I have already cleaned the TB... it is clean as a wistle and have already had a slight of improvement in MPG.. (Or just the removal of the Tornado that was in the intake.. from when i got the truck ROFL)

Have correct wires.. plugs suck.. they are next to go.. ROFL going to go with NKG's

Clanking at driving? You mean when i hit bumps?

No I have not changed the Trans Case yet, its next on my list though..

But yes.. sounds like lifter or some sort of clank from motor and is probally why it shutters at low speed.. something is a 'miss' even if slightly..

 

Slight is not the word.. big time improvement at 55 and below..and slight at higher speeds..

 

It probably was the bumps I was hearing, I tried to listen as closely as I could, but my two kiddos were playing about 5 feet from me, and getting rowdy...so it was a little hard to hear everything.

I still believe it is something in your drive train, and should be easy to fix once you identify the culprit :-)

 

Also, remember, that even through your front wheels are not spinning/engaged, the transfer case still has the primary shaft, planetary gear(s) and chain still moving (too some extent), so if the fluid is bad, or something has bound up, then this would certainly cause some noise...draining the fluid will be a tell - tell sign, if its nasty (or even black) and smells like *** (you can't miss the smell of that fluid), then change that poor thing. I am sure it has a pick up magnet also, but I don't think you can inspect it without taking the case off, it would be interesting to see the debris on the magnet.

 

Indeed.. I hear you loud and clear.. I plan on doing a service on this next.. along with the trans case.. I had very little 'shaving' in the Tranny when i changed..but had grey sludge on the mag..

I'm glad I changed though.. at least i know its done..

 

hay man a friend of mine works with the dodge dealer ship and he told me to take the throttle body off and look down and see if theres any oil. he said these motors are good for leakin lowe pulenium gaskets. well i pulled mine off and sure nuff theres oil down there a pretty good puddle at that. i have the same vavle rattles and lopen or shutter just like your truck. it makes sene cuz the oil suckn in to the cylenders like that would throw off the octane raten of the gas and make it rattle just like bad gas. and it would mke it have a slight miss you might not be able to hear but feel under braken or when taken off. so u might wanna pull your tb and give it a good cleanin and take a peek down there and see if you gotta leak.. good luck man

 

Fry, thanks man for the imput..

Honestly when i pulled the TB off i did see a little film in there.. but no puddles was pretty clean.. i was expecting oil all off in there.. but I do not really see that it is really oily in there.. before i changed the PCV, it was sucking oil in there and you could see the oil down the side where it was running in..

but since then now.. no more oil as far as I can tell has been getting through.. at least not as much..

It was really pretty clean in there though.. really.. I will run seafoam and then if that does not clear it up pull the covers and take a look there.. and do the trans case, and the front and rear axels..

Then go from there..

 

The sludge is normal, nothing to worry about. The shavings (physical pieces of metal may be a concern), but since you saw just a little, I wouldnt sweat it for now.

Trannys are a "self destruct" design, as I like to call them, because the steels, bands, clutches, bearings and even the snap rings are built to take the brunt off the torque, and as they do, they wear out and shred. The purpose of a good rebuild is for longevity, no transmission in the world is everlasting, they all need to be serviced/rebuilt at some point in time.

 

Fry: Good info, thanks man! So the intake manifold has a design flaw, or is it just the normal wear and tear of the gaskets? Did your friend happen to mention any "recommended" gaskets to use for replacements?

I ask, because I am on the hunt for my first Dakota, and this is something I will certainly keep in mind when reviewing the Dakotas I look at while shopping.

 

texas no all he said was there known for leakin. so my guess is the factory gaskets them self had a flaw. and jon im at a loss then man cus im pretty sure thats my problemo. i wish you luck on findin this little monkey you got given u a hard time lol.