I find my 06 has ample torque at fairly low revs. (1500 rpm and up) The horsepower is lacking for an engine of this size (compare to a chevy 4.8 or ford 4.6 of similar years). Yes a 4000lb trailer is a lot of work for this truck; i pulled 6000 and it was silly. defo not on the interstate with that weight. ive pulled 4000 with a 6.0 chevy and it wasnt that much better though. i think 2 ton+ is for diesels if your going to do it often.

I knew all this already and i wanted a small truck. Also i only paid 20k new because it is stripped down with nothing but the good stuff (see sig). considering all that, Im ok with the lack luster 4.7. I would not call it a dog though. dont know what it is like in an auto trans either.

 

Yeah I bought it used, you got a problem w/that?
Bought used for 2 reasons, one was that you can't get a new truck (Ford, GM, Dodge, wouldn't buy a foreign brand) w/a manual transmission. Other one is that I'm a pensioner on a fixed income and can't afford a new one anyways.
Smiles, Ken

 

Gears...

I've had a 2000, 2003, 2005 and now a 2011 Dakota all with the 4.7. From what I remember the 05 didn't feel as strong as the earlier models did. The 2011 is better but most of that power comes higher in the rev range. Off the line torque is about what the 2000 and 2003 had but feels like it was punt kicked in the *** when it revs past about 4000rpms. Kinda like how some of the smaller Japanese engines are tuned to rev out.

I've since put 4.56 gears and a tuner and it runs like a raped ape. I think you'll find a tune will really help that 05 a lot. Others as well as I have noted that there seems to be a lot held back in the 4.7 on the factory calibration.

 

Tuner would definitely wake it up.

 

My 07 always towed easily with a trailer behind it. I never had an issue, granted I never got above 4000lbs, but I had no doubt it would have done well. The only reason I ever got rid of it was solely the family didnt fit, thus the Ram with the Crew Cab was more than enough. If size weren't the case I would still own it till it died.

 

not gutless at all, your running the wrong plugs, 5224 are incorrect for our trucks 3923 plugs are the correct ones for our trucks, they are a cooler plug with better spark and performance, switch them out and see if the truck performs any better

 

Thanks, I'll try that.

 

Never had a Dak, but I've had two Grand Cherokee's with the 4.7. A 2002 standard and a 2002 HO. Not a big fan of the 4.7 but that's because the overhead cam engine is a b*tch to work on and how bad the heads warp when allowed to get just marginally hot.

BUT, from a power stand point, the 4.7 will pull circles around a Ford 4.9. Owned two of those as well and it's one of my favorite engines (along with the Chrysler/Jeep 4.0) but this is because they are stupid easy to work on.

Poorly maintained 4.7s lose power and fuel economy pretty bad and one with a cruded up pcv alone will remind us older 5.2 (318) V8 guys how they acted when the Plenum gasket blew.

Also a lot of power adders out there for the 4.7. A lot of parts for the HO will swap right over. The intake manifold for an '02 HO with its shorter runners would be a good start...

 

My experience has been just the opposite.

 

Maybe it's the fact I've had my 4.7 & 4.7HO in relatively light Grand Cherokee's and my Ford 4.9s were in full size pickups. But I still don't see how an engine with 150 ish HP and like 245 TQ could out pull an engine with around 235 HP and close to 300 TQ (or 270 HP/ 330 TQ in the case of the HO).