My 06 Ram 1500 ( had it since it was a year old)4.7 blew a head gasket at 182k miles. Pulled the engine and had the heads machined, valve job, seats then replaced timing chains, gaskets, oil pump, sensors, and motor mounts ( aftermarket) and engine is running great till the other day after 2k miles and it started misfiring. cylinder 6. Low ohm reading in the fuel injector so I should have replaced all of those as well. All I did was put new o-rings on them. Lining up 3 timing chains is what scared me but wasnt bad thanks to the mechanic on youtube doing a complete teardown and rebuild. ..A first for me. Enjoy watching teardowns now and appreciate your channel!
Years ago, a coworker (fellow mechanic) bought a 2004 Grand Cherokee with a 4.7. Didn’t know anything about it other than it had a bad engine, but it was very cheap. Turns out it had dropped a valve seat, broke the piston and turned the engine in to shrapnel. He did zero research before buying it, assuming that used 4.7s would be plentiful. He couldn’t find a single good used one anywhere for any price. He ended up spending about $3000 on a reman engine. He swapped in the new engine, cleaned it up really nice, started it up and it ran fantastic. It cost way, way more than he’d planned on, but it seemed like things would be fine…until the first time he drove it. Merging into the freeway he gave it a little throttle and started misfiring and clattering. He brought it back to the shop, determined one cylinder had no compression. He called the place he bought the engine from, they asked him to take the head off on that bank. He found a piece of the old, broken piston rings stuck in one of the valves, holding it open, beating the crap out of the head and the piston. The only thing he could figure is that broken engine pieces ended up in the intake manifold (which is why OEMs tell you to always replace the intake manifolds after a catastrophic failure). Anyway, long story slightly less long, he ended up buying a new piston, having the head repaired, buying a used intake (I think), doing all the work himself (and paying for all of it). This all happened over the course of like 6 months, and I got to hear the horror stories every. single. day.
The 4.7 is actually a very reliable engine. The unreliable part on trucks with this engine is the cooling system. A clogged radiator will have trouble keeping up with the engine while idling often due to a bad fan clutch on the main fan and an electric fan that won't kick in until the engine is already running too hot. Things you should do to keep it reliable is: -Drain and replace your coolant every 4 or 5 oil changes -Run the proper orange Mopar coolant and bleed the system properly -Check on your fan clutch + water pump periodically and replace as needed (it's cheap and almost all of the 4.7s I've seen blow up have had a weak/dead fan or water pump) -Avoid just sitting there idling the engine for hours at a time on hot days like it's a diesel **Optional Upgrades to make it super reliable** -Modify or replace auxiliary electric fan so it can be activated with a toggle switch -Replace the mechanical fan with an electric fan out of the V6 models -Replace the thermostat with a higher flow model if you live in warmer climates (not ideal for winters) In short the necessary items are all applicable to most other engines from the time period and all of the optional upgrades can be done for less than $500 and 2 hours all in. Pretty good bang for your buck frankly. I like the Hemi better but the 4.7 is the more reliable motor.
Looking @ a 2000 Dakota/4WD with the 4.7. One owner and the truck has spent its life in the Southwestern USA. 158,000 miles and the body and interior are good shape. It has had a re-spray but I am not buying a truck to be pretty. What should I be looking for when checking out the engine and test driving? I know that there is no 100% accurate way to tell if the 4.7 has been well-cared for but I don't want to get burned. Many thanks and God Bless
😊 thank you for sharing your knowledge on the 4.7 V8. I have an 06 Dodge ram 1500 that I really like and want to keep. I will follow your directions. The fan part kind of confused me but I'll go back over it again. TY 🙏🏽
Also, another tip, Marvel mystery oil in your gas tank ( red bottle ) will lubricant upper cylinders and valves etc, makes it run smoother and run longer, and will likely help with the engines temperature, another additive that works good enough for the radiator is Royal purple ice, it says helps engine to be 25°F cooler, not in my experience, it only made it 10°f cooler, but it's better than nothing.
Ahhh the good ol 4.7.. the first engine I tore down completely in a professional setting. I only had to because the used replacement engine we got was for a later model, a 32 tooth as shown in the video... And the truck was an 04 1500. Found that little fun fact out the hard way when the engine would crank and sound like the cams were installed backwards. So I pulled it back out, tore it all the way down, swapped the rings, put it back together and put it back in the truck. Ran like a champ. And it earned me a little respect from the shop owner, since he didn't have to explain to the lady how he bought the wrong engine for her truck.
We picked up a donor truck and it turns out it's the newer 32 tooth, tried to fire it and it did what you said. Haven't messed with it as don't need the motor yet
As far as using a screwdriver as a prybar/chisel, remember the famous words of Red Green. Red said: "Anything other than a China plate and a digital watch can be used as a hammer". And "Any tool can be the right tool". This is where all my old screwdrivers end up, as teardown tools. That valve arrangement reminds me of the old 318 polysphere engine.
Interesting you mentioned the old polly! My late father's 1958 Plymouth Suburban has the 318 poly. I'm working on getting it back to daily driver condition. Perhaps you might enjoy subscribing to follow the progress? th-cam.com/video/u8ULwSid-PA/w-d-xo.html
@@SkidmoreRacing My friend who's a Mopar guy always said the Poly engine had more potential performance--wise than the A-block. He said that if it had a little beefier bottom end, it would have competed with BB Chevys for power output to cubic inch displacement.
I got a 4.7 in a 2004 Durango with 290k miles. If you take care of this engine it will last. A lot of these engines where neglected and poorly maintained. I love my 4.7 and will never sell it!
I love Chrysler stuff, but you are dead wrong. The vast majority of the 3.7/4.7 and early (2003-2008) Gen III 5.7 Hemi and 6.1 Hemis that dropped valve seats were, at least once, overheated. But there have also been TONS of them drop seats that have never even once ran hot. It is a serious engineering/assembly flaw. There was not nearly enough of an "interference fit" used when the seats were pressed into these heads. Over time, mainly simply caused by hundreds or thousands of driving cycles (warmed up, cooled down, warmed up, cooled down....) the seats simply become loose. Yes, neglected (overheated) engines are MUCH more likely to have the issue, but in reality, the simple act of starting ANY 3.7/4.7/early 5.7 or 6.1 Hemi is literally like playing Russian Roulette with it... Only difference is an engine that has ever (even one time) been ran hot is a typical "6 shooter", whereas one that's never been hot even once can be thought of to hold 10 shots... The latter is FAR less likely to fail, but it WILL happen. And it WILL happen at a totally random moment, and there is NOTHING you can do to prevent it (short of pulling both heads and changing ALL 16 valve seats, making sure to use "updated" seats that are NOT powdered metal, and heat them all up before pressing them in with an .005"-.007" interference fit (I believe Chrysler was only doing . 002"-.003", which is why they fall out). The fact that you haven't had any issue is purely luck. Granted, not overheating your engine ever has definitely helped make sure you're using the 10-shot revolver (as opposed to the six-shooter everyone who has overheated is now carrying around), but the mere fact that you have a 4.7 automatically puts you at risk. And again, I fkn LOVE Chrysler products! The 4.7 (while a bit of a gutless turd in anything over 4,000 lbs, which is EVERYTHING it came in 😂😂) is one hell of a smooth engine! And with a good exhaust it probably even sounds better than the Hemi! But that doesn't change the facts.
@@davidduplessis7800 I have a jeep grand cherokee with 270000 with factory heads.....no problems yet.I worked for Chrysler dealers for many years and every 4.7 or 3.7 that dropped a seat was overheated....every single one.
I have a 2002 Dodge Dakota. I’m at 300k as well, but the RUST is absolutely mind boggling on these vehicles. I’m considering going back to a Journey because I got a cut in my ankle getting in my truck a few days ago, and the panel is $1,500 to replace. Both are bad, if police see it the vehicle is a write off.
