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bought a Durango R/T


Ryan218

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i have missed my grand cherokee since i traded it in and bought a 07 jetta and was wanting to pick up another that needed some work to have as a dd for the winter and to tow with.

 

picked this up for 800 bucks. 2000 Durango R/t. has some noise in the motor but it sounds like its in the valve train. holds good oil pressure. has 146k on it.

 

since ill have some of the motor apart was thinking about putting a mild cam it but still haven't decided what ill do yet. need to pull the valve covers off first and see whats going on and go from there.

 

anyone know if the 5.9's had an common issuse with valve train? im thinking it may have a collapsed lifter.

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/durangoRT.jpg

Edited by Ryan218
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has a little rust on the drivers rear 1/4 starting to show under the paint and needs a new hatch ( its rusted bad ) but the frame and underside of the truck is perfect looking. interior is nice but both front windows are off track. but will make a nice little suv when fixed up.going to be pulling the valve covers to see whats going on soon. has a few little issues besides the noise in the top end. but for 800 bucks i didnt think id get hurt on it.
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has a little rust on the drivers rear 1/4 starting to show under the paint and needs a new hatch ( its rusted bad ) but the frame and underside of the truck is perfect looking. interior is nice but both front windows are off track. but will make a nice little suv when fixed up.going to be pulling the valve covers to see whats going on soon. has a few little issues besides the noise in the top end. but for 800 bucks i didnt think id get hurt on it.

 

Minor body rust is common, I had a 2000 SLT Premium 5.9L back in high school and it had rusted around the sides of the front bumper and a little on the rear bumper. Nice buy for $800, the 5.9 magnum is a strong motor, and that first gen chassis is surprisingly light for a big SUV.

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Are you picking up these cars at auction?

 

nope. civic was from a friends of mine friends who was tired of the car because of the miles. and because it has a few dents. he wanted something nicer. had 223k on it when i got it. i just hit 230k in it and all ive done to it is a basic tune up, new hood and headlights. ( looked like someone tried to do a dukes of hazard over it. ) but for a running and driving car and its a 5 speed i couldnt pass it up.

 

the durango i got from my friends work. durango was impounded over of Roberts road were it sat for a few weeks. its from Kentucky but the owner drove up and gave them the key heard the motor noise and said i dont want it and handed over the title and keys to it. so good thing is it still have a clear title too.

 

ill post a pic of the civic in a bit

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interior

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/4-1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/3-2.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/2-2.jpg

 

 

in this picture you can see the hatch is pretty rusty but ill try and find a clean hatch for it.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/1-2.jpg

 

and in this pic you can see the rust on the rear fender lip. ill get that fixed after i get it running too. tires have been aired up and hold air.

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/5-6.jpg

Edited by Ryan218
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i pulled the valve covers today to find a half inch thick layer of sludge. pushrods completely cloged. whoever had this did not take care of the motor one bit. needs to be a long block. dont want to deal with getting these heads cleaned up. started the motor after i pulled the valve covers and it seized up on us lol. mad a loud clak and that was the end of it. now the motor just clunks in the bottom end when you try to start it. so it needs a long block. anyone got one?
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  • 2 weeks later...

finally got started on pulling the motor at 1 am. only worked on it for about 2 hours but made good progress with it.

 

still got to pull the starter off, bell housing bolts, tq converter bolts, power steering lines, fuel lines, motor mounts, manifolds, and motor mounts ect

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/dingo2.jpg

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/dingo1.jpg

 

driver side valve cover off.

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/oilsludge.jpg

 

and the new motor, still have to tear it down and do new oil pump, rear main ect. and inspect the bearings while im at it.

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/durangomotor.jpg

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Nice, I just picked up a99 durango with the 5.9 but its not an R/T. I think you have different gears in yours but I'm not sirree if the horsepower numbers are different. They are nice trucks, good for long cruises.

 

just be a few. nothing major.

 

well heres the problem. did this idling in the shop lol

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/brokenblock.jpg

Edited by Ryan218
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  • 4 weeks later...

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/engineliftmethod.jpg

 

i see a few problems here...

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/whatsleft.jpg

 

out with the old in with the new

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/enginebay.jpg

 

 

new motor all re gasket ed and going back in.

 

did

 

 

 

oil pump

 

oil pan gasket

 

fixed the oil pan

 

intake gakest

 

belly pan gasket

 

tb gasket

 

valve cover gasket

 

rear main

 

water pump

 

water pump gasket

 

theromostat

 

thermosdtat gasket

 

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/rtenginein2.jpg

 

almost done. i was lazy and do everything i could up top. didnt feel like putting it up on the lift. need to throw the starter in. 4 more bell housing bolts. tq converter bolts. exhaust manifold bolts. then put power steering pump on drop radiator in and put the plug wires on and she will be ready to fill up with fluids and start er up.

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/rtenginein.jpg

Edited by Ryan218
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Ryan, Is that how you got the engine from your dads house to the shop? DANGLING FROM A TOW TRUCK BOOM? LOL J/K... Can't wait to hear this thing run.

 

nope it was put into a 24ft box truck along with the engine hoist and engine stand lol.

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new motor is in and runs. but i either have timming issues or a vacum lean or possible i didnt get the intake gaskets sealed.

 

ok well now the durango runs but not perfectly. first was a timing off. got that sorted out but now it is acting like it has a vacuum leak and running rich as hell. i have sprayed carb cleaner all around the lower intake and the tb vacuum lines ect and makes no difference. still have to either bring the rpms up to keep it running or feather the gas peddle. think its possible the belly pan gasket didnt get sealed? i replaced them all and that was my first time on a dodge motor so its a good possibility. sound like something that would be a belly pan or what else can i check before i pull the intake off?

 

 

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/motorin.jpg

 

has a hair under 80 psi of oil pressure at cold idle. photo cut if off for some reason

 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t302/88Mustang302/durangoruns.jpg

Edited by Ryan218
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