my current ride is working good - any good tips for Dodge owners?

[gunsmith]

i own a dodge dakota 1997 V6.
I have only owned it for 7 months and it just got over the 250 thousand mile mark, I am now going to change the oil every two thousand instead of waiting for three or black oil.
Any one have one of these before? i have the 2 wheel drive not the 4.
so far all I have had to replace was the light switch - well - tires of course new brakes front/rear.
The batt is 6 or 7 yrs old but works fine , any notion what i should keep an eye out for?

[RoadKingLarry]

Changing modern oil in a modern engine at 2k miles is a waste of money and oil. That engine is ok with 5K miles oil change interval per manufacturers recommendation, check it regularly and keep it full but not overfilled. I ran the same engine in my '97 Dodge pickup to 285K before I sold it off.
Check the normal wear items, brakes, belts, hoses, tires, airfilter...

[Jamisjockey]

Belts and hoses, plugs, wires,filters.

[lupinus]

Give it a good once over for common things like brakes and belts, do anything that looks like it's ready. Also the fluids most folks forget about ever bothering to service like coolant and brake. And basic maintenance things like spark plugs, wires, air filter, etc can't hurt unless they look like they've been done recently.

On the oil why on earth would you change it every 2k? You're wasting time and money. The engine as well as oils do fine with 5k/6mo oil changes, longer with full synthetics and a proper well made filter. I can't see a single reason a street vehicle, barring some mechanical issue, needs or in any way benefits from 2k oil changes.

Now a new to you vehicle with some miles on it getting a fresh oil change followed by another in 1-2k miles and then going back to a regular oil change schedule makes perfect sense, but regular 2k oil changes? Nahhh


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[Ben]

Agree that 2K oil changes are WAY too early, and I'm an "oil is cheap, sooner vs later" kinda guy. Use a quality oil and filter and keep it to 4-5K miles for non-synthetic on that era engine (obviously check the level at least every other fuel fillup).

Besides the stuff mentioned above, on that year vehicle, I don't think you have a sealed rear differential. You might change the oil in that. You won't have to do it again for as long as you own the vehicle.

On the belts and hoses, if it doesn't look like they've been obviously changed during the life of the vehicle, you might slowly start replacing all of them. They're not that expensive. You could do the hoses when you change the coolant, unless you know when that was last done. :)

[Calumus]

I would suggest that on something that age with miles on it, don't do a flush of anything. If you're changing the coolant, just change it. Same with trans fluid etc. Sometimes an old gasket that's just fine under normal usage can get blown out when exposed to higher pressures.

[gunsmith]

I would suggest that on something that age with miles on it, don't do a flush of anything. If you're changing the coolant, just change it. Same with trans fluid etc. Sometimes an old gasket that's just fine under normal usage can get blown out when exposed to higher pressures.

I had a 91 ford ranger I bought it in 2005 i think, had the jiffy lube kid flush the coolant with the oil change and got an enormous gasket hole that was quoted for 400  bucks to fix - thanks for the heads up, i can not afford that kind of thing right now.
I need at least another 50 thousand out of this rig

[lupinus]

Power flushing is the devil.


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[Boomhauer]

Power flushing is the devil.


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Not to mention unneeded.

[Ben]

+100 whatever on the no power flush.

I don't know what the deal is, but I always get the hard sell on the power steering flush. Way more than coolant or tranny flush. Don't know if that's a way better markup for them or what.

I've only changed power steering fluid twice - both on older, high mileage vehicles. I just pumped the old stuff out with one of those oil change pumps, put new stuff in and worked the system, then pumped out and repeated.  I did that about three times and called it good for getting the majority of the old fluid out.  I suppose it's halfass and wastes new fluid (I think I went through 2-3 quarts), but it beats taking the chance on a flush. I'm not sure I'll change it at all on my newer vehicles when they are high mileage.

[RocketMan]

Watch the rear end on your Dakota.  I have the same year Dakota and the same drive train, and have lost the rear end three times.  It's a known problem with our vintage Dakota.

[grampster]

You might consider changing out the timing belt if it has over 60,000 miles.  Don't flush the tranny fluid.  Oil and filter at around 5K is ok.

[K Frame]

What?

No one said det cord?