@@itzpotater8418 Nice. If your trans issue is shifting related I'd suggest looking into the shift solenoids above the trans filter. Or even the input output sensors on the outside. They're all easy to change, except you just have to drop the pan and filter for the shifter sols. I wish I'd known that years ago before I had the whole unit swapped in my 00 Durango🤷🏾♂️oh well live and learn lol
I really enjoy watching your tear down videos; normal dude, good content and great editing skills. You have the personality of someone that would be fun to hang out in the garage, working on vehicles.
@ op, the valve is bent cause the seat "dropped". When 3.7/4.7 seats "drop", they hardly ever break (and fall completely out) like the 5.7 Hemi seats do. The result is generally a small to moderate indentation on the top of the piston in that cylinder, and a bent valve. I really have only seen maaaaaybe a couple 4.7s and ONE 3.7 with catastrophic damage from a shattered valve seat. Literally every single one of them had a seat that momentarily popped out, and since it was hanging on the back side of the valve, which "centered" the seat across the valve, when the engine was cranked over upon starting again, the piston FORCED the seat BACK into the head, bending the valve and marking up the piston in the process. Most of the time, the seat won't be perfectly centered In the seat bore after this happens, so it'll kind of stick out, which keeps the valve too far down in the combustion chamber and will result in an engine "knocking" when it's started back up, as the piston repeatedly "taps" on the valve head. Still no catastrophic failure, cause the seat can't come out again due to it literally being jammed in the head over and over again by the piston.
Thank you for showing the inside details of the 4.7 Powertech. I have one that has been completely rebuilt that is in a 1999 Jeep WJ 4x4. I have had no trouble with it so far. I do keep the oil changed. It gets 10 to 11.5 mpg in town and 21 to 22 on the highway. So far it has worked flawlessly in the three years I've owned it. 😊
Have older Dodge Ram with a 4.7, the primary death item is the cam chain tensioner system. The tensioners wear out and thus it places particles in the lube system and the associated self-adjusting cam timing. On the Right-hand bank has the ignition timing wheel. Know from experience if the cam tensioners start going you get constant ignition timing issues. But after having 177k on the engine things seem to be good for compression, oil pressure etc. Another death concern is the rocker arms/lifters, you start hearing ticking "FIX IT NOW". They are shockingly more reliable than you would think, gutless wonders but they seem to work fine. Sort of reminds me of a Chevy C30 with the old 283, you gotta rev the holy shit out of it to get any power. Think they got a bad wrap because they replaced the 318, which you have to be creative to break. If cared for they appear to be able to last quite a while.
Had an 04 Dakota with this motor, got me through 5 years in the army and about 85k miles after buying it with 55k. Take care of these motors and they are actually really reliable. 13 hours across Texas several times a year proved it to me.
The 3.7 was the real over achiever of the two. 210 hp and 230-240ft-lbs in relatively small vehicles is a pretty capable package. I enjoyed towing a 21' bass boat with my old Jeep liberty and a 3.7, it didn't break a sweat.
My 1500 has the 3.7 in it. It's a great car, standard cab and 5.5 bed. Drives like a sedan that you can actually see out of, and the front end is angled down enough my bright ass ram headlights don't shine into people's faces as much. Love that thing, and I'm looking forward to a long life with it.
Had 04 HO version in a grand Cherokee. Best engine I ever had. Sold it with 264k on it only had 1 engine issue at 249k - broken valve spring - easy fix and back on the road. Never ever heated up or used any oil, I did good preventative maintenance. Still miss that Jeep.
Remember yall, VERY IMPORTANT to treat broken chain guides with care and respect, always cloth wrap then when setting them down, and also ALWAYS give a reassuring pat after setting them down. This is ESSENTIAL maintenance.
373,000 on my 2001 4.7L. In my book one of the best small V8's ever made...maybe the best ever! Oil changes and spark plugs is all its needed. Still rocking the OEM coils and fuel system too.
310k and going on OG engine and trans. I would recommend swapping the rockers to the upgraded ones as they have much better oiling and will not lockup and pop out causing a valve train wreck. Do oil and trans fluid on the early/regular(4-5k and 30k respectively). Also, these engines are understressed in the lighter Dakota than if they are in a full-size truck.
Hello Eric, I drove a 99 Grand Cherokee from when I bought it new in May of 99 until I gave it to my son in 2015 when I got my 2015 Mustang GT in May of 2015. He drove it for several years and then sold it to a friend of his for $500. who I (think) gave it to a friend at his church who drove it for quiet a while and then had to do some major repairs to the engine. (Oil pump maybe) I really do not know how many miles it had on it when my son got rid of it but it had 135,000 when I gave it to him. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles except once when I let it go to 5,000 but when I saw how black it was went back to 3K. It was rated at 235 HP and I always loved the way that thing ran and got up and go-ed. I always wondered why Chrysler didn't put that engine in any of the other cars they had back then. I got rid of a 92 5.2L Dakota to get the Jeep and was really bothered by the fact that you couldn't get a 5.2 in the Jeep .(smile). George.
My personal experience with these 4.7s is definitely iffy. I used to have one. Got 170k out of it before it dropped a seat on cylinder 5. Sold the truck shortly after. My biggest issue I had is I knew of the common issues with the 4.7 but my problem wasn’t that it overheated… I drove the truck to Colorado from Texas. Parked it for a few days in freezing temps and ended up losing a valve seat because of the coolant losing its “anti freezing” capabilities. Hairline cracked the head on the seat and dropped the seat. My issue was that I didn’t maintain it. Coolant changes are important yall.
I had a 2000 Dakota with the 4.7 and drove it over 20 years. Sold it with 243,000 miles on it, and it was still running good. I loved that truck, but the interior plastic parts were failing frequently when I sold.
First time I saw this video, you rock. I have a 2000 Dodge Durango and Mt timing chain broke, engine was o.k., I didn't get lucky, the good man upstairs gave me a break. You taught me a ton just watching you and you're attitude made me 😂, thanks man.
I miss the 4.7, 05-07 2nd gens were kind of the sweet spot where they fixed the 1st gen issues without the complexity of the 3rd gen. Had one in my 06 Dakota and it definitely punched above its weight. Just wish it could have stayed long enough to get the 8 speed transmission.
Well there you go again Eric, you've found another one that I have been really interested in for a long time now. So from what I've read about these engines is, if you have to rebore them at the time of rebuild your screwed, because the cylinder walls are just to thin to do so safely. Other than that I've heard that they are actually pretty good engines. But boy there sure are a lot of people out there who really hate these 4.7L's to death. But then that's what really makes me take a good, hard, long, close, look at them, simply because when everybody hates them, you can get them for, well, like you said, nothing at all.... Lol. note: I'm the kind of person who likes taking the things that everyone desperately hates and despises and really make them shine. To me that's what's really really fun.... Oh, and I just want to thank you "again" Sir, for the "Northstar" tear-down, the LH2 version is currently my favorite engine of all engines.
Screwdrivers have handles for increased holding precision, most chisels do not. My wife's 2001 Durango 4.7 V8 has 166,000+ miles and runs great(purchased new). I have stayed on top of the regular maintenance. It does have the "chain slap to the tensioner guides" upon the first start of the day but settles right out.
I remember one of these were it dropped a valve seat and broke the timing chain. Literally just did a head swop and new chains and it ran for another 145k before the other head did the same and it was just another head swop and chains for another 60ish k before the jeep was wrecked. They are tough little engines but nothing will ever compare too the older i6 4.0 work horses.😅
I might be the only weirdo that like the 4.7. Had one in a wj. I beat the crap out of it and just keep going. Got reasonable mileage for an awd too lol
Thanks for this tear down! At 200k + miles on mine. Rebuilt trans. Other than that. Always pulls. Not the fastest in the block. But always starts and goes.
Eric is a man of the people ask and you shall receive!! I must of had more than 5 buddies that owned a Durango with completely rusted out wheel wells and a 4.7 under the hood 😂 thanks for another great teardown!!!
