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blue340mopar
Dodge Dakota
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10/03/2005
23:27:19
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 Subject: Noisy lifters
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O.K, now I am really pissed off! I just replaced all of my lifters and I still get a ticking noise for the first few seconds on cold start. I know it can't be the timing chain because it isn't a steady rattle or it doesn't change with engine speed. It seems like some of or one of the lifters is bleeding down when the truck sits for a few hours and needs to pump back up just for a few seconds. Is there anyone else that has experienced this problem and what did you do to repair it. I can't believe I got a bad lifter fresh out of the box. It was no picnic replacing them and the cost for the roller lifters is nuts!
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blue340mopar
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
16:25:31
| RE: Noisy lifters
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I had just done a search on the noisy lifter problem and I see that it is a common trait for the magnum engine along with the timing chain trouble, hesitation, backfiring, miss at cruise, exhaust leaks, intake manifold leaks, IAC trouble, transmission shift problems, rear gear noise and general lack of power. Seems there are a lot of "bugs" in these trucks and you have to tweak them quite a bit to get any power out of them, although you can get some out if you spend enough money and time. Seems like a lot of trouble to me. Why do you guys like these trucks so much?
Time to hit the classifieds!!!!!!
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blue340mopar
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
16:29:24
| RE: Noisy lifters
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Oh, ya I almost forgot about the ball joints and no heat out of the heater.............brother.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
16:43:02
| RE: Noisy lifters
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you can remedy the no heat problem by backflushing the heater.
for the noisy lifter, how's your oil pressure?
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blue340mopar
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
17:49:54
| RE: Noisy lifters
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60 psi
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racerX
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
19:20:40
| RE: Noisy lifters
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check the chevy and ford boards, you'll find some common problems with them as well. don't limit it to one brand/style, theyve all got bugs.
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
19:56:44
| RE: Noisy lifters
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We love our trucks because they're good trucks. Every domestic and import car or truck built has issues. If you search for TSBs in Alldata (our shop key system), you will find the Dakota to be one of the less trouble prone vehicles. Consumer reports rates them as "fair" I believe, although I don't take a lot of stock in a lot of what CS reports about trucks.
Outiside of timing chains and water pumps, the 3.9 is relatively trouble free.
A little bit of ticking on cold startup is probably to be expected on a 3.9. In fact, most domestic pushrod engines will do this, especially when it's cold out. I come from a Ford family, and I can tell you the 302s do that all the time. Are you running the recommended viscosity- I think it's 5W30 on the Magnum but I am not sure about this- consult the owner's guide. Running 10w30 for "cold start protection" is crap. Use the oil recommended for the climate you live in.
If it's REALLy severe, you might have a dealer look at it. I can't fathom what is wrong with it. I am betting that nothing is wrong with it.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
21:01:14
| RE: Noisy lifters
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what brand of oil filter are you using? i have had trouble with, believe it or not, a couple of WIX filters i used on my 3.9. they would drain back and i'd get lifter tick for a couple ticks after my truck sat for a while or overnight.
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93dak4x4
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
22:37:32
| RE: Noisy lifters
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you may have an exhaust manifold leak, if you have a small leak in the gasket is usually sounds like a tick until the heat seals it. if its not a bad problem I wouldn't worry about it. I have 143k on my 3.9 and it doesn't tick. It has small amounts of valve noise but not a ford tick.
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blue340mopar
Dodge Dakota
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10/04/2005
22:45:02
| RE: Noisy lifters
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I am just mad because I just spent $370.00 CDN on parts that didn't help fix the problem. It sounds just the same as before I replaced all the lifters. This has just started in the last little while so I am thinking something has gone away......but what. I have used Castrol GTX 5W30 for some time now, with a Fram filter. I am going to switch to another brand of oil just for kicks, it can't be worse. I can never recall, when I was working as a mechanic in a Nissan dealership, a truck that has as many problems as the Dakota. If I could afford a Nissan truck, then I would get one. The imports are far superior with fit and finish and reliability. Now don't go getting all mad and ranting back at me, I am sure there are bad ones everywhere, but in my experience, this is what I see. I have bought, restored, and raced Mopar for many years and I like the A body and the small block for its potential, but it no way can compare to the newer vehicles. What I should do is pull the 3.9 and throw in a 340 and a 727, then I would have something! Simple and quick. I do like the looks of the Dakota, but I am somewhat dissapointed at its reliability. Heck, I just had to replace the drivers door stereo speaker because it was crackling and I NEVER turn up the stereo loud enough to blow the speaker, I listen to "talk radio", and very rarely listen to music. What the heck is up with that? I can hardly wait for the tranny to fall out because every time I put it in reverse when the temp drops below 70* F, it makes this groaning noise, geez I only have 84,000 kms on it and have replaced the front rotors already too, along with some of the ball joints, 3 sets of rear gears, driveshaft, IAC motor, crank seal etc. The list goes on. The truck is 5 years old and has never been abused, and I would hate to see what would happen to it if it was. Sorry guys, but I gotta get out of it before it nickel and dimes me to death.
