I can get a good deal on a 2000 Dakota with 78K miles and the 4.7 V8. Don't know anything about these. They were phased out after a few years for the new style Hemi. Anyone know about the durability of these? Upsides/downsides?
Mike

I have no idea where you get your facts but the 4.7L is still being made. My wife's 05 has one. No problems with it at all.

I don't have the facts, that's why I posted. Don't know when they stopped making them, or why. How many miles on your 4.7?

91,000 on a 2004 Dakota 4x4 4.7, no engine issues at all. Mobil 1 since new.

I worked at a dodge dealer for a while and the only one I ever saw go bad was in an 02 Ram when they first came out with the 4.7. I was doing an inspection on the truck for a new car delivery and the motor let go on me with 7 miles on the truck, shoulda seen the looks I got when I pulled it in the shop

They had a big wig from mopar come dissect it and they found out the crank did not have any oil holes... oops

I did see one more that had a crack in the head right behind the left side cam gear and it was pouring water into the oil inside the timing case.

2 motors in the 8 years they been putting them in rams and even longer in the jeeps I would say they are a durable motor.

Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention they are still makeing them and putting them in Rams, Durangos, and dakotas right now

64000mi on my 02 4.7. Runs like new. I don,t tow much. Like most engines, their good if taking care of with proof. http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html

Got 135k on my 2000 dakota, runs perfect. Don't know how long the chains-guides last, but it still has no wild racket on startup like some 4.6 fords at work. The newer 4.7's are supposed to have more ponies, but I've been dragging cars around on 2000 lb car hauler with no trouble. I'm also testing the trans that has no aux cooler and is also troublefree so far.

118,000 in an 03 dakota quad, no problemo

I had an '01 Jeep WJ with a 4.7. We ran it all over the country, up Pikes Peak, wheeled it in Moab, Out to Niagra Falls, Down to Florida, All around the Mid-West. The last few years I used it as a daily driver, Back and forth to work, camping and wheeling. Even towed a few other vehicles off the trail with it, which was no easy task. 156,000 miles when I traded it, no engine problems.

I traded it on an '09 Ram 1500 with a 4.7 liter. The new '09 4.7s have 16 spark plugs. I like to think they are little Hemis.

Good picture of the'09 4.7 liter:
]

My brother has a 4.7 on his 04 Quad Cab.. He uses it and isnt much for maintenance...
Occasional heavy towing on open trailer....NO problems....125K
But it does make a wierd noise when it is first started, 2 or three seconds..almost like a rod knock but not....
It has been making that noise for over 100K..
Very good fuel mileage.. near 20 without a trailer..2 WD....

2002 quad cab with 4.7. 127K and runs like new.No problems ever.I hate to admit this,but it still has the original spark plugs and still gets 21.9 on the highway unloaded.

I have to say, I heard nothing of these engines since the 3rg gen hemi came out, enough to think they weren't used anymore. Now here's a whole thread of nothing but positive reviews. I'm quite impressed. (and schooled so to speak)
Keep the reviews coming. I'm definately going to grab the dakota!
Thanks, mike

I had an 02 2wd quadcab with a 4.7 and auto trans. I towed an 18' open car trailer with it all over the country for two years. I put 130,000 miles on it before I traded for my diesel. Never had any issues with the motor other than under powered for what I was using it for. The trans gave out at 118,000 miles in the Smokey mountains but it limped home for the rebuild. That was three years ago and I see it every now and then still cruising town. It wouldn't bother me to have another 4.7 at all. Kind of like a modern day slant 6........

I have an 08 Ram 1500 SWB 2dr 4.7 with 6 speed. Fun to drive gets 22 mph on highway.

The 2 spark plugs per cylinder started in o8.