Truck Falling apart? Tons of problems!
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Truck Falling apart? Tons of problems!
Hey guys im new to the Dakota Scene and i need all the help, thought, and opinions i can get ( and maybe even some prayers) .
About last october I bought a 2006 quad cab 4.7 4x4 (vin N) TRX-4 from a guy that moved here to Utah from pennsylvania, so everythign has a layer of surface rust. anyways, When i first got it, the front end was sagging 3 inches lower than the rear, so i threw new shocks and a 2.5" spacer on the front. I also replaced the spark plugs with some autolight or NGK double platinums. I also added a hitch and lights and other small stuff, oil/coolant change etc. But the truck ran perfectly fine for 6 months, not a single problem. Then these problem started just happening. First it was a bad O2 sensor bank 2 sensor 1, so i replaced that. (Yes I went with bosch its all they had at oreilly's). then 2 of my driver side exhaust manifold bots broke and there was a loud exhaust leak. then i thought i would clean the throttle body for a reason i dont remember, then a day later I was getting a p0300 multicylinder misfire and eventually a cylinder 7 missfire. So I removed that spark plug and cleaned it and fixed only the #7 misfire. Then a few days later my Transmission temp warning light would come on every few minutes and if the AC was on then it would be even worse. So i changed the tranny fluid (not flush) and both filters and yes i replaced the little ring gasket. I also then fixed the exhast manifold bolts so that problem is now solved. AND THEN i was driving one day and all of my guages became possessed and were wigging out and my odometer was racking of miles faster then you could count, so my truck just randomly added hundreds of miles to the odometer within a minute. AND THEN i was getting off of the freeway and felt thumping in the front end like every rotation of the wheel there was a big speed bump and a crunch sound that came with it. it really shakes the truck bad and its worse when driving slow or turning right. and heard grinding and squeeking and i was so sure that it was a wheel bearing that i replaced it but then teh noise came back immediately after so now i have no Idea what to do. the CV axle and drive shafts have no play, when i turn the steering wheel left and right fast the i can hear squeeking. and now the misfrire is even worse, every time i start up the truck it takes a minute for the misfire to go away and it will run fine the rest of the drive until i turn it off and start it again. Then just a few days ago my truck got a P0700, my TCM is requesting the CEL be turned on but i dont know what that means. When i check for automatic transmission codes nothing shows up. I shoudl also mention that every once in a while my CEL will flash for a minute or so.
Any help is much appreciated and i know its a ton to read but im trying to give as much info as i can remember. I can fix anything thats wrong with it, but i dont know where to start. I dont know this truck very well, and i dont know these knewer vehicles well in general. SO i need to resolve this misfire, the clunking sounds in the front end, and the transmission temp light that pops on all the time. for the light i might try flushing the cooling lines with compressed air and maybe that will push and gunk out. I am also going to test the coil packs if i can and clean the IAC. one problem is that im currently working on my other car, im deep into a project on that so i cant do too much until i get that running becasue this truck is my only other car i have at the moment. but if needs be, i can ask my little brother for the ford ranger that i let him have.
EDIT:
I should also mention my truck has 89,000 miles and I got an alignment done after lifting the front and so I know that the alignment is perfect and should be causing any issues.
About last october I bought a 2006 quad cab 4.7 4x4 (vin N) TRX-4 from a guy that moved here to Utah from pennsylvania, so everythign has a layer of surface rust. anyways, When i first got it, the front end was sagging 3 inches lower than the rear, so i threw new shocks and a 2.5" spacer on the front. I also replaced the spark plugs with some autolight or NGK double platinums. I also added a hitch and lights and other small stuff, oil/coolant change etc. But the truck ran perfectly fine for 6 months, not a single problem. Then these problem started just happening. First it was a bad O2 sensor bank 2 sensor 1, so i replaced that. (Yes I went with bosch its all they had at oreilly's). then 2 of my driver side exhaust manifold bots broke and there was a loud exhaust leak. then i thought i would clean the throttle body for a reason i dont remember, then a day later I was getting a p0300 multicylinder misfire and eventually a cylinder 7 missfire. So I removed that spark plug and cleaned it and fixed only the #7 misfire. Then a few days later my Transmission temp warning light would come on every few minutes and if the AC was on then it would be even worse. So i changed the tranny fluid (not flush) and both filters and yes i replaced the little ring gasket. I also then fixed the exhast manifold bolts so that problem is now solved. AND THEN i was driving one day and all of my guages became possessed and were wigging out and my odometer was racking of miles faster then you could count, so my truck just randomly added hundreds of miles to the odometer within a minute. AND THEN i was getting off of the freeway and felt thumping in the front end like every rotation of the wheel there was a big speed bump and a crunch sound that came with it. it really shakes the truck bad and its worse when driving slow or turning right. and heard grinding and squeeking and i was so sure that it was a wheel bearing that i replaced it but then teh noise came back immediately after so now i have no Idea what to do. the CV axle and drive shafts have no play, when i turn the steering wheel left and right fast the i can hear squeeking. and now the misfrire is even worse, every time i start up the truck it takes a minute for the misfire to go away and it will run fine the rest of the drive until i turn it off and start it again. Then just a few days ago my truck got a P0700, my TCM is requesting the CEL be turned on but i dont know what that means. When i check for automatic transmission codes nothing shows up. I shoudl also mention that every once in a while my CEL will flash for a minute or so.