Eric, ehe moment you mentioned "dropped valve seat" my mind immediately was reminded of the dropped valve seat on my other half's '02 Heep Liberty with the 3.7L V6 based on a very similar design to this turd. I work in a professional shop as a mechanic but re and re-ing cylinder heads on that 3.7 wasn't on my bingo card for my lifetime. Much fun, thankfully a local machine shop did a fantastic job fixing the heads.
I have had the unfortunate experience in rebuilding one of these motors for my 2000 durango and I have some notes from experience that you may find interesting. 1. when taking my heads to my reputable machinist, he told me that the heads fail because of the materiel they are cast from and that they arent worth re machining, so I bought new ones from engine tech and had mild cams put in them. 2. timing this motor is a solid half days work, seeing as how I've done it twice I cannot explain how meticulous you have to be when doing this job. 3. the head bolts and main cap bolts are torque-to-yeild bolts and can only be torqued and used once. and they run about $65 a set (ask me how i know)\ 4. the rod caps and rods themselves are called cracked rods. a seamless break in the metal so when put back together form a perfect seal. 4.5. I've yet to figure out why the head gaskets have the pin-hole water jacket design, so if anyone knows, fill me in.
I had a 2000 Durango a few friends as well these things are junk when they are new I feel your pain I sold it after I tore down and and seen the stupidity first hand 3 timing chains two oil pumps never again.🤬🤬🤬
Great content as always Eric. Always enjoy these teardowns. Honestly helps to give me a better understanding of my engines you have torn down thus far. First the 8.0l V10 Magnum which I have in my 95 Ram 2500 (still runs strong) and now the 4.7L I have in my 02 Durango which died past 200,000 due to PCM failure. Easy enough to fix. ENGINE REQUEST: Chrysler 2.2L NA Yep, the K-Car engine. If you can find one that is. There's probably not much money to be made on those engines but would be kind of neat to put those engines on the spotlight for an episode. A 2.5L NA would be just as fine. Turbo versions of those engines would be cool too. Probably a little more value to those. Either way, I enjoy what you bring to the table. Keep up the good work sir. Looking forward to future content.
The Chrysler 2.2 would make for a very boring tear down. We boost them with no mercy and the worst they will do is pop the head gasket or piston gets melted. The design is non interference so when the belt slips or breaks nothing happens anyways and the bottom end is overbuilt for an engine that started out as a sub 100 hp power plant. If one could be found that rivals the V10 destruction I would like to see it though.
Depends on what screwdriver you use as a chisel or punch. I caught one of my apprentices using one from a $400 SnapOn set. We all have old used ones that we use that way.
I bought a set of screwdrivers years ago from a farm supply store that actually had the metal blade core go straight through the handle with a convenient hammer tolerant post on the heel so they could be used as chisels.
Great video. I have the 3.7 version of this engine. Really good video. Mine has over 285k miles on it, so I’m gathering up the courage to pull one from a junkyard and overhaul it, for the inevitable day when my engine fails. This video helps.
I have a 2008 4.7. In my Durango. 208000 miles on it. Two things I’ve had to do, replaced. Water pump and lifters. After those two things. Runs amazing. Still strong. And great compression.
Really cool to see this engine. I’m an AMC lover and from what I recall this engine was a design that AMC was working on when they were bought by Chrysler. I think it was going to be their first OHC engine. 👍🏼
I doubt very much this was an AMC design. Chrysler bought AMC/Jeep in late 1987/early 1988. This engine didn't come out until the 1999 Grand Cherokee. I actually had a '99 Grand Cherokee -- for about six months. It spent almost half that time in the shop for various warranty issues, and then it just did in the middle of an intersection. I had it towed back to the dealership, and swapped it for a 2000 Cherokee XJ -- which I still have.
@@williamwallace9826 It was indeed an amc design, just not a finished one. Chrysler's valve seat issues and various others plagued them over time like any manufacturer, but this engine was very stout. Know of several 300k+ mile examples, esp later cars. Later 4.7's with a good maintenance history seem to be good bets for a reliable vehicle, if you don't mind it drinking a bit of fuel and making cool sounds.
What's crazy is how long it took me to find a good one that was new/rebuilt here recently. I now have two good running 02 4.7 H.O. engines. One as a spare in my garage. I'm thinking about putting forged pistons and rods from Scat and scat valve kit for the spare. I want to boost it just a little. When these engines are running right they are amazing!
I had two vehicles with this engine: a 2003 Dakota and 2004 Grand Cherokee. Both engines blew a head gasket right at the 135k mile mark. The engines are impressive with the power they can make, but I I wouldn't care to own another one. I'd much rather have the 5.2 or 5.9
I had a 4.7 05 ram 1500 since I was a teenager. It lasted until last December because someone decided to not pay attention and hit me. The only issues I had with the engine were overheating issues when towing, and it would make a knocking or ticking sound on a cold startup, which would go away after the engine would run for a minute or so. Overall I loved that truck and it did its job. I also keep up the maintenance on it as well. It also had about 112k miles on it on point of death
I have the same issues in my 08 Dakota. The engine makes a knocking/ticking sound on cold start-ups that goes away after 5 mins or so. Plus it will start to overheat if you are sitting still in traffic with the A/C on if the outside temp is over 90. But I don't let it get too hot. My 3rd party warranty is expiring in a few weeks so i'm putting it in the shop to milk all the repairs I can. I'll see what they say about the cold start-up tick........
Eric, thank you so much for the content on your channel. I must say that in addition to the motors you deconstruct, I love your attitude. Your language is such that I could watch these with my grand sons. Your cynical outlook is very much in line with my own. Please keep up your good work.
8 years ago I needed a cheap 4x4 for launching and retrieving my boat from steep and slippery boat ramps. I saw a 2001 Jeep GC for sale with an engine tick noise so I went to see the car and instantly fell in love with it. The body and paint and leather interior was perfect and very well kept but the engine tick was a knock. I Still purchased the car with a very heavy discount and installed a full reco engine which is a HO engine. I still have the Jeep and its still my pride and joy. I change the engine oil and filter every 5000km and only use 95 RON fuel. It came with the HD242 TC and it does everything I need it to do. The 4.7 is more bark than bite but I don't care, I love the V8 note.
I’ve had two 4.7s in two different 2003 dakotas. Put 200k miles on the first one and have 120k on the second. No issues except leaking exhaust gaskets (pita to fix) and they are very easy to work on. Very smooth, excellent burble and far more efficient than the 360 if the era.
The 4.7 was never intended to replace the 5.9L aka Chrysler 360ci small block. That was the job of the 5.7L Hemi. The 4.7 replaced the 5.2L aka Chrysler 318ci small block. The 4.7L got better economy than the 5.9L for the same reason the 5.2L did - lower power output.
@@philbrutsche8928 not saying it was a replacement per se. In the Dakota you had a choice between those two if you wanted a V-8. The 4.7 produced 235hp 295 torque while the 5.9 was 245 /335. Not a ton of difference unless you were towing or carrying heavy loads regularly.
@@gordtulk The 4.7L was absolutely the replacement for the 5.2L - for whatever reason, the higher ups at Chrysler decided to go with the 4.7L and rather than put $$$ into getting the older LA engines to meet ever more stringent emissions regulations. Pushrod engines tend to make more torque at lower RPMs, especially without things like VVT. The power output of the standard (non high-output) 4.7L was pretty close to the 5.2L, but the 5.2L and 5.9L made more torque at lower RPMs.
To those naysayers; Some screwdrivers are intended to be chisels, I've a set that has a metal striking surface on the handle exactly for that reason... and besides when's the last time you needed a flat head screwdriver in the automotive world as an actual screwdriver? (usually they just get used as prybars).
The cams you want are 08and newer in the wk grand cherokee 4.7. They (and the intake on an 08up) can be put on a 99-04 4.7 as an upgrade. Reference Martinbuilt on TH-cam
The only people who think this is an unreliable engine are the people who bought them used from people who didn't take care of them and then they didn't maintain them. Change the oil, don't over heat them. Keep up on regular maintenance. Thats it. I've driven a 4.7 powered WJ for 22 years now and have 250k. It's one of the smoothest, most reliable engines ever made. Tons of low end torque, plenty of high end power. Simple and effective - And thats coming from someone who had a 4.0 ZJ beforehand. The number one issue is blown head gaskets - which if you actually tear down and replace usually isn't even a gasket failure but a warped head from being over heated.
