Ethan Schwartz wrote:
>
> My Dakota has always registered what I consider to be low oil pressure
> on the gauge, esp. at hot idle, which reads just above the white line at
> the left (minimum) side of the gauge. I did replace the sensor myself,
> and there was no change.
With that many miles on an engine it is very possible to have an engine
with a worn out oil pump. Melling makes high volume/pressure oil pumps.
While I do not have any personal experiance with their pumps, I have
never heard anything bad about them.
> In the last 2-4 weeks the engine has developed a rattle sound... like a
> few marbles being swished around in an empty coffee can, or a bowling
> ball with a chip rolling down the lane... it's not a rod-knock or
> anything I've heard w/ other failed engines, but it's enough that a
> friend w/ a 98 5.2 Dakota said "WTF is that noise??" the other day...
> It's not the A/C compressor, which was my first thought, though I
> haven't pulled the belt to check if it's some other pump/pulley.
Does the rattle sound anything like the noise in this MP3 file?
http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/rattle.mp3
In late 2002, after the 4th DML BBQ, the timing chain in my 3.9L v6
crapped out. It sounded like an indistinct rattle, not rythmic like a
rod or a lifter clacking with each rotation. I tore down the front of
the engine to discover HELLA amounts of slack in the chain.
http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/christine/mothballed/
> My brakes have also become harder (both the pedal itself and the ability
> to stop)... which makes me wonder if I have low vaccum...
Change the brake fluid and bleed the lines. Also check the thickness
and status of the brake pads, rotors, and rear drums and shoes. Could
also be the brake booster. Low vaccum - on a stock engine, would
indicate bad vaccume lines, possible bad rings (do a compression test),
is there a vaccum reserve canister on our trucks? I know there is a
charocoal canister - but that is for emissions - not vaccum reserve right?
> It seems like I could have a failing engine (I'm weeks away from 100k
> miles, but I bought the truck at an auction with 89k, so I have no idea
> what type of abuse it received...)
>
> I know it's always worthwhile to try to pre-empt a problem like this...
>
> So does anyone know an honest mechanic south or west of Boston that I
> could bring this to for diagnosis? I've only found dead beats around
> here that overcharge and either don't find problems (that are real) or
> find non-existant ones...
I don't know of any out that way unfortunatly. I've been screwed by
service shops before and I know the feeling. If you want to attempt
some of the repairs on your own - its not impossible. Once you take
apart your truck and put it back together again half dozen times, even a
guy like me can get good at it eventually LOL
-- Terrible Tom -- AIM & Yahoo Name: SilverEightynine http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Sep 01 2004 - 00:53:42 EDT