A compression test will surely narrow down your cylinder issues if there are any. Seems like for the most part these guys have said everything and anything that would help you . Dont be worried about how much you know or dont know. We all started some place

 

Although most of us didn't start with a tear-down of an overhead cam V-8, I'm sure!

I started with 2- and 4-stroke small engines, tear them down, put them together, start them up! (or start again if they don't start).

Moved to motorcycles, then to small, push-rod 4-banger cross-flow car engines.

It can be done, however, slow steps, mark bolts and nuts (I like to put them back on, if they are not in the way, once I remove the part - then there is no confusion. Clean the re-useable bolts and nuts up with a wire brush or wire wheel and use thread lock or anti-seize depending if you want them to come apart again or not!

 

For sure! Exactly how I started out too, small engines (Briggs) and 2 and 4 strokes in 4 wheelers and snowmobiles, etc It was a lot of fun, then I switched it up once and worked on alcohol "5hp" Briggs and Strattons. Talk about a beast. Now I just work on my truck, car and Harley if I need be. The sleds been in storage up at my parents place and shouldnt need work

 

I started with legos.

Actually it was a sparkplug on a lawnmower, (i thought i was hot **** when i did that at 11 years old lol) then a starter motor, then a radiator, then a full rebuild of a suspension on an s10, replacing all rubber with poly. Then it was this truck and all I've done to it... Suspension, paint, bolt ons... Engine swap... First time cracking open an engine was that hemi, while it was on the stand. cam and such, Man I can be ambitious when I want to be lol.

 

I have been making headway into the development of my personal private mechanical career solely through my 07 dak!
oil change, radiator , drive shaft, waterpump, now engine diagnostics!
maybe a few other small things.

So , I recently had my manifold done probably 6 months ago, I thought they would have replaced it completely , now that I actually look at it , the left and right both look fairly old and original. I will read my receipt
maybe they just replaced the gasket?

*now that I have become more interpretive of mechanical work - how difficult is the manifold job? there seems to be a lot of stuff in the way. but I think I could get too it with some dedication no? or is there there some serious over hauling to do to get to it?\

either way, they don't seem damaged from \visual inspection just corroded looking - and I don't notice any specific noise coming from them while the engine is on,

I hear the ticking coming from under Neath the head of the engine almost on neither side more so then the other.

and when I have driven it around the block and push the gas peddle it does speed up ( the ticking/knocking , but I feel the ticking that i hear, THROUGH the gas peddle. sort of kicking back. so Im leaning towards lifters next.

I am totally interested in doing everything I can to try an fix it/properly diagnose before I replace the engine because there is a possibility it could be a simple fix and the engine is not fried.

I am going to double check with the compression test tomorrow morning to try an see if I can actually single out a cylinder.
you all recommend I should get a spark plug tool as well and take them out and inspect them?

When I have drove it I had just unplugged the plug from the back left coil pack. seems to be the only one that doesn't effect engine when I un plug It, if I unplug any other one the engine acts differently, so that makes sense that would be the dead one, I know I already said this to you guys, just double checking were all on the same page.

valve cover - So I am going to get a small 10mm combination wrench? just the ones with the hole on one side an open end size on the other end, to get my last bolt on the back left of the right valve cover.

I will try and disconnect the air filter box and tube, definitely make getting the left valve cover off easier.

I will drain the coolant and oil and disconnect the battery before doing it all
bit worried about disconnecting some of the tubes / hoses that go into metal clamp looking things. sort of like the ones the transmission lines going into the radiator, I know there is a white piece to unscrew for those, im not touching those, but the hoses on top look like that , I don't want to get involved unhooking those as I feel I might tear them.

I will download and print off the service pages I need from the link
I had been considering order the Haynes service manual off the internet, end up cost a few bucks after shipping, but if its all free online it just as well I use that when I need it.

EDIT I started this thread wanting to ask - there is the left and right exhaust manifold??? what is the difference in the two? coming from the engine then going to the exhaust pipe?