I really like this Channel. Eric's presentation, editing and Irreverent "tongue in cheek" humor is always refreshing. Keep up the good work. I watch nearly every episode!!
A relative had an early 2000s Durango with this 4.7 SOHC V8 and I was always impressed with the power it made at the time. Ran great still when it was sold. I always thought this is the engine they should have put in that crazy Plymouth Prowler instead of the 3.5L V6.
@@brarautorepairs it was tuned to be a truck/SUV engine. It could have easily been tuned to be a car engine. If it fit under the hood- why not? It wouldn't have made the Prowler any more weird than it was.
It looks like it was run until the timing chains became loose. And that one chain let go. I purchased a 2005 Dakota with just over 250k on the odometer. It had dropped the number 2 intake seat had dropped. But it was hanging on valve so the engine is being repaired. The timing chains were both lose so they were due to be replaced. I am replacing the oil pump and the timing chains at the same time as the heads.
What probably happened was that harmonic balancer not being torqued down properly. The woodruff key is only there to align the crank gear and the crank gear is friction fit/held by the harmonic balancer. An insufficiently torqued down balancer will cause it to strip the key.
Add me to the list of 4.7 owners without issues - my '99 Grand Cherokee had 230k on the clock when I sold it a few years ago, and other than a broken exhaust manifold bolt, was running great.
Thanks for the Dodge 4.7 teardown. I have a 2002 Durango that just turned 200,000 this year. Guess I should be looking for timing chain wear in the near future. Love your videos, found you on U Tube about 2 months ago. Your tutorials with teardowns can be educational and humorous, keep it up.
My dad has a 2011 Ram with I believe over 220K miles. Never had an issue with the engine, but it is beginning to feel a little sluggish. Strange how it also doesn’t eat a drop of oil at this mileage.
Nice, didn't expect this one! People dunk on this motor a lot but I've had several and they've all been fine. Ran well, reliable, good power, decent fuel economy, no complaints here.
I've yet to see one of these motors hit 200k. Most I've seen is 165k. Downward slide starts at 120k. A ls or hemi is just getting broke in at that mileage. Unacceptable for a modern engine. Even a ford triton can hit 200k. It will be ticking, burning oil, and possibly not running on all cylinders but it'll hit 200k. I'd bet my bottom dollar you never towed or carried a load with your magical 4.7, drove it like a 87yr old, never let it go past 3000rpms, changed the oil every 2,000 miles, and I bet those motors didn't go much past 150k if they even made it that far. Prob just drove it to get coffee, donuts, and a newspaper every morning.
@@beavistechrock can't say I agree with you on that one My 03 Ram 1500 with the 4.7 has been overloaded several times to Mexico and back and has towed more than it is rated for and at 220k it still runs great and is able to do a burnout without needing to brake So, yeah the 4.7 can take a beating
Guess I must've struck a nerve, fellas. I still stand by my original statement, though. Near the end of their run, the 4.7 was tuned to put out 310 hp (had one in my previous 2009 Dodge Ram). Plenty of power for an engine that size and no problems during my ownership. Although, I guess it did need a water pump once. Dang. Thing is, like Eric said, all you have to do is watch your gauges and routine maintenance, and any engine will serve you well. Yes, even this one.
Been waiting on this one for a while, thanks chief! I loved it. :) Big fan of this engine btw, my 2010 Dakota Bighorn is a monster with this thing and i love it.
Great video! I have a 2002 Jeep GC limited with a 4.7HO. Love the way it runs but just started running on 7 cylinders - I’m hoping it’s just a bad lifter. I never understood why some 2002 GC limiteds have an HO and others have the power tech. 205,000 miles by the way.
The HO package was available as an option on the limited, but it was standard on the Overland. Both HO and Non-HO are power tech. HO has different cams and intake.
next time you are removing a woodruff key, grab a pair of diagonal wire cutter pliars, and grab onto the end of the key, and pry the key out. the edge that you grab can use the tips of the pliars as a fulcrum. they almost always pop right out.
Absolutely love your content thank you for all of your tear downs and if I had to make a suggestion a 3800 Buick v6 I absolutely love these engines and would love for you to find one that’s cooked
Might be hard to find. Between me and a buddy we have 4 old Buicks with the 3800, one is supercharged, however only 1 of the 4 has a good tranny in it. All 4 engines run great with anywhere from 100000 to almost 200000 on the highest mileage one.
For a long time, I was an 4.0 diehard and bashed the 4.7. However, I ended up buying a 2000 WJ with an 4.7 and has been impressed. From taking with Durango and Dakota owners of the same generation, they love it. From what I understand, it does runs hot for a Mopar engine, however, the issue such as the valve seat issue is from cooling issues like not understanding the hydralyic fan.
Love the timing guide spike!! Keep them up! Also words to live by...don't buy used chain guides lol. Do a Mazda rotary engine next. I hear apex seals taste Great lol.
I'm probably going to get a lot of barking and hissing about this comment from your other subscribers but here I go anyway; this is from me to you. I agree with what you said. 'Keep up with maintenance, and they last'. Like many modern engines, they do NOT like being overheated for very long so you must keep the cooling system maintenance up to date. Add regular oil changes to that and there is no reason you can't get 300k+ miles out of them like you said you've witnessed. Though it's not my first pick, I've been happy with my powertech
How about an original Saturn S-series engine? 1.9L 4cyl in either SOHC or DOHC would be fantastic to see a teardown. 5th or 6th request now? Keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks for bringing one of these to the channel. I've owned 2 vehicles with these and both of them Didn't even make it to 140,000 miles before They started burning oil or had head gasket failure. I think my problem though was they were in rams that I had. I think this is a perfectly capable engine for a smaller vehicle or a Jeep but not so much for a full size truck
My cousin has a ram with that motor with 297,000 on it, it was beat on heavily and used as a work truck most of its life. It ran until it dropped a valve.
We had one of these 4.7s in a Dakota that we owned for 14 years. Never had an issue with it. What was a surprise is we never had an issue with the transmission, either.
Me too 330,000+ miles original motor and trans , everyday driver , now dodge suspension is absolutely horrible, change out the front end completely 06 ram 1500
I might be three days late but I'm super excited to see this tear down. I really enjoyed my 4.7 powered Ram 1500 After watching the video, the 4.7 looks like a fairly stoutly built engine that would tolerate a decent bit of boost.
I love my 4.7s always had my back actually never had one break on me ever, just do your oil changes and change your coolant and thermostat , any aluminum head engine is sensitive to over heating.
Looks like your first time inside a 4.7L engine. This looks like a catastrophic failure of the left bank timing chain, as valves and pistons were not wiped out, because the engine rotation stopped instantly!!! I lost my ass on a 4.7L, 2002, Dakota, for a friend. Overheated, and warped the heads. The heads straightened easily enough, and I replaced all the valve seats, because an overheated engine almost always drops them at a later date!!! All new timing components, and YES!!! all new torque to yield head bolts!!! replaced cam followers (rocker arms) with the later ones with the small oil hole, all new lash adjusters (hydraulic lifters) and yet it still had the valves clattering. Oil pressure perfect @70PSI cold and 55 #'s hot. Put on a second set of lash adjusters, same problem!!! Not wanting to pay $44.00 each from Chrysler OEM parts for lash adjusters, I machined up my own manually adjusted ones. Still makes valve noises, but I know they will not collapse, and cause more problems. Runs great, replaced radiator as well, as I don't like repeat problems. This engine has a poor reputation, because of a poor cooling system, (radiator air flow issues), and PCV air flow issues not eliminating condensate in the lower block area. A later factory PVC modification seems to have solved that problem. Everything was very prone to sludge buildup, and thus lubrication failure to the lash adjusters, and valve stem lubrication. This engine had great potential, but suffered from engineering failures, like condensate, and cooling problems. If scrupulously maintained, Oil changes, and a constant watch on coolant levels, these engines would get many hundreds of thousands of miles, without major failures. I should add that only genuine Chrysler timing components should be used, especially lash adjusters!!! I just ran out of time and patients on this job, so I made solid adjustable lash adjusters so as to verify the real problem, as I suspected upper end oiling issues, even though massive amounts of oil were observed while running without the valve covers in place. I have never been back into one of these engines but have helped many others who were having problems with them. If they followed my advice, they never had another problem. If they didn't, well there was a very different outcome!!! LOL!!! Lots of time doing repeated R&R work!!! I liked your crank puller extension pushrod, the crank should be OK, but I would magnaflux the snout to be sure!!! Tim
These are great engines. The problem is, the radiators tend to crack and leak due to over pressurization because of faulty overflow container caps that don't open at the 16 PSI they are supposed to open at. You don't realize there's an issue until your gauges are going crazy and your temperature quickly goes from normal to 260F in seconds. Once this happens, it's too late. The heads have already overheated, seats fall out and valves and pistons get damaged.
