1st post - Just picked up a 250K Dakota
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Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Atlanta
1st post - Just picked up a 250K Dakota
Hi, guys, my first post here.
So laugh a little and call me nuts... I know the mileage (really 246K) is a tad high, but the truck is a 2003 SLT. It seemed quite solid and too good a price for me to pass up. I needed something to work around the house with and was going to get a beater truck anyway. Well, this 4.7L Quad cab is so nice, I'm going to treat it better than a beater.
Not my first Dakota as I've owned a 93' with the magnum V8. I'll post pics at some point soon.
Anway, feel free to tell me what to watch out for.... (which should be everything)......
Edit: Here are the pics...
So laugh a little and call me nuts... I know the mileage (really 246K) is a tad high, but the truck is a 2003 SLT. It seemed quite solid and too good a price for me to pass up. I needed something to work around the house with and was going to get a beater truck anyway. Well, this 4.7L Quad cab is so nice, I'm going to treat it better than a beater.
Not my first Dakota as I've owned a 93' with the magnum V8. I'll post pics at some point soon.
Anway, feel free to tell me what to watch out for.... (which should be everything)......
Edit: Here are the pics...
Last edited by Dodgevity; Feb 19, 2014 at 10:33 PM.
Professional
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 208
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From: Bristol, VA
Congrats and welcome to the forum.
I have pretty much the same truck. But with 125K less miles.
With the miles on it I would guess that a lot of the typical offending parts have already been replaced.
You don't mention if it is a 4x4.
Ball joints and front suspension are typical "first items" to check. If there are no grease fittings then chances are they are original.
4.7 lifter noise is typical also.
Remove the throttle body and give it a good cleaning as it tends to carbon up especially around the Idle Air Control valve. If you are having any idle problems the IAC could very well solve them.
I have had mine a year now and absolutely love it. It is "just right". Not too big not too small, good MPG and just the right amount of room.
Here she is. I'm kinda proud of her too.
P4210670_zps7fb4f7d3.jpg
I have pretty much the same truck. But with 125K less miles.
With the miles on it I would guess that a lot of the typical offending parts have already been replaced.
You don't mention if it is a 4x4.
Ball joints and front suspension are typical "first items" to check. If there are no grease fittings then chances are they are original.
4.7 lifter noise is typical also.
Remove the throttle body and give it a good cleaning as it tends to carbon up especially around the Idle Air Control valve. If you are having any idle problems the IAC could very well solve them.
I have had mine a year now and absolutely love it. It is "just right". Not too big not too small, good MPG and just the right amount of room.
Here she is. I'm kinda proud of her too.
P4210670_zps7fb4f7d3.jpg
Thread Starter
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Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Atlanta
Thanks, guys. It's a RWD and the suspension feels okay driving. DK PONY, nice truck!!!
I haven't checked the ball joints yet but I have done quite a bit to get it ship-shape. I cleaned the throttle body but did not unbolt it. I just opened the butterfly, stuck a rag down the throat, shot it with a can of cleaner and a toothbrush. If I should do more, let me know but it idles fine. I took along a code scanner when I was buying it and p0440 was in the history.
Things I've done so far....
I haven't checked the ball joints yet but I have done quite a bit to get it ship-shape. I cleaned the throttle body but did not unbolt it. I just opened the butterfly, stuck a rag down the throat, shot it with a can of cleaner and a toothbrush. If I should do more, let me know but it idles fine. I took along a code scanner when I was buying it and p0440 was in the history.
Things I've done so far....
- Oil change (the oil was ghastly)
- New NGK plugs (plugs were so worn.... gap tooling was like throwing a hot dog down a hallway.
- Replaced badly warped front rotors (even slow stops shook the front)
- Replaced passenger front caliper and greased slide pins all around
- Flushed out brake lines with Valvoline Synthetic
- Drained ATF 2x and replaced both filters
- Installed aftermarket drain plug in transmission pan
- Replaced fuel cap - got rid of p0440 (found no cracked evap hoses)
- Replaced power steering fluid with ATF+4
- Some other stuff I can't recall
Last edited by Dodgevity; Oct 17, 2013 at 12:25 PM.
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 339
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From: PA
Well sir I guess I'll have to race to keep ahead of you. I have a 2001 SLT, QC, 4.7, Auto, 4x4 with 249k miles. All the stuff you've done, I did too, but back at 237k when I bought the truck 10 months ago.