Any help is much appreciated and i know its a ton to read but im trying to give as much info as i can remember. I can fix anything thats wrong with it, but i dont know where to start. I dont know this truck very well, and i dont know these knewer vehicles well in general. SO i need to resolve this misfire, the clunking sounds in the front end, and the transmission temp light that pops on all the time. for the light i might try flushing the cooling lines with compressed air and maybe that will push and gunk out. I am also going to test the coil packs if i can and clean the IAC. one problem is that im currently working on my other car, im deep into a project on that so i cant do too much until i get that running becasue this truck is my only other car i have at the moment. but if needs be, i can ask my little brother for the ford ranger that i let him have.
EDIT:
I should also mention my truck has 89,000 miles and I got an alignment done after lifting the front and so I know that the alignment is perfect and should be causing any issues.
Last edited by MarksmanB; Apr 19, 2024 at 11:47 AM.
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From: PA
I'd say if it is felt predominantly in the steering wheel could be the R/P. But if it is a general shake, control arms, strut/tower, check the caliper and rotor for clearance and alignment. Make sure the rim didn't lose and weights, doesn't hurt to get it balanced checked if unsure.
These trucks were largely still mechanical. Electronics were functionally only in the powertrain or passenger compartment. Unless you need to change the programming or a motherboard cracks. It's still just hunks of metal and hydraulics.
Now going from Pennsylvania to Utah, that is a whole different issue. Take it from someone who lives in Penn, it's not just surface rust, it's salt water with sand blasted frame. An depending on where they lived, there is a decent chance the truck has had to ford though some deep water in its life. An hill terrain it's whole life. That truck has probably had the easiest time in it's life since it hit Utah. So check your rockers and definitely core supports. For the core supports you will probably need to take the front quarter panels off to properly assess them.
Misfires in these trucks are straightforward. If it's not bad fuel its the spark, if is isn't the spark it's the coil, if it isn't the coil then it's the injector, if it isn't the injector it's the valves, if it's the valves and seafoam doesn't fix it.... then start crying.
If I remember correctly from a few years ago, the N vins have a preference for copper core spark plugs when the coils get older. Don't quote me on it, it's an old random memory that I can't source why.
These trucks were largely still mechanical. Electronics were functionally only in the powertrain or passenger compartment. Unless you need to change the programming or a motherboard cracks. It's still just hunks of metal and hydraulics.
Now going from Pennsylvania to Utah, that is a whole different issue. Take it from someone who lives in Penn, it's not just surface rust, it's salt water with sand blasted frame. An depending on where they lived, there is a decent chance the truck has had to ford though some deep water in its life. An hill terrain it's whole life. That truck has probably had the easiest time in it's life since it hit Utah. So check your rockers and definitely core supports. For the core supports you will probably need to take the front quarter panels off to properly assess them.
Misfires in these trucks are straightforward. If it's not bad fuel its the spark, if is isn't the spark it's the coil, if it isn't the coil then it's the injector, if it isn't the injector it's the valves, if it's the valves and seafoam doesn't fix it.... then start crying.
If I remember correctly from a few years ago, the N vins have a preference for copper core spark plugs when the coils get older. Don't quote me on it, it's an old random memory that I can't source why.
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Apr 2024
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I'd say if it is felt predominantly in the steering wheel could be the R/P. But if it is a general shake, control arms, strut/tower, check the caliper and rotor for clearance and alignment. Make sure the rim didn't lose and weights, doesn't hurt to get it balanced checked if unsure.
These trucks were largely still mechanical. Electronics were functionally only in the powertrain or passenger compartment. Unless you need to change the programming or a motherboard cracks. It's still just hunks of metal and hydraulics.
Now going from Pennsylvania to Utah, that is a whole different issue. Take it from someone who lives in Penn, it's not just surface rust, it's salt water with sand blasted frame. An depending on where they lived, there is a decent chance the truck has had to ford though some deep water in its life. An hill terrain it's whole life. That truck has probably had the easiest time in it's life since it hit Utah. So check your rockers and definitely core supports. For the core supports you will probably need to take the front quarter panels off to properly assess them.
Misfires in these trucks are straightforward. If it's not bad fuel its the spark, if is isn't the spark it's the coil, if it isn't the coil then it's the injector, if it isn't the injector it's the valves, if it's the valves and seafoam doesn't fix it.... then start crying.
If I remember correctly from a few years ago, the N vins have a preference for copper core spark plugs when the coils get older. Don't quote me on it, it's an old random memory that I can't source why.
These trucks were largely still mechanical. Electronics were functionally only in the powertrain or passenger compartment. Unless you need to change the programming or a motherboard cracks. It's still just hunks of metal and hydraulics.
Now going from Pennsylvania to Utah, that is a whole different issue. Take it from someone who lives in Penn, it's not just surface rust, it's salt water with sand blasted frame. An depending on where they lived, there is a decent chance the truck has had to ford though some deep water in its life. An hill terrain it's whole life. That truck has probably had the easiest time in it's life since it hit Utah. So check your rockers and definitely core supports. For the core supports you will probably need to take the front quarter panels off to properly assess them.
Misfires in these trucks are straightforward. If it's not bad fuel its the spark, if is isn't the spark it's the coil, if it isn't the coil then it's the injector, if it isn't the injector it's the valves, if it's the valves and seafoam doesn't fix it.... then start crying.
If I remember correctly from a few years ago, the N vins have a preference for copper core spark plugs when the coils get older. Don't quote me on it, it's an old random memory that I can't source why.