I would love for you to do any of the 6g series of mitsubishi v6s. They came in almost every sedan and suv that mitsubishi made from 1989 to 2008. They came in the 6g72-3.0l 6g74-3.5l and the last variant in america the 6g75-3.8l which could come with mivec. Either way love the channel dude.
I have an 04 4.7 I have upgraded to the 4.7 HO cams and the HO intake. Cloyes timing set, Melling rockers and had the heads machined to fix that "dropped valve" issue. Man that double overhead cam engine sounds amazing flowing through some flow master original series mufflers.
I have 230k on my 4.7 and it spent half its life towing a horse trailer from previous owner and Im very hard on it. It gets horrible gas mileage but its a great motor
This channel is therapeutic. Don't stop.
Exactly
@@TheSleepingonit the name 😂😂
That's what she said 😂
These engines are Junk
Yes! Don't stop. LOVE these videos!
My 06 Ram 1500 ( had it since it was a year old)4.7 blew a head gasket at 182k miles. Pulled the engine and had the heads machined, valve job, seats then replaced timing chains, gaskets, oil pump, sensors, and motor mounts ( aftermarket) and engine is running great till the other day after 2k miles and it started misfiring. cylinder 6. Low ohm reading in the fuel injector so I should have replaced all of those as well. All I did was put new o-rings on them. Lining up 3 timing chains is what scared me but wasnt bad thanks to the mechanic on youtube doing a complete teardown and rebuild. ..A first for me. Enjoy watching teardowns now and appreciate your channel!
Years ago, a coworker (fellow mechanic) bought a 2004 Grand Cherokee with a 4.7. Didn’t know anything about it other than it had a bad engine, but it was very cheap. Turns out it had dropped a valve seat, broke the piston and turned the engine in to shrapnel. He did zero research before buying it, assuming that used 4.7s would be plentiful. He couldn’t find a single good used one anywhere for any price. He ended up spending about $3000 on a reman engine.
He swapped in the new engine, cleaned it up really nice, started it up and it ran fantastic. It cost way, way more than he’d planned on, but it seemed like things would be fine…until the first time he drove it. Merging into the freeway he gave it a little throttle and started misfiring and clattering.
He brought it back to the shop, determined one cylinder had no compression. He called the place he bought the engine from, they asked him to take the head off on that bank. He found a piece of the old, broken piston rings stuck in one of the valves, holding it open, beating the crap out of the head and the piston. The only thing he could figure is that broken engine pieces ended up in the intake manifold (which is why OEMs tell you to always replace the intake manifolds after a catastrophic failure).
Anyway, long story slightly less long, he ended up buying a new piston, having the head repaired, buying a used intake (I think), doing all the work himself (and paying for all of it).
This all happened over the course of like 6 months, and I got to hear the horror stories every. single. day.
The 4.7 is actually a very reliable engine. The unreliable part on trucks with this engine is the cooling system. A clogged radiator will have trouble keeping up with the engine while idling often due to a bad fan clutch on the main fan and an electric fan that won't kick in until the engine is already running too hot.
Things you should do to keep it reliable is:
-Drain and replace your coolant every 4 or 5 oil changes
-Run the proper orange Mopar coolant and bleed the system properly
-Check on your fan clutch + water pump periodically and replace as needed (it's cheap and almost all of the 4.7s I've seen blow up have had a weak/dead fan or water pump)
-Avoid just sitting there idling the engine for hours at a time on hot days like it's a diesel
**Optional Upgrades to make it super reliable**
-Modify or replace auxiliary electric fan so it can be activated with a toggle switch
-Replace the mechanical fan with an electric fan out of the V6 models
-Replace the thermostat with a higher flow model if you live in warmer climates (not ideal for winters)
In short the necessary items are all applicable to most other engines from the time period and all of the optional upgrades can be done for less than $500 and 2 hours all in. Pretty good bang for your buck frankly. I like the Hemi better but the 4.7 is the more reliable motor.
Looking @ a 2000 Dakota/4WD with the 4.7. One owner and the truck has spent its life in the Southwestern USA. 158,000 miles and the body and interior are good shape. It has had a re-spray but I am not buying a truck to be pretty. What should I be looking for when checking out the engine and test driving? I know that there is no 100% accurate way to tell if the 4.7 has been well-cared for but I don't want to get burned.
Many thanks and God Bless
😊 thank you for sharing your knowledge on the 4.7 V8. I have an 06 Dodge ram 1500 that I really like and want to keep. I will follow your directions. The fan part kind of confused me but I'll go back over it again. TY 🙏🏽
Thanks Jacoblami1737, I really appreciate your input, and note taken. I'm going to do all what you said. Thnks again buddy
Also, another tip, Marvel mystery oil in your gas tank ( red bottle ) will lubricant upper cylinders and valves etc, makes it run smoother and run longer, and will likely help with the engines temperature, another additive that works good enough for the radiator is Royal purple ice, it says helps engine to be 25°F cooler, not in my experience, it only made it 10°f cooler, but it's better than nothing.
@elpaso5947 Thank you for the advice, currently working on or trying to restore my 4.7L
Ahhh the good ol 4.7.. the first engine I tore down completely in a professional setting. I only had to because the used replacement engine we got was for a later model, a 32 tooth as shown in the video... And the truck was an 04 1500. Found that little fun fact out the hard way when the engine would crank and sound like the cams were installed backwards. So I pulled it back out, tore it all the way down, swapped the rings, put it back together and put it back in the truck. Ran like a champ. And it earned me a little respect from the shop owner, since he didn't have to explain to the lady how he bought the wrong engine for her truck.
We picked up a donor truck and it turns out it's the newer 32 tooth, tried to fire it and it did what you said. Haven't messed with it as don't need the motor yet
Looks like there would be an electronic way to solve that problem without all the mechanical work. Take care.
I remember when you found the pushrod would work perfectly as a puller, and now here we are many episodes later still doing the same trick 😂😂
Mostly perfectly, he's definitely pretzeled one or two of them.
@@ferrumignis yeah 😂😂
As far as using a screwdriver as a prybar/chisel, remember the famous words of Red Green. Red said: "Anything other than a China plate and a digital watch can be used as a hammer". And "Any tool can be the right tool". This is where all my old screwdrivers end up, as teardown tools. That valve arrangement reminds me of the old 318 polysphere engine.
Personally I think Chrysler should have perused the poly engines a little bit farther
And remember, we're all in this together!
Red Green. Haha.
Red knew.
Interesting you mentioned the old polly! My late father's 1958 Plymouth Suburban has the 318 poly. I'm working on getting it back to daily driver condition. Perhaps you might enjoy subscribing to follow the progress?
th-cam.com/video/u8ULwSid-PA/w-d-xo.html
@@SkidmoreRacing My friend who's a Mopar guy always said the Poly engine had more potential performance--wise than the A-block. He said that if it had a little beefier bottom end, it would have competed with BB Chevys for power output to cubic inch displacement.
