bought a one owner '00 last weekend with a dead 4.7. 268,xxx km (160,xxx miles) and its eaten the chain guides for the left side and primary, not just worn the rub strips out but the metal to support them has broken in half, and the ratcheting peice for the left side tensioner is gone, having fun tearing the engine apart anyway. under the valve covers is the dirtiest engine i have ever seen, the crude build up is insane and its not just goey slude but dried up crustation if you pick a chunk off and can squish it you get a pile of powder. paid $400, if the gauge is correct the tank is full and the battery has a sticker saying it was made nov 2010 so full tank and new batt theres $200 value.


even has the original window sticker with it saying it was ordered by the guy I bought it from. original sticker price of $42,xxx cdn, cant believe somebody paid that much and couldn't be bothered to do regular oil changes.

 

Find a low mileage replacement engine, drop it in, drive it, and change the oil as needed.

Mechanically these engines are a match: 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee (exhaust manifolds are different), 2000-2002 Dakota, 2000-early 2002 Durango (with a 3 plug JTEC PCM), 2002 Ram. Anything else will not work, because the NGC PCM has 4 plugs and the engines have the wrong crank and cam tone rings for your PCM.

 

+1 Start looking for a replacement motor, you'll be MUCH better off. If it's sludged up solid you'll spend more replacing parts than a swap will cost you. Besides, pieces of that timing guide have found their way into the pan, and you'll need to pull it anyways. It's quicker and easier to pull the whole motor at this point.

Bob

 

I have an '02 4.7HO core from a grand cherokee for parts. once I pull the cam off the durango to check for bent valves I was going to put the good timing set and chain guides from the HO core just to see if I can make it run and drive before I spend any money on this. I dont know what its like where you guys are but around here finding any 4.7 forsale never mind a running one is damn near impossible from the private market, and buying one from a wrecker im looking at $1500, might as well go buy a running durango if im going to spend that much on an engine.

just want to try and make this run for cheap and find out if we like driving it before we look for one in better shape with less km and with a few more options we would like(rear A/C, and rear heat if available are on the list)

 

What about rebuilding that one instead? If the first one is sludged up that bad and already has metal in it from the guides it's going to fail pretty quickly.

Bob

 

+1 bob, use the good motor, it is worth the time.

 

+2

The HO motor kicks the crap out of the regular 4.7L.

 

I have thought about using the HO motor, but didn't want to waste its rareness on a vehicle I dont want to keep. wanted to keep the HO for a better shape durango. and it needs work as well, it dosn't have skipped chains but it does have some some valve to piston contact happening, if I remember right it has 2 valves not closing. guy I bought it from said it has 220km on it and had it changed out of his GC because the shop told him it had a skipped chain.

 

won't I also need a tune or tuner or something to deal with the difference of the HO? can't imagine the stock ECU dealing with the higher compresion, different cams, different intake and bigger injectors all that well.

 

Rebuild the HO engine, drop it into your Durango. It'll work just fine with your stock PCM. To get the most out of it you'll need a PCM reflash or tuner, but it'll run as good or better than a Std 4.7L engine. When your good/keeper Durango comes along swap the engines between them and be on your way.