There now I feel better. Have a nice day.
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ben
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
00:37:24
| RE: Noisy lifters
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I feel the same way
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toolfan
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
00:52:49
| RE: Noisy lifters
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that sucks for you i dont let up on my 318 with 151000. daks slow well hold it i haven't been beating. chevys fords and japs dont hang with this thing. nissan also made a great truck better than a toyota.
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cuzindoug
GenIII
10/05/2005
09:25:41
| RE: Noisy lifters
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Have you tried running seafoam in your oil? My wifes car(toyota) had seriously sticky lifters and after 1 treatment with seafoam, the tick was gone.
If it ain't broke, fix it til it is.
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96dakota
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
11:36:53
| RE: Noisy lifters
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we like the trucks because they are reliable once you fix the slight little problems that mopar screwed us with (the Timing chain and crappy ass thermostat)
now you can hit the classifieds, like most people do and end up with someone elses problem again...or you can fix the little things that are giving you problems yourself(the 3.9 is easy as cake to work on) and have a very reliable truck. these things run well over 200k which is more than you can say about a chebby of fix or repair daily. the burlington northern railroad retires them at 200k which is very high considering the constant abuse they get.
change the oil, tranny fluid and filter(drrrr...theres a filter a george?) and flush the radiator and heatercore every year and they last forever. if you want the tranny to last forever add a tranny cooler also.
bottom line is nothing is perfect and doesnt havea little problems, you want something like that buy a bugatti. be glad you know the weak spots of the dakotas. a lot of models like the rangers and s 10s have so many random things go you never know of the design weakspots.
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Slim
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
11:42:59
| RE: Noisy lifters
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BTW-
timing chain runs 63.00 for a double roller from mopar. you can get one for like 40 from summit of some off brand...
IAC runs 40 if you ever have to replace it.
autolite plugs run around 20 bucks for a set.
thermostat is 7.00 from mopar for 180 degree
all the other noises are fluid or filter related and with the exhaust maybe a gasket which is what? 10-20 bucks for everything?
let me see, you know what the weakspots are so...87 bucks and you have a very good reliable truck.
maybe you are lucky and the guy who ordered it from the factory got the stainless exhaust even.
you wanna Git-R-Dun? Git a Dakota.
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blue340mopar
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
11:59:50
| RE: Noisy lifters
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$87.00 , you have got to be kidding, are you serious.
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cuzindoug
GenIII
10/05/2005
12:29:22
| RE: Noisy lifters
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No, he just forgot to put in the front end suspension/steering. socaldakotas has EVERYTHING in a set for about $700 which includes upper/lower contol arms and bushings, tie rodes, upper/lower ball joints, etc and everything is premium stuff. So for about $850 you can have a reliable truck that will last. I have 100k on mine and the only bad thing that happened was the ball joints and fuel pump.
If it ain't broke, fix it til it is.
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
16:34:35
| RE: Noisy lifters
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The ball joints were recalled, replaced free, and they don't break. They didn't break before '94 either. Toyota has it's troubles too. The Tacoma rides like crap, handles like crap (rolls over), and is smaller inside. On top of that, stearing rods shear and ball joints break on them too. Nissan is hardly an example of top quality these days- they've been declining slowly. And the Fronteir is a gutless little truck. Mind you, I don't have anything against the Toyota or Nissan- they're good vehicles, but so is your Dodge.
I don't see your problem being a timing chain or an exhaust manifold gasket; if it were, neither problem would go away after "a few seconds". I'm betting on it being normal. Maybe try a different filter- I've never had one be a problem, but that doesn't mean it's not possible.
And the "good old days" weren't that good either. Stop deluding yourself into saying that the A body is superior to the Dakota. Is is inferior in every way, except MAYBE you could work on the really old ones more yourself. You forget they don't start worth a crap in the morning. The slant six required frequent valve adjustment. The cars rode like crap, handled like crap, and ran like crap. I've worked on them, I know what they are like, and they ain't that great. I love classic muscle power as much as the next guy, but we've advanced lightyears since then.
If you've put that much work into your Dakota, you either beat it to death, or you don't have a very good mechanic. I had a customer with an '87. At 273,000 MI, miles, he had a second transmission, rebuilt rear, 2 tierods, and a lot of tires in his truck. That's it. Oh he put a brake caliper in it because the slides locked around 220 k miles. We did both front brake calipers for him- the truck had sat outside for a good part of its later life in PA- I would have expected it to happen sooner.
I think you're mad at your mechanic, not at your truck.
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hum
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
20:33:27
| RE: Noisy lifters
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The exaust manifolds do not use a gasket so if there is a small leak that makes a tick some times it will go away when it warms up. One time Larry had a small leak in one of his headers and it took awhile to locate the tick.
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
22:29:58
| RE: Noisy lifters
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But it takes a couple of minutes to warm up, not a matter of seconds. I don't buy it.
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Slim
Dodge Dakota
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10/05/2005
23:49:15
| RE: Noisy lifters
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sorry yes I did leave out the front end work, mine never had that problem and I did forget about the later years...
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