I got a 4.7 in a 2004 Durango with 290k miles. If you take care of this engine it will last. A lot of these engines where neglected and poorly maintained. I love my 4.7 and will never sell it!
I love Chrysler stuff, but you are dead wrong. The vast majority of the 3.7/4.7 and early (2003-2008) Gen III 5.7 Hemi and 6.1 Hemis that dropped valve seats were, at least once, overheated. But there have also been TONS of them drop seats that have never even once ran hot. It is a serious engineering/assembly flaw. There was not nearly enough of an "interference fit" used when the seats were pressed into these heads. Over time, mainly simply caused by hundreds or thousands of driving cycles (warmed up, cooled down, warmed up, cooled down....) the seats simply become loose. Yes, neglected (overheated) engines are MUCH more likely to have the issue, but in reality, the simple act of starting ANY 3.7/4.7/early 5.7 or 6.1 Hemi is literally like playing Russian Roulette with it... Only difference is an engine that has ever (even one time) been ran hot is a typical "6 shooter", whereas one that's never been hot even once can be thought of to hold 10 shots... The latter is FAR less likely to fail, but it WILL happen. And it WILL happen at a totally random moment, and there is NOTHING you can do to prevent it (short of pulling both heads and changing ALL 16 valve seats, making sure to use "updated" seats that are NOT powdered metal, and heat them all up before pressing them in with an .005"-.007" interference fit (I believe Chrysler was only doing . 002"-.003", which is why they fall out). The fact that you haven't had any issue is purely luck. Granted, not overheating your engine ever has definitely helped make sure you're using the 10-shot revolver (as opposed to the six-shooter everyone who has overheated is now carrying around), but the mere fact that you have a 4.7 automatically puts you at risk. And again, I fkn LOVE Chrysler products! The 4.7 (while a bit of a gutless turd in anything over 4,000 lbs, which is EVERYTHING it came in 😂😂) is one hell of a smooth engine! And with a good exhaust it probably even sounds better than the Hemi! But that doesn't change the facts.
@@davidduplessis7800 I have a jeep grand cherokee with 270000 with factory heads.....no problems yet.I worked for Chrysler dealers for many years and every 4.7 or 3.7 that dropped a seat was overheated....every single one.
I also have a high mile 4.7 Durango. 285k on mine
Same here love my 4.7 going to rebuild it but with a little bit more power around 475 might do the trick
I have a 2002 Dodge Dakota. I’m at 300k as well, but the RUST is absolutely mind boggling on these vehicles. I’m considering going back to a Journey because I got a cut in my ankle getting in my truck a few days ago, and the panel is $1,500 to replace. Both are bad, if police see it the vehicle is a write off.
I have had amazing experience with my 4.7. Currently at 275,629 miles and climbing in my ram 1500
That's good to know, I'm at 206k 👍🏾
My 02 still has 52k going strong, trans is goin out though
@@itzpotater8418 Nice. If your trans issue is shifting related I'd suggest looking into the shift solenoids above the trans filter. Or even the input output sensors on the outside. They're all easy to change, except you just have to drop the pan and filter for the shifter sols.
I wish I'd known that years ago before I had the whole unit swapped in my 00 Durango🤷🏾♂️oh well live and learn lol
@@Superior2020 yeah it shifts fine just a little hard sometimes and I don't know if it goes into lock up or not I do have a TCC code though
No demand for parts even with no supply on such a common engine? That says it all IMO. Look after em and will go far.
I really enjoy watching your tear down videos; normal dude, good content and great editing skills. You have the personality of someone that would be fun to hang out in the garage, working on vehicles.
I agree, like I have seen plenty of engines so I don't really learn anything new, but I am always entertained.
@ op, the valve is bent cause the seat "dropped". When 3.7/4.7 seats "drop", they hardly ever break (and fall completely out) like the 5.7 Hemi seats do. The result is generally a small to moderate indentation on the top of the piston in that cylinder, and a bent valve. I really have only seen maaaaaybe a couple 4.7s and ONE 3.7 with catastrophic damage from a shattered valve seat. Literally every single one of them had a seat that momentarily popped out, and since it was hanging on the back side of the valve, which "centered" the seat across the valve, when the engine was cranked over upon starting again, the piston FORCED the seat BACK into the head, bending the valve and marking up the piston in the process. Most of the time, the seat won't be perfectly centered In the seat bore after this happens, so it'll kind of stick out, which keeps the valve too far down in the combustion chamber and will result in an engine "knocking" when it's started back up, as the piston repeatedly "taps" on the valve head. Still no catastrophic failure, cause the seat can't come out again due to it literally being jammed in the head over and over again by the piston.
Thank you for showing the inside details of the 4.7 Powertech. I have one that has been completely rebuilt that is in a 1999 Jeep WJ 4x4. I have had no trouble with it so far. I do keep the oil changed. It gets 10 to 11.5 mpg in town and 21 to 22 on the highway. So far it has worked flawlessly in the three years I've owned it. 😊
Have older Dodge Ram with a 4.7, the primary death item is the cam chain tensioner system. The tensioners wear out and thus it places particles in the lube system and the associated self-adjusting cam timing. On the Right-hand bank has the ignition timing wheel. Know from experience if the cam tensioners start going you get constant ignition timing issues. But after having 177k on the engine things seem to be good for compression, oil pressure etc. Another death concern is the rocker arms/lifters, you start hearing ticking "FIX IT NOW". They are shockingly more reliable than you would think, gutless wonders but they seem to work fine. Sort of reminds me of a Chevy C30 with the old 283, you gotta rev the holy shit out of it to get any power. Think they got a bad wrap because they replaced the 318, which you have to be creative to break. If cared for they appear to be able to last quite a while.
What he's mentioning is another engine
Had an 04 Dakota with this motor, got me through 5 years in the army and about 85k miles after buying it with 55k. Take care of these motors and they are actually really reliable. 13 hours across Texas several times a year proved it to me.
The 3.7 was the real over achiever of the two. 210 hp and 230-240ft-lbs in relatively small vehicles is a pretty capable package. I enjoyed towing a 21' bass boat with my old Jeep liberty and a 3.7, it didn't break a sweat.
I had one as well, never had any issues with it either. Like you, I was amazed at the power it had for such a small vehicle.
My 1500 has the 3.7 in it. It's a great car, standard cab and 5.5 bed. Drives like a sedan that you can actually see out of, and the front end is angled down enough my bright ass ram headlights don't shine into people's faces as much. Love that thing, and I'm looking forward to a long life with it.
@@tybirous3417 Change the oil no later than 5k, and it should run a long, long time.
I don't like Walmart oil because of the plastic seal... sucks to remove
I enjoy that you take joy in the extra editing, and work for the puns, "Not that pick-up" You're A-number 1 Eric!
Had 04 HO version in a grand Cherokee. Best engine I ever had. Sold it with 264k on it only had 1 engine issue at 249k - broken valve spring - easy fix and back on the road. Never ever heated up or used any oil, I did good preventative maintenance. Still miss that Jeep.
Remember yall, VERY IMPORTANT to treat broken chain guides with care and respect, always cloth wrap then when setting them down, and also ALWAYS give a reassuring pat after setting them down. This is ESSENTIAL maintenance.
373,000 on my 2001 4.7L. In my book one of the best small V8's ever made...maybe the best ever! Oil changes and spark plugs is all its needed. Still rocking the OEM coils and fuel system too.
Nice
310k and going on OG engine and trans. I would recommend swapping the rockers to the upgraded ones as they have much better oiling and will not lockup and pop out causing a valve train wreck. Do oil and trans fluid on the early/regular(4-5k and 30k respectively). Also, these engines are understressed in the lighter Dakota than if they are in a full-size truck.
Doing it just for us. That's why you rock Eric.
Thanks man.
