Terrible Tom wrote:
>
> 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.
>
Oil pump would def. end up being a dealer/shop thing for me... the shop
manual has way too many steps to getting the pan out on a 4x4 5.2
>
>> 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/
>
Sounds similar...
I have some time this weekend, so first thing I'm going to do is pull
the acc. belt and check that the accessories are not the issue. I
checked the convertors by holding a broom stick against them to check
for rattles... didn't notice anything change, but I'll take a closer look.
>
>
>> 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?
>
Charcoal canister removes fumes from the gas tank via some vapor lines I
believe... no idea if these cars have vac. reserves... usually the vac.
reserves are for cars that have climate & cruise systems that are vac.
powered and cruise systems that are vac powered... (like older Fords
where you get full-heat on defrost when you floor it, even if you're on
max-a/c :))
I def. need to do something about the brakes... I was towing a
lightly-loaded 5x9 trailer yesterday (moving day for a friend) and I
almost couldn't stop at a few red lights...
>
>> 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
>
I used to love working on cars, back in high school I even worked at AZ
for 2 years for the discount :) But the last 3-4 years I just haven't
had the time or the space...
I moved out from home after college and ended up at apartment that says
no to car work other then lifiting the hood... and after I left my
parents sold their house moved into a condo that doesn't even let you
lift your hood in your own driveway (it's a rule in their telephone book
sized association document)
So a good location to do work is tough to find for me... usually I end
up doing most stuff in the parking lot at work on the weekends... but it
gets tough when you need a part or a tool and your wheels are off and
the brakes are disassembled! So I stick to the simple stuff...
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Sep 01 2004 - 00:53:42 EDT