Folks seem to think the stuff THEY are selling is worth it's weight in gold, but, the stuff they are trying to buy should go for scrap prices....

When I sold my 96, yeah, it has some issues. Steering box was puking fluid, rear brake line had blown out, more than 200K miles on it, VERY rusty...... But, it would start, run, drive, and go down the road under it's own power. I was only asking 700 bucks for it.... but, the guy that came to look at it offered me 300... I told him no, did not counter offer, and started walking back toward my house. He started whining about all the problems with the truck, so, I just told him, yeah, I am aware of the problems, and the truck is priced accordingly. if you don't want to pay what I am asking, then we are done. You aren't going to find anything else, for that kind of money, that you can DRIVE HOME.

He paid the 700, and left.

 

I see trucks selling, well, asking, for $5000-6000 with transmission problems. I'd probably ask $7000 for my truck as it may have some minor warts, I'll drive 500 miles to get something and not worry. I've gone through the brakes, suspension, engine and so on. The transmission was done right before I got the truck. Straight body with only one rust spot. The major tune up last summer has the Flowmaster 44's purring with nice burble going down the road smooth.

Unless I can get a 4 door cab truck with the first gen Magnum, the '96 will have to draw major bucks to be sold. I've worked on the second gen Magnums, specifically the 4.7 and don't plan to do it again.

 

Turned out the "Rocker Arm Pivot Retainer" or "Tappet Retainer" was CRACKED which allowed the pivot to come UN-seated. And, with THAT we have finally come to the bottom of the rabbit hole! Just in case anyone else ever needs this part, it's Mopar Part #53008633. BUT... IT'S A DISCONTINUED PART. Even the dealership couldn't find it nationwide! So, you'll have to find a salvage yard that will let you pull parts from an engine. Or try Ebay. Hope this helps someone else. 😎

 

Oh, and THANKS for the advice to check the timing chain while doing the water pump! GOD KNOWS I WAS KICKING MYSELF THINKING ABOUT THAT NOW! For now, the new timing chain is still on the "to do" list for just that reason... it is one heck of a PITA to get there! The "tick" is gone! And, at least I found the bottom of the rabbit hole before it blew up the engine completely! Thanks guys! Always a pleasure!

 

It's called "experience". I've had to go back in many times over the years to redo things I should have done right the first time.My hands are covered with scars from ill timed wrenching. I've got shelves with boxes of extra parts where I got the wrong part by not checking details. Simple advice like checking the firing order and make sure WHAT company made the engine makes people think you're a master mechanic when you've just messed up a couple of times and learned your lesson. (GM and Chrysler use the same cylinder numbering. Ford is different.)

Next time you'll know to go the extra little bit to save time and money later. Doing the timing chins on these engines are fairly easy. Nothing like some of the nightmares I've worked on before.

I have dealt with people who REFUSE to admit they messed up. I feel sorat hubris will bite you but I let them go their own way. You have the sense to ask.

 

BTW Ol' Grouch... My (newly refreshed) "Betsy 2" might be up for sale soon! She's a 1st gen 4x4 2-door extended cab. Only reason I MAY sell her is because the rest of my family were all descendants from the "midget" side of my family tree, which makes climbing up into Betsy a little challenging. (No offense to the "little people" community! Honestly! Just a joke with my peeps. )

 

Most of my family is between 4'10 and 5'5 or so. I'm 6' but because of my Welsh ancestry, my legs are short. I have a 29 inch inseam. I rarely wear suits because it's hard to find dress shirts that are slim fit if one has a 20 inch neck and I look like someone snuck into the zoo and put a suit on a gorilla. The GF is 6 foot but all legs. I can barely reach the pedals in her car and she looks through the steering wheel on my stuff.

I'd love to get another first gen but right now I am working on trading a Harley for a '02 Quad cab Dodge and I also have a '96 1500 extended cab, an '04 Furd Exoedition and a '16 Mazda CX-5. To say I'm car poor would be an understatement.

 

Lol. Just thought I'd throw it out there, in case you were looking. BTW, how does your family manage the climb into your "beast" of a truck? I'm considering renaming mine to "Betsy the BEAST". This is the only truck I've ever owned that I have to carry around a step-ladder with me in case I need to look under the hood! I wish my brother would have taken a picture the other day. I was trying to turn the engine from the top, but the massively huge socket wrench fell off the nut and simehow switched the rotation direction of the wrench. That left me trying to reach around the fan to correct it.😳😖 When he came out, I was leaning down into the engine bay so far that my feet had come off the ladder and were sticking up in the air! He said it looked like Betsy was trying to swallow me whole! 🤣

 

I'm an old bachelor so I usually am by myself. When I take passengers around, I have the CX-5 and Expedition. As for getting into the truck myself, I stand on my toes and hike one hip up. The GF with her long legs just steps in.

I've had my feet in the air myself. I keep old cardboard boxes and often will put them across things like the hood latch and lay on top of the engine. When I did the major tune up last summer on my '96, until I put the fan shroud back in, I stood inside the engine compartment.