Agreed
@@RoFKillaBacon cool username
@@TheSleepingonit hoeslovebacon is chilling too
I had 99 wj with a 4.7 with 280 k and it wasn't ever well taken care of but still ripped good when I scrapped it. I have respect for those
Hello Eric, I drove a 99 Grand Cherokee from when I bought it new in May of 99 until I gave it to my son in 2015 when I got my 2015 Mustang GT in May of 2015. He drove it for several years and then sold it to a friend of his for $500. who I (think) gave it to a friend at his church who drove it for quiet a while and then had to do some major repairs to the engine. (Oil pump maybe) I really do not know how many miles it had on it when my son got rid of it but it had 135,000 when I gave it to him. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles except once when I let it go to 5,000 but when I saw how black it was went back to 3K. It was rated at 235 HP and I always loved the way that thing ran and got up and go-ed. I always wondered why Chrysler didn't put that engine in any of the other cars they had back then. I got rid of a 92 5.2L Dakota to get the Jeep and was really bothered by the fact that you couldn't get a 5.2 in the Jeep .(smile).
George.
My personal experience with these 4.7s is definitely iffy. I used to have one. Got 170k out of it before it dropped a seat on cylinder 5. Sold the truck shortly after.
My biggest issue I had is I knew of the common issues with the 4.7 but my problem wasn’t that it overheated… I drove the truck to Colorado from Texas. Parked it for a few days in freezing temps and ended up losing a valve seat because of the coolant losing its “anti freezing” capabilities. Hairline cracked the head on the seat and dropped the seat.
My issue was that I didn’t maintain it. Coolant changes are important yall.
I had a 2000 Dakota with the 4.7 and drove it over 20 years. Sold it with 243,000 miles on it, and it was still running good. I loved that truck, but the interior plastic parts were failing frequently when I sold.
First time I saw this video, you rock. I have a 2000 Dodge Durango and Mt timing chain broke, engine was o.k., I didn't get lucky, the good man upstairs gave me a break. You taught me a ton just watching you and you're attitude made me 😂, thanks man.
I miss the 4.7, 05-07 2nd gens were kind of the sweet spot where they fixed the 1st gen issues without the complexity of the 3rd gen. Had one in my 06 Dakota and it definitely punched above its weight. Just wish it could have stayed long enough to get the 8 speed transmission.
I own a 04 overland with the 4.7 H.O. been daily driven for 18 years. Great engine!
Well there you go again Eric, you've found another one that I have been really interested in for a long time now.
So from what I've read about these engines is, if you have to rebore them at the time of rebuild your screwed, because the cylinder walls are just to thin to do so safely. Other than that I've heard that they are actually pretty good engines.
But boy there sure are a lot of people out there who really hate these 4.7L's to death.
But then that's what really makes me take a good, hard, long, close, look at them, simply because when everybody hates them, you can get them for, well, like you said, nothing at all.... Lol.
note: I'm the kind of person who likes taking the things that everyone desperately hates and despises and really make them shine. To me that's what's really really fun....
Oh, and I just want to thank you "again" Sir, for the "Northstar" tear-down, the LH2 version is currently my favorite engine of all engines.
Screwdrivers have handles for increased holding precision, most chisels do not. My wife's 2001 Durango 4.7 V8 has 166,000+ miles and runs great(purchased new). I have stayed on top of the regular maintenance. It does have the "chain slap to the tensioner guides" upon the first start of the day but settles right out.
Absolutely love these tear downs...still looking forward to the 360 magnum tear down
Someday, I’ll find a properly spent 5.2 or 5.9
Sweet I can't wait
I remember one of these were it dropped a valve seat and broke the timing chain. Literally just did a head swop and new chains and it ran for another 145k before the other head did the same and it was just another head swop and chains for another 60ish k before the jeep was wrecked. They are tough little engines but nothing will ever compare too the older i6 4.0 work horses.😅
I might be the only weirdo that like the 4.7. Had one in a wj. I beat the crap out of it and just keep going. Got reasonable mileage for an awd too lol
Thanks for this tear down! At 200k + miles on mine. Rebuilt trans. Other than that. Always pulls. Not the fastest in the block. But always starts and goes.
YES! A PowerTech! Finally! You’re the best, man!
Eric is a man of the people ask and you shall receive!! I must of had more than 5 buddies that owned a Durango with completely rusted out wheel wells and a 4.7 under the hood 😂 thanks for another great teardown!!!
Eric, ehe moment you mentioned "dropped valve seat" my mind immediately was reminded of the dropped valve seat on my other half's '02 Heep Liberty with the 3.7L V6 based on a very similar design to this turd. I work in a professional shop as a mechanic but re and re-ing cylinder heads on that 3.7 wasn't on my bingo card for my lifetime. Much fun, thankfully a local machine shop did a fantastic job fixing the heads.
There's always divorce. I divorced a turbo mini cooper and a narcissist.
I have had the unfortunate experience in rebuilding one of these motors for my 2000 durango and I have some notes from experience that you may find interesting.
1. when taking my heads to my reputable machinist, he told me that the heads fail because of the materiel they are cast from and that they arent worth re machining, so I bought new ones from engine tech and had mild cams put in them.
2. timing this motor is a solid half days work, seeing as how I've done it twice I cannot explain how meticulous you have to be when doing this job.
3. the head bolts and main cap bolts are torque-to-yeild bolts and can only be torqued and used once. and they run about $65 a set (ask me how i know)\
4. the rod caps and rods themselves are called cracked rods. a seamless break in the metal so when put back together form a perfect seal.
4.5. I've yet to figure out why the head gaskets have the pin-hole water jacket design, so if anyone knows, fill me in.
Pinhole was designed by a pinhead
Thanks.
I had a 2000 Durango a few friends as well these things are junk when they are new I feel your pain I sold it after I tore down and and seen the stupidity first hand 3 timing chains two oil pumps never again.🤬🤬🤬
Great content as always Eric. Always enjoy these teardowns. Honestly helps to give me a better understanding of my engines you have torn down thus far. First the 8.0l V10 Magnum which I have in my 95 Ram 2500 (still runs strong) and now the 4.7L I have in my 02 Durango which died past 200,000 due to PCM failure. Easy enough to fix.
ENGINE REQUEST: Chrysler 2.2L NA
Yep, the K-Car engine. If you can find one that is. There's probably not much money to be made on those engines but would be kind of neat to put those engines on the spotlight for an episode. A 2.5L NA would be just as fine. Turbo versions of those engines would be cool too. Probably a little more value to those. Either way, I enjoy what you bring to the table. Keep up the good work sir. Looking forward to future content.
The Chrysler 2.2 would make for a very boring tear down. We boost them with no mercy and the worst they will do is pop the head gasket or piston gets melted. The design is non interference so when the belt slips or breaks nothing happens anyways and the bottom end is overbuilt for an engine that started out as a sub 100 hp power plant.
If one could be found that rivals the V10 destruction I would like to see it though.
I’ve heard these are pretty great little engines, with a decent amount of power potential
They got a lot of top end power
Depends on what screwdriver you use as a chisel or punch. I caught one of my apprentices using one from a $400 SnapOn set. We all have old used ones that we use that way.
I bought a set of screwdrivers years ago from a farm supply store that actually had the metal blade core go straight through the handle with a convenient hammer tolerant post on the heel so they could be used as chisels.
Great video. I have the 3.7 version of this engine. Really good video. Mine has over 285k miles on it, so I’m gathering up the courage to pull one from a junkyard and overhaul it, for the inevitable day when my engine fails. This video helps.
Always thought the 4.7 was an underrated engine, especially after the 08 revisions.
I have a 2008 4.7. In my Durango. 208000 miles on it. Two things I’ve had to do, replaced. Water pump and lifters. After those two things. Runs amazing. Still strong. And great compression.
That's a pretty solid design engine, I like seeing the features of the various engines.
Really cool to see this engine. I’m an AMC lover and from what I recall this engine was a design that AMC was working on when they were bought by Chrysler. I think it was going to be their first OHC engine. 👍🏼
I doubt very much this was an AMC design. Chrysler bought AMC/Jeep in late 1987/early 1988. This engine didn't come out until the 1999 Grand Cherokee. I actually had a '99 Grand Cherokee -- for about six months. It spent almost half that time in the shop for various warranty issues, and then it just did in the middle of an intersection. I had it towed back to the dealership, and swapped it for a 2000 Cherokee XJ -- which I still have.
