payment, I have only heard from him one time since. So, today I found his number and gave him a call. Sure enough, he comes right over. We re-discus the price, I didn't change. He wants the plow, but is a little short of the full price. He wants to know if I will trade some of the price for plowing my driveway. Nope! Then he wants to know if he pay some up front ($150 of the $750 total) then make payments every week, and will have it paid in full before the end of the year. I suppose (at least its not here anymore!)

So while we are loading it on his truck, he asks me if I need any Dakota 4x4 parts. (I have a 47 Dodge truck sheet metal looking for a chassis) What do you have? A 2001 Dakota 4x4, V8 auto. What is wrong with it? Nothing, I just don't use it anymore. How much do you need for it? $900! (he was driving it when he looked at my plow the first time, I sort of remember it...) Got a title? Yes, but my wife will have to dig it out when she gets home.
I ended up trading my plow for his 2001 Dakota 4x4. It has 144,000 miles on the 4.7, he bought the truck new. It has new tires on it. He says the frame is good, very little rust on the whole truck. He says he never even drove it in the rain. He used it for weekends and to haul his boat to the lake. He wants to move it along because he doesn't drive it much, and his wife is after him to get rid of the stuff he is not using.

So I'm expecting it arrival tomorrow, or Sat.

So now that I own a 4.7, everything I read says that a good place to start is to pull the pan and replace the oil pump & pick up tube and clean up the bottom end if it needs it. Then replace the timing belt(s) and give it a tune up. Then maybe I won't have any problems for a while, if it was taken care of. Does that sound like a viable process?
At this point, if I get a year driving out of it, I'm ahead of the game, its worth more in scrap then the plow was. Gene

Dakots with a 4.7
single choice
license it & drive till it opukes
45%, 5 Votes
pull the pan, change the oil pump & screen, clean out the gunk
27%, 3 Votes
Part it out before it blows up.
27%, 3 Votes
Total Votes: 11
Voting on this poll ends: 11/23/15 10:07 PM
Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1954631
11/20/15 12:18 AM
11/20/15 12:18 AM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,720
Chicagoland
Cooter Offline
top fuel
Cooter  Offline
top fuel

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,720
Chicagoland
The motor is worth as much as the truck if it still runs.

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1954738
11/20/15 04:26 AM
11/20/15 04:26 AM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,543
chicagoland,usa
B
buildanother Offline
I Live Here
buildanother  Offline
I Live Here
B

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,543
chicagoland,usa
The timing is handled via chains, and I believe the oil pump is the over the crank snout style. Not positive, as my three 4.7's never missed a beat and were taken care of well with oil changes etc. I really like how they move the dakota-durangos around, and would not be afraid to tear one apart if internals failed. two cents...But at this point, you will probably be fixing exhaust manifold(s) and or studs bolts etc. Rusty stuff.

Last edited by buildanother; 11/20/15 04:35 AM.
Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1955266
11/21/15 11:15 AM
11/21/15 11:15 AM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,946
Greenville, PA
redraptor Offline
master
redraptor  Offline
master

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,946
Greenville, PA
right now the vote is split. I guess if you have the time and ambition to tear into it, go for it!

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1955311
11/21/15 12:50 PM
11/21/15 12:50 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,318
Manitoba, Canada
DaytonaTurbo Offline
Too Many Posts
DaytonaTurbo  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,318
Manitoba, Canada
I would just drive it.

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1955414
11/21/15 04:31 PM
11/21/15 04:31 PM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 40
Maryland
R
regularjay Offline
member
regularjay  Offline
member
R

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 40
Maryland
I had one in a 99 WJ with about 190K on it when I sold it never a bit of trouble out of the engine. I think the issue with the 4.7 (as well as many things) is the few that have trouble post it all over the internet the many that have no trouble just go about their business. Gives a skewed view of reality when all you can find is complaints on-line.


