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?

Any engine can have a catastrophic failure if neglected. The 3.7 and 4.7 are no different. There's millions of them still operating fine.

Personally the only failure I've seen frequently on these is the rocker arm problem, usually accompanied by sludge from lack of oil changes. So far I'm 3 for 3 on popping the arm back in.

Water pumps are straightforward. I'd recommend more frequent spark plug changes. Most common problem I see is rusty oil pans, but I'm in the salt Capitol of the world.

Regarding the transmission, the 3 I've owned were trouble free other than rusty pans and lines.

I have seen all kind of posts on them, Mainly the HO version from 2002 and up. The valve seat issue seems to be the most prevalent. Some think the factory didn't use enough of a press fit to keep them in. And from what i have seen i agree. If you have the engine apart you get get the seats redone and not have to worry about it. If not a lower thermostat temp may help.

No neither of them is apart right now, hope to prevent having to do that for as long as I can, that's the reason for the thread.

Keep the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles and do not let it overheat. That's about all you can do for the motor. As far as the 545RFE, they are good transmissions, but may have electronic problems at some point. I had to have the shift solenoid replaced on the one in our Dakota. It kept throwing codes and going into limp mode, so I had the transmission rebuilt. Worked fine till the first long trip and went to limp mode again! I got it home by driving slow and ordered the only thing left to fix, which was the computer. I swapped it out and have put thousands of miles on the truck with no more trans problems. I sent the old computer in as a core and asked them to notify me of any problems they found in it when the remanufactured it. I never told them what the problem I expected was in it. Got an e mail to let me know that the TCM section was basically F'd up. Like you, I'd rather have had one with a Magnum motor but found our quad cab truck dirt cheap with a blowed up motor and put a remanned motor in it. Long ways from you....but look on Craigslist in Asheville, NC. Look in the auto parts section, and a dude has a green Durango R/T with a 5.9 He's parting out. That's the only one I know of....but is probably way farther than you want to fool with.

I have heard- for any vehicle replacing the radiator if it more that 8 years old is good preventative maint. The plastic tanks eventually separate from the aluminum core their bonded too. Replacing coolant every 3 years keeps it from turning acidic.

Side story about Durango cooling systems
. I was looking at eBay at radiators, since I bought the 03, and I see that somebody has a 100%aluminum one available for 00-04 Dakota and Durango, never heard of the brand, if it were a reputable brand i'd really consider it. At the moment there's no indication that it needs one but if replacing the radiator will keep it from popping it's cork, I might just have to....


On my current 01 Durango (that has the 360, I've owned 10+years, and I passed up many nice looking ones back then because they had 4.7s) that has 314k on the clock, I have the 46re out of it and blown apart right now,
Back in 2014 I had hit a deer on a trip to Houston and had to replace the radiator along the road as a result, good thing for O'Reilly's lifetime warranty, I just used that warranty on my 01 to guarantee that I have a fresh clean tranny cooler to go along with the fresh trans. I put a freshly rebuilt- appearing one in it a few months ago (July) that came from a local boneyard 3-4 years ago that I've had here under the workbench all that time as a spare.
Even though I blew 5 cans of "kooler kleen" thru the lines, radiator and factory aux trans cooler, somehow I think I didn't get all the remnants out of the coolers and lines having something to do with the replacement trans only lasting 3 months.... Even though I dismantled everything from each other in the cleaning process. I do plan on adding a stack of auxiliary aftermarket gauges to this new to me 03, to help keep tabs on such things

Just FYI, when I worked at the GM Tech Assistance Hotline (2016), they REQUIRED replacement of the radiator and any auxiliary coolers for warranty repair if there was any metal debris in the trans pan. They said with the internal construction of the coolers, it's impossible to remove all of the debris. Lines can be reused (but must be flushed), but not coolers.

