Hey Everyone, Im looking to buy a 97 dakota 4x4 v6 with 215,000 miles on it. The guy selling it says it has a bad knock and needs a new radiator. Only asking $800 for it. I do not currently have a dakota but i used to have a 99 dakota 4x4 V6 that I ended up having to sell it due to financial reasons. The question I have is that the engine is knocking really bad. I have not heard it run yet nor have i talked to the owner in person. Im only going off of what he had wrote down in the window. The transmission and transfer case all work completely fine. I have done some research so far on here as far as engine knock noise to get an idea of what i could be getting into. The top half of the motor has been replaced (water pump, heads, gaskets, timing chain) I believe in 2007. Ive attached a photo of what the current owner has already updated. I plan on talking to the owner to get more information on the knock but I'm curious as to what you all think about this. I'm not looking into doing any kind of major engine work. This also isnt my daily driver and it would just be a truck to use as simply a truck. Thank you for all of your input!
Justin

 

Let it go Justin.

You'll be replacing the engine. The bottom end needs to be rebuilt. With the past history of the heads, etc., you can assume it ran hot too.

Just my two cents.

 

Yeah that's what I was afraid of. I can do some engine work since it wouldn't be my main vehicle but I didn't even know if it was worth it. I'll pass on it and let someone more willing attack that engine. Thanks for the 2 cents!

 

The cost would be around 1.700K$ or more unless you could do the job 100% yourself if you have the tools and knowledge.

I have rebuilt engines before and it’s not too hard but without the proper tools and a good machine shop near you things could get hard and timely.

It’s a good learning experience that's for sure I like rebuilding engines it’s like Zen mind clearing concentrate and take your time.

The 4.7 is a hard engine to R/R the older engines are much simpler the 2.5, 3.9, 5.2 and 5.9 are simpler old school engines.

So if you have the tools and time with a good machine shop close to you it’s something you could do.

The machine shop will do a lot of the stuff you can’t do like checking tolerances and telling you what you need done and what to buy call a few machine shops and ask what they can do for you.

A good book on rebuilding the engine you have is a must

I will also add this the machine shop must have quality knowledgeable employees that know there stuff not 20 year old flunkies that just take customers’ orders behind a desk.

Knowledgeable employees is everything

You could always swap in a used engine cheaper but always questionable as to its quality.

 

yeah I've thought about doing the rebuild but im not confident of any of the machine shops nearby that i'd trust. i wouldnt have the 1700 or so to put to have it all done professionally and quite honestly, I dont know if i'd trust myself lol I wouldnt mind having a project truck to work on and fix some things but i think the internal engine work is a little bit out of my range. I'm just going to keep my eye out for something else to come along. I miss my old dakota so they will obviously be at the top of my list.

 

The other thing is to see if a local junkyard has a good clean motor to put in there, being aware that the 4.7 is prone to dying when overheated (seems like most OHV motors are).

With that, you can also leave the old block in the corner of the garage, on a motor stand, until you have the resources to tackle the rebuild yourself.

Just a consideration.

If you do that, I'd try to talk the gent down on the up front due to the knocking.

Carry in a quote on a Jasper rebuilt motor to use as leverage.

RwP

 

It's the 3.9 engine guys. Lots of them around, cheap. If he wants to swap it out.

 

Swapping in a used engine cold go as low as $500 or even $300 plus your time on the swap. You may even be able to sell your Junker engine for around $100 or tear it down and sell each part individually. In AZ many people sell parts from a torn down engine on Craig's List though most parts sit for many months.

In AZ I have seen a used 3.9 around $500 sometimes it includes a trans.

 

I'm not sure this is the same engine but 00DakDan may know if its a Dodge Dakota I'm guessing its the same you just may need to swap some things out with what you have now from the 97 Dak

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/pts/4894576571.html

I do know that the 2000 parts can be moved over like the Rad as I just did this swap out and its easy to do.

 

It'd fit. There might be some differences with the sensor between the two and the exhaust manifolds but if you used the parts off the existing engine it should swap easily.