I've been avoiding them for years now because of the horror stories I hear about how they like to drop valve seats at the first hint of an overheat, how at least the early ones were "sludge monsters" and how they seem to like to lose their rocker arms .. and the most scary part of owning and/or maintaining a 4.7, the timing chain system.... But it seems that I now find myself with 2 of them (why oh why couldn't Mopar simply have brought back the 273 with the "magnum" treatment instead?)
My 12 has 128k on it and has always been "ticky" in the timing chain area especially when it's cold and cold outside.
It's a dead duck til it sees 3000 rpm and then it takes off like a shot.
I have been Durango shopping lately hoping for a 318/360 but nope the best appearing lowest mile cleanest body example I could come up with is also cursed with that engine. It's about 1000 miles less than my pickup even though it's 9 years older ('03) has about 127k on it but it's strangely quieter than my '12 which is supposed to be the "new and improved" 08 and newer version with 16 plugs. The one in the 03 seems to be more ballsy than the one in my 12 2wd 1/2 ton. Both are 3.55 geared.
Im not that familiar with this engine series like I am with LA/ magnum. All I have gone by to date has been stories on forums such as this one and real life stories from the dealership trenches as I know a few guys there.

Other than to be anal with oil changes, what else can I do to help these 4.7s live a long and happy life hopefully without "major surgery" to their engines? How "bad" are things like water pumps to do on them compared to the 318/360s?

Damn them for discontinuing the LA and Magnum series of engine.

Along the same line what can I expect from the RFE transmissions bolted to them compared to a 727 or a 46re?