I had planned to use a 2008 or newer 4.7HO for the Dakota chassis going under my 56 Dodge pickup build, since I already have my 2001 Dakota SLT 4.7/5-spd, which is now at 203,000 miles. The 4.7 in my Dak doesn't burn or drip oil, but it does burn some coolant, most likely a head gasket leak into a cylinder or the usual valley plenumb leak. I bought the Dak with 153,000 miles on it from a friend for $1500 back in 2011. Its served me well, but I did replace the rotted out oil pan, and had a new oil pump installed at 175,000 miles, replaced a few injectors. Oil changes always looked good, every 5,000 miles. It did slightly overheat once, but not for many years. Yet, once a 4.7 overheats there is the chance of a valve seat dropping out, or a rocker popping out of position. Also, the early 4.7 V8s had a potential casting failure at the RH front cylinder, if a rocker popped out it could also break off the cast tower at that rocker, and the head is shot. Valley plenumb issues, oil issues, coolant issues, too bad because the crank and crankcase of the 4.7 is really stout. The casting issue in the RH head was addressed in the 2008 and later 4.7.

So rather than rebuild my 2001 4.7 I thought I'd get a remanned 4.7HO for my 56 build, and move all the accessories off my current 4.7 onto the 4.7HO long block. But, that long block alone would have cost me near $4000. And accessories for the 4.7 are limited. So I wisely followed Gene's (PoorBoy) guidance to find a good 318/5.2 Magnum for my 56. Glad I did, cause I found a remanned 2010 5.2Magnum with only $25,000 miles on it, running/complete, for only $600. Buying it that cheap leaves me lots of budget to build up the 5.2 to be far more engine than the 4.7HO could hope to be.

What really sold me on the 5.2 Magnum versus the 4.7HO was the power curve. Sure, the 4.7HO makes 330 ft-lb of torque at 3,300, just like the 5.2 Magnum. But the curve SHAPE matter more. The 4.7HO power curve has a sagging belly curve until it suddenly peaks from 2800 to 3300 rpm, and then suddenly drops off again, a true PEAK in the power curve. That's why the 4.7 feels gutless. The 5.2 Magnum 330 ft lb peak at 3300 rpm is a upward hump from 2300 to 3300, and then slowly tapers off after 3300 rpm. THAT is what moves us and is why a tuned 5.2 can feel as grunty and stout as a 360/5.9. That is why a 318/5.2 or 360/5.9 feels so much stronger than any 4.7HO.

Believe me I would have much rather have had a 318 or a 360 magnum, my other Durango is a 360. But being as these vehicles aren't as "new"anymore as they were when we bought that 1st one I was more concerned about lack of rust and overall condition for this one. And rusty or not this time I found about 12 4.7 equipped Durango's to every 318/360 one. And what few 318/360 ones I did find were strangely some of the worst rotted away ones of them all. Not to mention more likely to have already 300k+ miles on them. And asking prices were still close to most "nice" ones were priced.
My other Durango is amongst the 300k+miles ones around (and not for sale since I know every bolt that has been touched on it). . is down right now on account of the trans. I have parts trickling in to rebuild the trans. (Mostly upgrades like sonnax servos, their OD spring, new band struts new pistons for the clutch drums, new sprags (I think the one in the front case started the problem) new OD piston support, etc. I'm down to needing the master kit and a fresh converter, but will have to wait a paycheck or 2...
And with 2 grandkids in car seats and car seat laws as they are)we needed something sooner than we were hoping.
So we're stuck with a 4.7. I found a very clean 03 with only 127k, in the same ballpark as rotted out, (much) higher miles ones with the engine that I would have preferred. Even though I had to drive 4 hours away to get it. (St Louis)
Back 10 years ago I can't tell you how many I passed on solely because they had the 4.7. Pickins now are slimmer.
I also wasn't happy about having to pay $3500 for something that cost me $2200, 10 years ago.
And the wife thinks any of the newer versions are "ugly".

I am no fan of the 4.7,
but this got me curious.

Rock Auto says a 4.7 RH 2008 new bare cylinder head is $490

(strangely it was $469 first time I drilled down, then changed to $490 when the link refreshed)

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,2008,durango,4.7l+v8,1442427,engine,cylinder+head,5304

Will these fit on earlier 4.7’s or is there a dual spark plug issue?

