Interesting, I just did the same today with the regional DC guy and I will post the results of the DH rep with the review of the problems. I will say this now since this was what I was told what will need to be done.. The engine will need to be torn down and the lifters replaced and maybe the cams. The trans will need a new front pump. The test drive resulted with the DH guy admitting the thing runs like crap. The truck performed just as I knew it would (badly). So with that said a decision will be made tomorrow and I will post it as soon as it’s official. I believe I will be driving a 07 and pray it won’t be anything like this major headache.

 

Plus, I don't know if anyone else has had this "problem", but for having the HO motor, it really sucks that I have to run up on someone and put the trans in "tow/haul" mode in order to get the speed up to pass someone, say on a one lane each direction road. Hitting the "tow'haul" button on the gear shift allows for a slightly faster downshift (only takes 1-2 secs to downshift instead of 2-3 when it is not pressed) The downshifting is so slow it borders on being dangerous.

 

This engine has no lifters as it has single cams over each head. My service manual calls the parts in question "hydraulic lash adjusters". They are definately bad (probably misassembled/losing oil charge at night just like the old lifters in block cam v8s when they failed). They usually don't make the noise everyone here is describing until around 100,000 miles or so....At least that was when my 4.7 in my '01 started to make that same noise. And yes it too like Graythang stated was much more prevelant on the passenger side. I hope this helps.

 

True about the engine construction but the DH rep. called them lifters anyway. Either way with a brand new engine this should not happen and to have someone say they need to take the top of the engine off and maybe need to replace the cam shaft is out of the question. They can sell this down the road to someone else but I won’t own a $32k truck that needs that kind work and a transmission front pump replacement and a bunch of other lesser things. I just hope the replacement is a far better representation of the product.

 

graythang I am curious why you are not demanding a full refund and going to get your dream truck (Toyota) and be all happy......when it comes to trucks the "Toy" part says it all hehe

 

As funny as you may think the TOY thing is you can't argue the success of Toyota and the quality of the product. I'm sure you would never take my word on this so too might consider taking the word of the rest of the world. Dodge most likely will never have the reliability and quality status of Toyota and that is DCs own fault. Its great that you are exceedingly happy with the two Daks that you owned and all seems to be right with your products. “But” their are an awful lot of owners that would appreciate better development and quality control then what they ended up with. If I didn't spend the money on the painted cap and bedrug liner for a Dakota and have to try to sell them and repurchase new a liner and cap I would go to another brand. They are buying some other accessories that are on the truck but not the cap and liner.

 

I just noticed this thread and had to post on it. My truck went on it's first long trip a few days ago and I noticed the same diesel clank when it started after it was warm. We ran the truck for roughly 150 miles before we stopped and, when cranking it to restart, it made the clank but that was the only time and it was once at engine turnover. After the truck cooled down it didn't do it, and this morning and afternoon it didn't do it. I'm assuming it's just when it's hot. But I did notice something else strange, I reset the trip odometer when I refueled and drove for nearly 150 miles, when I looked at it a few miles from home it said 35 miles on it. I know it was reset because I had 311 miles when I reset it and figured gas mileage. I could have possibly hit the button, but being that it has to be held in for several seconds to make it reset, I thought something was strange.

Just my two cents, but I hope to hell the truck I love hasn't gone to crap before I make the second payment!

 

beazer, read my 1st post again in this thread, I describe when it happens and for how long

 

I did, I just thought it strange that everyone else seems to have this noise at startup when the truck is cold and mine only did it when it hot after several countinuous hours of driving. It didn't continue at all, just a quick diesel type hollow clunk on turnover near the bottom right side of the motor but before the cat. It seemed odd to me for two reasons, I hadn't heard the truck do it before and my International goose-neck route truck made the same noise so loud it almost hurt your ears on cold mornings. It didn't have any lifter knocks, ticks or continuous sounds, just one hollow sounding klunk when the motor turned over to start. I haven't heard it since, but I haven't driven the truck more than ten or so miles at a time since. Like I said, I hope it isn't going to crap before the second payment is made, but I knew immediately it wasn't a natural sound from a gas engine, no matter what size it is.

By the way, I have 3.7L V6 but I notice that most others have the 4.7L.

 

sorry, sounds like you are describing someting completely different then what we were talking about. I have not heard anything like you are describing, thankfully. Hopefully you can discover what it is