 

found this engine repair manual
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=314849

plus I think these are the lifters? valve lifters ? this will be what ill find under the valve cover
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...146&cc=1434478

plus, replacing the manifolds, having trouble finding the actual exhaust manifold, the big half pipe looking thing! seen a few on ebay , none through rock auto though, seems to be the only place I can pick up goods for my truck from the us, usually costing an arm and a leg in shipping though
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Manifold-for-00-08-Dodge-Truck-Dakota-Durango-Ram-4-7L-DORMAN-674-909-/350837033757?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ADodge%7CModel%3ADakota%7CYear%3A2007&hash=item51af844b1d&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Manifold-for-00-08-Dodge-Truck-Dakota-Durango-Ram-4-7L-DORMAN-674-909-/130950550379?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ADodge%7CModel%3ADakota%7CYear%3A2007&hash=item1e7d42d36b&vxp=mtr
they look nice

if I end up replacing my engine. I think ill be replacing everything right away, new manifold.. new lifters, spark plugs, coil plugs packs, all the nuts an bolts\ get some chrome goin on under the hood

worst part oof it all is I just ordered bed rail caps, diamond plated chrome ones,
replaced my tail lights twice now form people backing into them, 70 bucks a pop
I was loading some 2x8sx12 and ply wood into my truick on WED the day before my pump went and I popped one of my tail lights, the sign of things to come..... I wish I could blame my trouble on karma but I think its just dumb luck

 

The manual you need can be downloaded from the stickies at the front of this forum! They are factory manuals and they are gospel!

They are free!

Don't buy a manual, download the PDF version for free!

This is not likely a manifold problem - intakes are composite (plastic-ish stuff) and conform to whatever shape is below them, mostly. This is a head/valve/head gasket problem - your milky oil indicates that coolant has gotten into the oil through some breach in the separation of the systems. It has nothing to do with your manifolds. You need to pull the noisy head and see what is going on. You will likely see a physical breach in the head gasket or some staining between the cylinders and passageways.

Good luck

 

See my bold remarks.

 

I agree and to proceed, I think you need the following:

• A basic mechanics tool set - don't go cheap, they'll break or not fit. In my opinion, Sears has good deals on some pretty comprehensive sets that are lifetime warrantied - Craftsman has always worked well for me.
• DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE MANUAL. At this point it's your best tool to recognizing parts and learning how to deal with them - you're still doing a lot of guessing and groping at the moment and working by guess and by grope will become very costly in both time and money. With mechanical assemblies, you can only diagnose so far before you need to disassemble to find the truth. I see that you're trying to do whatever you can from the exterior of the engine when your main issue is probably out of sight. Exhaust manifolds seldom need to be replaced and almost never need to be bought new unless you want to change to headers. If the manifold is cracked, it can be welded (just get a welder that knows how to weld cast iron), if it's leaking, its probably broken bolts or blown gasket. Exhaust manifold bolts are often hard to remove without breaking them & you'll need good tools to get to them and remove them. If the bolts break, you'll have a real challenge pulling out the broken ends with limited mechanical/fabrication knowledge.
• Don't buy parts and replace them just to see if you happen to fix the problem, you need to think through this logically and account for ALL the symptoms, not just looking at one symptom at a time - I'm not sure what keeps pulling you towards the exhaust manifold when you have a dead cylinder.

 

^^nothing pulling me towards exhaust manifold, someone just mentioned that ffrom what I was describing it was sounding more and more like it.
just because of the sound and how it progressed through throttle.


I am positive It is a dead cylinder I took off the valve covers, and nothing seems odd there..oil in there but im assuming that's normal.

I bought a compression test, but never got around to doing it because my sparkplug tool was not nearly long enough to get them out,
but the ONE cylinder that I have identified im positive is the bad one, when it is plugged in - and I try turning over the key the engine struggles to start, but if I unplug it it fires up first shot no sweat.., but there is still lack of power.

I changed the oil plus filter, don't know why I put high grade synthetic in it and new coolant if ill just be swapping the motor.

the oil I took out was very dark, which seemed unusual for synthetic but I guess it is a month old so it turns, or maybe it just became scorched from over heating.

I have just been monkeying around to try and diagnose some stuff my self before I drop 2700 on the engine and labor for the swap.
spent 115 on compression test an oil an coolant an stuff, should have put that towards the swap

I was just saying I thought the New chrome manifolds looked nice and I would be interested in putting new ones on my Used engine that I swap onto my truck. just for badness, and looks and asking about difficulty of getting at it, doesn't seem to difficult

I had a hell of a time getting the valve covers off, holy ****. took of air filters and un pplugged eveething in the way but holy ****
and another question
the first cylinder sparkplug on left side under the air filter and I guess there is two fuel lines maybe? how the hell are you supposed to get at that one?!?!?!