My bet is they would fit. Just run the single plug if that is all you have on the engine now.

https://www.dakota-durango.com/threads/08-up-4-7-swap-in-a-02-dakota-4-7.149377/

How repairable are a set of overhead 4.7 heads?
I'm thinking about picking up a set and having them ready just in case ...
Looking at this thing on the lift last night for the first time since I brought it home, I see the upper hose has been replaced but the lower is original,and so are the heater hoses/I'm gonna have to add those to my next rock auto order ... At 20 yo they've been on there plenty long.

I've read good results of new valve seats pressed in with more interference fit and a "peening" to retain the seats. The rockers falling out are mostly caused when a hydraulic lifter collapses and allows too much clearance. A newer than 2008 head has the front most rocker post casting supported by a web to the head so it cannot break off like early 2000's 4.7 heads. Beyond that the 4.7 heads are ok reliability wise. Unfortunately the 4.7 doesn't have the good breathing/flow of the 5.2/5.9 heads. The 4.7 power curve is simply lacking until 3000+ rpm. Unilike the power curve of the 5.2/5.9 which is fat and cresting from 2000 rpm up to 3300. The 4.7 ngets there at 3300, finally, and then drops off quickly.

The early 4.7 PCV flow was too low to sweep moisture out of the cylinder heads which allowed “brown goo” to build up in the cooler section of the 4.7 head and valve cover.
This was one of the earliest complaints from 4.7 owners.

Perhaps the brown goo contaminated oil also prematurely worn out the hydraulic lifters, which have the tightest clearances in the engine and depend on clean oil of the right viscosity.

Poorly functioning hydraulic lifters and excessive slack could lead to popped off rockers and broken front post.

Replacing the hydraulic lifters might be considered for longevity.

If Chrysler added a cast in web brace to the front post perhaps an aftermarket metal brace could fabricated and brazed.

A few things here. Change the oil every 3,000-3500 miles with Mobil 1 Synthetic. Also, use the correct Mopar Coolant for this engine. If the water pump fails, have an Mopar branded pump rather it's a Dodge, Ram, or Jeep brand. The other thing is expect to replace the timing chain guides near or at 150k miles. If the radiator or related component fails never let the temperature get over half. Regarding the lash adjusters, I think you can buy the same ones that fit a Ford 4.6 3v V8. The later 2008+ 4.7Ls had better cams, heads, and intake manifold. I don't see those with the valve guide seat issues but, still the same rules apply as the older 4.7L here.

We've had an 03 Dakota Quad cab with the 4.7/545 combo for a couple years now. 280k kilometers on her. No reliability issues here so far, save for an alternator. I've read of the 4.7 issues over the years myself, but so far she's been a great little truck and my girlfriend loves her. This thread has provided some great info on what to keep an eye on though.

My 2001 Dakota with the "old" design 4.7 still fires right up, settles to an idle easily, maintains steady temperature and it'll hum down the highway all day at around 2200 rpm. 203,000 miles.
No leaks, no drips, but it does use a bit of coolant (no white exhaust), leaking somewhere internally. Probably on top of the valley plenum plate and evaporating. When I change the oil it still comes out the usual used oil color, no frothy milkshake color. Back at 165,000 miles I had the rotted oil pan replaced and also then had a new oil pump installed, so a stout oil pump and fresh synthetic oil every 5k miles at most may be why its still running good. I think Chrysler could have developed better breathing heads for the 4.7 (like those on the 318/340/360) and improved the cooling, improved oil circulation, fixed the leaking valley pan issues, and the 4.7 could have become a real stout engine in a small package. It could have been the only American OHC V8 powerhouse, and a neat compliment to the American classic V8 cam in block/pushrod Hemi powerhouse. The 4.7 block and bottom end are stout and capable of much more power.

My wife has put almost 3k on the "new" Durango and is anxious for me to get the old Durango back on the road. The only thing that is holding up that process is funds for the trans rebuild kit.
That one is an 01 with a 360 and over 300000 miles on it.