Hello all,

I have a 5.9L V8 2000 Durango 4x2 84,320 mi. I love the thing to death but with me over 3 grand in the hole in negative equity I'm kinda stuck. It's my wife's daily driver (I drive a 2006 Dakota). Recently, I've noticed some really weird stuff and I need some advice:

1) The camber on the right front wheel bottom is rotated outwards by at least 1/2". How do I re-adjust it??

2) Every single bump, there is a LOUD annoying squeaking sound coming from the fornt endthat can be heard from at least 50 to 100 ft away (no joke). It sounds like all it needs is grease but with no fittings (besides the ball joints which have been replaced x1)it's pissing me off. (Not to say the least bit embarrasing).

3) The left rear passenger power window worked fine, then intermittenly, now it's not working. No codes or anything just stopped working, fuse is fine and the swtich works.

4) When I also turn the steering wheel in one direction or another it sounds like the front end is "popping" and a banging against somthing, I also feel the popping in the steering wheel. The alignment was just recently done and then everything was normal. ( besides the sequeaking which they couldn't tell me what was causing it).

5) There is a strangely weird but very strong burning rubber smell after a 5 minute drive. I went to my wife's work to drop food off, got out of the vehicle and it hit me like something fierce. Parking brake is operational no problems with brakes are found. Engine was working fine, however noticed a slightincrease in temperature.

6) I've also replaced a stock T-stat with a 180 degree, the truck while running and in gear operates around 185 to 190 but when it's placed in park after approx 30 sec it goes to close to 195to 200. The temp fluctuates frequently and I'm wondeirng what's going on. It's not overheating just watching the temp dance when it's in park or driving. The t-stat was installed with the sensor side in the correct positon. Fan clutch is still working properly (tested it: try spinning it to see if it spins freely, passed test, stops spinning)

Any help or recomendations would help!!!!

Thanks,
Fred Jackson

 

I can try to help you out with a few of those..

2) Sway bar bushings... they are really ****ty quality and they dry rot and SQUEAK! Mine have been squeaking for a couple years, but with a new exhaust, music, i only notice it over slow speed bumps.. You can buy aftermarket poly urethane ones will never need to be replaced

3) i believe there is a stick topic on this board for fixing power windows... the brushes in the motor get gummed up with debris and cause a poor conection.. https://dodgeforum.com/m_650637/tm.htm

4) sounds like ball joints to me.. I'm not too familiar with the 2wd dront end.. but popping sounds like ball joints... could it be a wheel bearing?? Causing slack in the wheel??

5) is a belt slipping? Burning rubber would have to be rubber slipping or heating up.. So a belt slipping, or something stuck underneath the car near the exhaust.. just look for places where high heat builds up, and look for something that looks burnt.. try to narrow it down to a more central location

6) does the electric helper fan come on when the temp rises up? The fan clutch works best when the engine is revving, pulls more air through.. the electric assist fan pullsa lot of air at idle when temp calls for it.. so see if it comes on at all... check the fuse and relay if it doesnt

 

+1 for what deerang said plus:

2. aftermarket polyeurthane bushings. no one makes a kit for the 00 durango. It's custom fit so you have to get the fittings and try to get a exact match for replacement. I spent way too much time and energy researching this on internet and talking to a few people at the counter concerning this and it is pretty much trial and error match and fit. I decided to go back to oem bushings.

3. You may want to check the main switching panel on the driver's door.Users reportsof wiring harnesses connecting to that driver's switch console comes loose causing power failures to random windows.

6. Check for air in the cooling system. It could be the T-stat erratically open/close as well.

 

Great stuff thanks for the advice..... Can anyone tell me how to #1 get rid of any air in the coolant system. #2 adjust the camber of the wheel??

 

Found out the following:

1) I replaced the water pump and radiator and T-stat everything is staying at temp now.
2) Both the rubber burning smell and the popping noise were caused by one of the new control arm bushings. The thing had completely seperated from the metal housing it's in. The rubber then rested against the exhaust pipe which caused the burning smell.
3) Oil change it was due (Royal Purple only
4) Window regulator was replaced with a junkyard swap
5) Camber was found to be connected to the control arm bushing problem above.
6) The E-Fan only comes on when the A/C is activated. Fuse is fine, just wondering about the relay.
7) I PB blasted all the bushings and joints with 2 cans of it. Not squeaky ANYMORE !!!! Hopefully it will last.

Thanks for all the help!!

 

Nice to see you up and going. Mostly the problems were small fix's, but even then it can **** Off the shallowest.

The relay is working properly.