I'm very disappointed.

Det cord and buy a Subaru.

[Boomhauer]

You might consider changing out the timing belt if it has over 60,000 miles.  Don't flush the tranny fluid.  Oil and filter at around 5K is ok.

Pretty sure that engine is a chain not a belt

[grampster]

Pretty sure that engine is a chain not a belt

Yah, but....with the mileage on that critter it would be good to find out if it's chain or belt.

[bedlamite]

Yah, but....with the mileage on that critter it would be good to find out if it's chain or belt.

Chain.

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,1997,dakota,3.9l+v6,1087703,engine,timing+chain,5724

[gunsmith]

Chain.

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,1997,dakota,3.9l+v6,1087703,engine,timing+chain,5724

so, you do not worry about timing chain?
What about water pump?

my power steering pump leaks, i constantly put fresh fluid in it - i want to get a new one - but it seems ok, just leaky.
tried lucas fix - two bottles but no joy

[bedlamite]

so, you do not worry about timing chain?
What about water pumkp?

The Dodge 3.9 is an interference engine, so if the chain breaks or skips a tooth, the engine is scrap. Chains last much longer than belts, typically 200-300K miles, so it might be time for a replacement. No way to tell without pulling the cover. If you have to pull the water pump to get to it, you might as well replace that too, and any old hoses. Otherwise leave the pump until it causes problems. At 250K it's probably been replaced already.
Have you done a compression test? low compression means it's at the end of it's life, and fuel can wash oil from the cylinder walls accelerating wear, and it may not be worth putting a bunch of parts in.
Oil changes more often than 4-5K are a waste of money.

my power steering pump leaks, i constantly put fresh fluid in it - i want to get a new one - but it seems ok, just leaky.
tried lucas fix - two bottles but no joy

Don't waste your money on snake oil. Where is it leaking? If it's a from a hose fitting, that might not be too bad to replace.

[lupinus]

so, you do not worry about timing chain?
What about water pump?

my power steering pump leaks, i constantly put fresh fluid in it - i want to get a new one - but it seems ok, just leaky.
tried lucas fix - two bottles but no joy

Yes, chains wear out just like belts do. If you look up the service intervals it should be in there with an idea as to the expected life.

[Scout26]

Since gunsmith is working out in the desert, oil and air filter changes a bit more frequently then normal.  (There should be recommendations in owners manual for areas like his.)

 

[gunsmith]

everyday I get coated in fine dust, I'm going native.
It was 96 out yesterday, as the wind was blowing, I wondered when it would be warm enough to go swimming.

[gunsmith]

not nearly necro thread but the topic is in my mind, the fuel pump went and died - it was an in the tank under the truck bed and it had to be towed to a shop to fix, really messed up my life ....

So, A compression test would tell me if the timing chain needs replacing?
I am already drove 5000 miles since the I posted in this thread last ( changed the oil )

I am about to flee the heat and low pay, so I need to be mobile -  the truck has no handbook
( 1997 V6 2wheel drive Dodge )

Any idea where to look for timing chain info?
I want to stay up on this stuff -
I am driving to northern AZ this week and helping a friend build a fence - its cooler temps up there and I plan on trying to change a battery cable ( it needs to go - i had to take it apart because the nuts wore out - turned it upside down, scraped off the carbon  put it back real tight and with tape too ( the ground on the black battery cable kept coming loose ) so I have a new battery and fresh oil change

[RoadKingLarry]

Timing chain replacement is not going to be a quickie job for someone with no serious mechanical skills and a fairly well stocked toolbox.
A compression test will not tell you anything about the state of the timing chain.
I had a '97 dodge with the same engine. It was over 290K before the water pump failed while my daughter was driving it didn't heed my instructions.

[K Frame]

Some of the stuff I've seen on Google suggests that the timing chain is not a maintenance service interval replacement part.

[dogmush]

Some of the stuff I've seen on Google suggests that the timing chain is not a maintenance service interval replacement part.

The Dodge 3.9L doesn't seem to have a set timing chain replacement interval, but there are a lot of reports of them stretching and making noise about 140k.  There is also a TSB and updated tensioner from 98 onward. Apparently Dodge changed the design to provide better tension.  The new tensioner can go on engines back to '92.