So if you have any questions on really high mileage maintenance or if you think something went wrong, I could probably tell you. Things to look for at those miles: brake lines as they maybe rusting through (watch brake fluid, it'll tell you), power steering leak as a crack can occur in the reservoir and lines (watch fluid, the pump will whine when you're dangerously low). My 4.7 developed a chatter at 246k, which was the death sentence on the engine, it is when the engine from age and use, drops a valve and it gets bent. At 248k she needed and got a new engine... so since I bought it for 3,400, I've put 5,000 throughout a year (1k of that is performance stuff), but the truck now will last till the frame and axles rust out from underneath it. Which for more needs to last just 5-6 years of college.
So if you have any questions on really high mileage maintenance or if you think something went wrong, I could probably tell you. Things to look for at those miles: brake lines as they maybe rusting through (watch brake fluid, it'll tell you), power steering leak as a crack can occur in the reservoir and lines (watch fluid, the pump will whine when you're dangerously low). My 4.7 developed a chatter at 246k, which was the death sentence on the engine, it is when the engine from age and use, drops a valve and it gets bent. At 248k she needed and got a new engine... so since I bought it for 3,400, I've put 5,000 throughout a year (1k of that is performance stuff), but the truck now will last till the frame and axles rust out from underneath it. Which for more needs to last just 5-6 years of college.
Last edited by Blacknights; Oct 17, 2013 at 01:37 PM.
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Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Atlanta
Well sir I guess I'll have to race to keep ahead of you. I have a 2001 SLT, QC, 4.7, Auto, 4x4 with 249k miles. All the stuff you've done, I did too, but back at 237k when I bought the truck 10 months ago.
So if you have any questions on really high mileage maintenance or if you think something went wrong, I could probably tell you. Things to look for at those miles: brake lines as they maybe rusting through (watch brake fluid, it'll tell you), power steering leak as a crack can occur in the reservoir and lines (watch fluid, the pump will whine when you're dangerously low). My 4.7 developed a chatter at 246k, which was the death sentence on the engine, it is when the engine from age and use, drops a valve and it gets bent. At 248k she needed and got a new engine... so since I bought it for 3,400, I've put 5,000 throughout a year (1k of that is performance stuff), but the truck now will last till the frame and axles rust out from underneath it. Which for more needs to last just 5-6 years of college.
So if you have any questions on really high mileage maintenance or if you think something went wrong, I could probably tell you. Things to look for at those miles: brake lines as they maybe rusting through (watch brake fluid, it'll tell you), power steering leak as a crack can occur in the reservoir and lines (watch fluid, the pump will whine when you're dangerously low). My 4.7 developed a chatter at 246k, which was the death sentence on the engine, it is when the engine from age and use, drops a valve and it gets bent. At 248k she needed and got a new engine... so since I bought it for 3,400, I've put 5,000 throughout a year (1k of that is performance stuff), but the truck now will last till the frame and axles rust out from underneath it. Which for more needs to last just 5-6 years of college.
Before I changed the PS fluid over to ATF, the pump was groaning a bit. When I drained it, I cleaned the mesh filter down at the bottom of the canister by shooting brake cleaner at it. Since I had the supply and return lines disconnected at the rack, it drained right out. I then cycled fresh ATF through it twice to remove residue of old fluid. No more groan! Edit: I take that back... still groans a bit but not bad.
The engine, even at this mileage, impressed me. I looked inside the tailpipe and there was no soot buildup... it was clean - as if burning natural gas. That... and the fact that the transmission shifts imperceptibly, had me sold.
Last edited by Dodgevity; Feb 19, 2014 at 10:43 PM.
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All the newer stuff is made to make it at least into the 200,000 mile range if well taken care of. Heck I had an 85 power ram with the 318 in it from a 78 ramcharger with 247k on it.
Seems like you got most of it covered. Front end parts are the only thing left to look at
Seems like you got most of it covered. Front end parts are the only thing left to look at
Thread Starter
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Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 449
From: Atlanta
I took a look. Still have the original ball joints as they are riveted (what a bad design). Front end feels okay, considering it's a truck with this much mileage. So what parts do you guys typically replace on these Daks to tighten it all up? I'm thinking ball joints + inner/outer tie-rods?
