So I've only had my Dakota for about 9 months its got 214,xxx km's on it. everything is original except the obvious (brake pads, rotors, timing belt etc anyways so I was going to go warm the truck up for me to head into work one morning and it just wouldn't start. It wouldn't even turn over. so my first reaction was hm battery? but then I thought that couldn't be because my accessory units were on (radio, heater) so I had my neighbor come by. he used to be a licensed mechanic down at my local dodge dealer where I bought the pick-up. He thinks the motors seized. My question is this. is it seized? I mean it used to run like a champ till it started running rough a couple of weeks ago. I put some injector cleaner in. I just got my oil change last week. and I do regular maintenance on it. how long do these motors last for? I did do some research and found out that it seems to be the 3.9 v6 and the 5.9 v8s to be the ones with the most issues and the 4.7 to be the most reliable. now I don't want to sound like a baboon but does this all sound right?

 

i have just under 130,xxx miles with my 4.7. there are a few guys on here with over 170k miles on theirs and hey still run good. i dont really know though. i will let someone else chime in.

 

I also might add I'm a body man..no mechanic!!

 

Can you turn the crankshaft by hand? If you can't, the motor is probably shot. If you can turn it by hand look to your starter. As long as it's loose it should be able to run.

 

got my neighbor to try that...she's toast...

 

Sorry to hear that. I am one of the 170,000+ mile guys and that sounds like something out of the ordinary to me. Any ideas of repair cost yet?

 

214 Km is only like 128,000 miles, not very much. I have to think there's been foul play involves, ie lack of maintenence from a previous owner. That said, it depends where you try to crank on it. The engine in our old dually, and the one in our camaro, both were/are very tight. Neither could be turned by hand, you had/have to use a flywheel crank to get it to move. In the cas of our dually, we used the starter to bump it around to undo the convertor bols, we couldn't turn it evn with the flywheel crank. The 505 in the camaro (at 14:1 compression, mind you) is pretty much impossible to turn over by hand. When we chipped 4 teeth off the flywheel, I had to hold the flywheel crank on the flywheel while dad used both hands to crank it just 5 teeth.

So just because you can't turn it, doesnt mean it's seized.

 

could be the starter...

 

Us old tractor guys use a trick to 'unstick' a stuck motor. remove the spark plugs & put into the cylendar some 'sea foam' or 'break free' or any other penetrating oil. Use a bunch. Like 1/4 to 1/2 cup in each cyl.

Let the engine soak someplace for 2 or 3 days. Then go back & try to crank it over. It won't want to - so it will take some work. Use a large socket & long bar (but don't break it!!!) on the crank bolt & try to work the crank back & forth.

I had an old pontiac engine sease on me once - just turned off while driving - no sounds at all - no running rough or hot etc.

I was able to get it free & drive it to the junk yard - you know running cars are worth more at the junk yard that non running ones : )

At any rate - you can't hurt the engine any more than it is by trying this.

 

I concur, I was going to suggest diesel fuel in the cylinders, I did that on a seized 2.3l ford motor. Didn't run very well, but it did run. Also, anytime you turn over a motor by hand you should remove the plugs. Then you can hear any broken things in the cylinders also, and listen for compression too.