I just aquired a 1999 Dodge Durango SLT with the 318 (Auto). We got the truck for free due to the owner knowing there was an issue with the engine. I have rebuilt 4-5 GM smallblocks in my time but lack the troubleshooting skill and would like to ask those in here if they could lend some friendly advice.

Problem: Engine at idle has a small and I mean small ping to it. Sounds like worn valves (passenger side). Oil pressure guage reads pinned 110 and drops to 0 when engine is shut off. When you increase RMP's to 2500 you get a nasty noise that is rather hard to locate. It almost sounds like something bouncing around in the engine... If you continue to increase RPM's to 3000 or 3500 the sound goes away. If you hold it at 2500 RMP's the sound also will go away and then come back a second or two later with the same rattle noise. The engine seems to be lacking power, almost like it's missing a cylinder but does not sputter or overheat. I was told it uses oil and have not yet pulled the plugs or performed a compression test.

Questions:
1) Is this a lower end issue or could it be simply a valve (upper end) issue?

2) How and were would you start to trouble shoot this issue or would you pull the engine and tear it down 194,000 miles lol.

3) I want to rebuild the engine myself to save labor cost and markup, were is the best place to purchase the master rebuild kit? I am used to purchasing my products from Summitt and PAW, but they do not offer late model Dodge parts other then high performance upgrade which is VERY costly!

 

At that millage if you do the upper it will just make the lower go and vise versa, So best just to rebuild the engine all at once.

Here are some i just googled...
http://www.rpmmachine.com/engine-reb...chrysler.shtml
http://www.rpmrons.com/Chry,kits.html
http://www.perfectengine.com/Dodge_3...h-mkcr318c.htm
http://www.performance-auto-parts.co...s-chrylser.php


Sound like that and you have been driving it not to mention how much the previous owner has been driving it like that, damage done and time to rebuild.

 

Consitering the oil pressure...... You have the wrong weight of oil in there. Pull it and install 10W-30 Fully Synthetic which at Wal-Mart you can pick up Pensoil for 22 bucks plus a filter.

Second. Pull the plugs. I bet a plug end has burned off causing the sound which can be extracted....... PITA to do so though.

Oil use can be caused by a Plenum Gasket issue that is replaceable. The pictures are gone but here is a DIY: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/diy-do-...e00ram360.html

Do a compression test. There is 2 cheats you can do...........he he he

IF you have a low cylinder then remove the compression tester and pour at least 2 cap full's of oil directly into the spark plug hole into the cylinder. Reset the compression tester and see how the pressure resolves. If pressure stays the original pressure as the first compression psi then it is a head issue and the heads need to be pulled and rebuilt. If the pressure goes up then it is a cylinder ring to cylinder wall issue that needs the bottom end rebuilt.

First thing first....... Change that oil even if it's regular cheap synthetic and clean out the crank case.

Don't get your hopes up though.......... A break down might be your best friend.