Now I know why country music singers like to sing about their pickup
trucks breaking down. It's depressing! I went into this weekend
thinking I'd just change the diff and transfer case fluids and change
the pitman arm if I had a chance. Boy was I wrong.
So now I know the below:
1.) The spring in the lower radiator hose is required, and now I get
to order one from the dealer ($21 from Wyckoff + ship)
2.) Don't base the RTV pattern on the diff covers from memory of the
FSM - look at it first. Now I'm wondering if I'll have a leak there
since I looped around the outside of the bolt holes rather than around
the inside.
3.) Either the valve covers are leaking worse than I thought, or
either the rear main seal or something else has a slow oil leak at the
back of the engine.
4.) The transfer case drain plug on my year Dakota requires a 30mm
socket but has no room for one -- so I guess I get to buy a 30mm open
end wrench and hope it fits, because a crescent wrench sure won't.
Stupid engineers.
5.) Skid plates on the transfer case do a good job of masking slow
transfer case leaks. I did a "Redneck repair" by cleaning the spot
where the leak seems to be coming from (doesn't leak when the truck is
cold) and smearing a good bead of RTV on it. Short term solution -- I
guess a transfer case rebuild is in my near future since if I'm
pulling it, it's being gone though with a fine tooth comb. :( It was
a little less than a half quart low.
$#@#$#$ truck. Now I have two Chrysler products that need major TLC
and only enough money for one. :(
Time to go borrow my wife's country music CDs...
MattB
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