79 Lil Red Express - I'll finish it someday
94 2wd Ram 1500 5.9 Donor for...???
78 CJ7 4.2 with Clifford Cam, Holley 390, 4" on 33's
1992 W250 Cummins
2013 Ram 4X4 Hemi Crew Express
2005 Ex Cab Dakota 4x4 4.7 Daily Driver
1993 2wd Ramcharger 5.2/auto

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1956868
11/24/15 01:00 AM
11/24/15 01:00 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline OP
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline OP
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Well, its Monday, still no truck. The guy stopped in today. He had just mounted a plow on it the week before he came and got mine. I'm letting him keep his new plow, I've done my time plowing snow.
We got dumped on with 16" of snow Fri/Sat, so he was busy plowing. Tomorrow he is pulling off his plow and bringing the truck over to me after that. Maybe it will be here by Thanksgiving, maybe not. I'm not really in a hurry, parking around her is pretty limited in the winter. I just re upped the license plates my 93 Dakota, and have another set of plates to renew in Dec, I will probably sit on it until spring, unless its really nice.......

At any rate, he told me today that he had just replaced the timing chains within the last year. He also said he had the head bolts replaced around 80K. Sounds like its going to be a nice driver, if it ever gets here.
I have decided to run it till it pukes, or until I get my 47 shop truck project finished, then I'll figure out what I'm going to do with it. Gene

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: regularjay] #1956878
11/24/15 01:11 AM
11/24/15 01:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline OP
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline OP
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Originally Posted By regularjay
I had one in a 99 WJ with about 190K on it when I sold it never a bit of trouble out of the engine. I think the issue with the 4.7 (as well as many things) is the few that have trouble post it all over the internet the many that have no trouble just go about their business. Gives a skewed view of reality when all you can find is complaints on-line.


That might be more true then most people will want to believe, but my brother in law bought a new 2000 Dakota with a 4.7. It had faithful maintenance, set up by our local Chrysler dealer, carried out as they suggested. At around 70,000 miles that 4.7 dropped a valve (or valve seat) and took out the head and the block. It got ugly. He now drives a Ford Ranger. No more Mopars for him. My B.I.L's 4.7 failure is not the only 4.7 failure I personally know about. Its a pretty high % based on the # of people I knew had them with less then good results. Gene

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1956974
11/24/15 09:19 AM
11/24/15 09:19 AM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,581
Friendly, WV
wedgeheaded Offline
pro stock
wedgeheaded  Offline
pro stock

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,581
Friendly, WV
My 06 1500 QC 4x4 has 185K and I recently had my mechanic do a tune up as it had a slight miss and cold weather was coming. He replaced the OE Mopar plugs and a bad coil pack, that's all. It's under powered for this truck so I did a HP tune with a programmer, which helped. I'm impressed with the motor and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: wedgeheaded] #1957439
11/25/15 12:48 AM
11/25/15 12:48 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,458
Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy
Rhinodart Offline
Rhinotruck
Rhinodart  Offline
Rhinotruck

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,458
Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy
I missed another cheap plow, I need one for my 93 Ramcharger so it can finally rust to death. If you find another one Gene let me know! wave


The funny thing about science is that if you change one miniscule parameter you change the entire outcome to the way you want it.

JB Rhinehart, Realist

A-Body's RULE!
Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: poorboy] #1957449
11/25/15 01:04 AM
11/25/15 01:04 AM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 13
NB, Canada
Mirada 80 Offline
member
Mirada 80  Offline
member

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 13
NB, Canada
I have had several 4.7s in Grand Cherokee, Dakotas(3) and Durango, never any real issue with any other than the exhaust manifold studs and oil pan rusting out. I have 332,000km (206,000 miles)currently on my 2003 Durango, My 2000 Grand Cherokee 4.7 with 3.73 gears worked awesome. I would buy another in a heartbeat.


Keep your Mopar all Mopar
Re: I went and done it now.... [Re: Rhinodart] #1957837
11/25/15 07:03 PM
11/25/15 07:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline OP
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline OP
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Originally Posted By Rhinodart
I missed another cheap plow, I need one for my 93 Ramcharger so it can finally rust to death. If you find another one Gene let me know! wave


Didn't know you were looking for a plow, or I would have sold you this one a couple years ago! I'll watch out for one, but most around here have rusted through plow blades. Do you need everything, or just some parts of one? Gene







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