@@williamwallace9826 It was indeed an amc design, just not a finished one. Chrysler's valve seat issues and various others plagued them over time like any manufacturer, but this engine was very stout. Know of several 300k+ mile examples, esp later cars. Later 4.7's with a good maintenance history seem to be good bets for a reliable vehicle, if you don't mind it drinking a bit of fuel and making cool sounds.
What's crazy is how long it took me to find a good one that was new/rebuilt here recently. I now have two good running 02 4.7 H.O. engines. One as a spare in my garage. I'm thinking about putting forged pistons and rods from Scat and scat valve kit for the spare. I want to boost it just a little. When these engines are running right they are amazing!
@@jtbuilds9176 currently doing it do it
That explains why the 4.7 was the last decent engine to go into a Chrysler: it wasn’t designed by Chrysler.
How can any car guy not like these videos. Keep them coming.
My 2000 Durango 4.7 had die cast cam covers.Never had an issue with the engine.
I had two vehicles with this engine: a 2003 Dakota and 2004 Grand Cherokee. Both engines blew a head gasket right at the 135k mile mark. The engines are impressive with the power they can make, but I I wouldn't care to own another one. I'd much rather have the 5.2 or 5.9
Love the 318/360
I had a 4.7 05 ram 1500 since I was a teenager. It lasted until last December because someone decided to not pay attention and hit me. The only issues I had with the engine were overheating issues when towing, and it would make a knocking or ticking sound on a cold startup, which would go away after the engine would run for a minute or so. Overall I loved that truck and it did its job. I also keep up the maintenance on it as well. It also had about 112k miles on it on point of death
I have the same issues in my 08 Dakota. The engine makes a knocking/ticking sound on cold start-ups that goes away after 5 mins or so. Plus it will start to overheat if you are sitting still in traffic with the A/C on if the outside temp is over 90. But I don't let it get too hot. My 3rd party warranty is expiring in a few weeks so i'm putting it in the shop to milk all the repairs I can. I'll see what they say about the cold start-up tick........
@@samarch2189 if you do find something out, id like to know lol never got the chance for someone to get a look at that issue lol
Eric, thank you so much for the content on your channel. I must say that in addition to the motors you deconstruct, I love your attitude. Your language is such that I could watch these with my grand sons. Your cynical outlook is very much in line with my own. Please keep up your good work.
2001 dakota. 4.7 V8. 252,000 miles. Regular oil changes and maintenance still running strong!
My grand Cherokee is pre that pile of junk, has the 5.2L in it. Has been fantastic sunce ive owned it. Great vid.
I like the architecture of this engine. Good bore stability and efficient cam chain runs. Never saw one that had a chain failure before.
Not the first time Chrysler had better engineering than quality control.
someone probably didnt do the timing correctly
8 years ago I needed a cheap 4x4 for launching and retrieving my boat from steep and slippery boat ramps. I saw a 2001 Jeep GC for sale with an engine tick noise so I went to see the car and instantly fell in love with it. The body and paint and leather interior was perfect and very well kept but the engine tick was a knock. I Still purchased the car with a very heavy discount and installed a full reco engine which is a HO engine. I still have the Jeep and its still my pride and joy. I change the engine oil and filter every 5000km and only use 95 RON fuel. It came with the HD242 TC and it does everything I need it to do. The 4.7 is more bark than bite but I don't care, I love the V8 note.
I’ve had two 4.7s in two different 2003 dakotas. Put 200k miles on the first one and have 120k on the second. No issues except leaking exhaust gaskets (pita to fix) and they are very easy to work on. Very smooth, excellent burble and far more efficient than the 360 if the era.
The 4.7 was never intended to replace the 5.9L aka Chrysler 360ci small block. That was the job of the 5.7L Hemi. The 4.7 replaced the 5.2L aka Chrysler 318ci small block. The 4.7L got better economy than the 5.9L for the same reason the 5.2L did - lower power output.
@@philbrutsche8928 not saying it was a replacement per se. In the Dakota you had a choice between those two if you wanted a V-8. The 4.7 produced 235hp 295 torque while the 5.9 was 245 /335. Not a ton of difference unless you were towing or carrying heavy loads regularly.
@@gordtulk The 4.7L was absolutely the replacement for the 5.2L - for whatever reason, the higher ups at Chrysler decided to go with the 4.7L and rather than put $$$ into getting the older LA engines to meet ever more stringent emissions regulations.
Pushrod engines tend to make more torque at lower RPMs, especially without things like VVT. The power output of the standard (non high-output) 4.7L was pretty close to the 5.2L, but the 5.2L and 5.9L made more torque at lower RPMs.
Wish theyd bring it back. You know that new dakota *cough* gladiator about to get released. Prolly be trash..
To those naysayers; Some screwdrivers are intended to be chisels, I've a set that has a metal striking surface on the handle exactly for that reason... and besides when's the last time you needed a flat head screwdriver in the automotive world as an actual screwdriver? (usually they just get used as prybars).
The cams you want are 08and newer in the wk grand cherokee 4.7. They (and the intake on an 08up) can be put on a 99-04 4.7 as an upgrade. Reference Martinbuilt on TH-cam
The only people who think this is an unreliable engine are the people who bought them used from people who didn't take care of them and then they didn't maintain them. Change the oil, don't over heat them. Keep up on regular maintenance. Thats it. I've driven a 4.7 powered WJ for 22 years now and have 250k. It's one of the smoothest, most reliable engines ever made. Tons of low end torque, plenty of high end power. Simple and effective - And thats coming from someone who had a 4.0 ZJ beforehand. The number one issue is blown head gaskets - which if you actually tear down and replace usually isn't even a gasket failure but a warped head from being over heated.
50/50 mix of ATF + Acetone = best version of liquid wrench. Also loved the “Not that pickup!” bit.
I really like this Channel. Eric's presentation, editing and Irreverent "tongue in cheek" humor is always refreshing. Keep up the good work. I watch nearly every episode!!
A relative had an early 2000s Durango with this 4.7 SOHC V8 and I was always impressed with the power it made at the time. Ran great still when it was sold.
I always thought this is the engine they should have put in that crazy Plymouth Prowler instead of the 3.5L V6.
You wanted a truck engine in the prowler?
the Prowler was a hot rod without the hot.
@@brarautorepairs it was tuned to be a truck/SUV engine. It could have easily been tuned to be a car engine. If it fit under the hood- why not? It wouldn't have made the Prowler any more weird than it was.
@@brarautorepairs The 6.2 and 6.4 SRTs started out as a truck engine or ya know… the entire history of muscle cars.
Why? It made like 215HP, same power as the all aluminum V6 in the prowler.
Would love to see a volvo b8444s or a b5254t4. Love your videos and I look forward to them every week. Keep up the good work!
It looks like it was run until the timing chains became loose. And that one chain let go. I purchased a 2005 Dakota with just over 250k on the odometer. It had dropped the number 2 intake seat had dropped. But it was hanging on valve so the engine is being repaired. The timing chains were both lose so they were due to be replaced. I am replacing the oil pump and the timing chains at the same time as the heads.
What probably happened was that harmonic balancer not being torqued down properly. The woodruff key is only there to align the crank gear and the crank gear is friction fit/held by the harmonic balancer. An insufficiently torqued down balancer will cause it to strip the key.
Add me to the list of 4.7 owners without issues - my '99 Grand Cherokee had 230k on the clock when I sold it a few years ago, and other than a broken exhaust manifold bolt, was running great.
Thanks for the Dodge 4.7 teardown. I have a 2002 Durango that just turned 200,000 this year. Guess I should be looking for timing chain wear in the near future. Love your videos, found you on U Tube about 2 months ago. Your tutorials with teardowns can be educational and humorous, keep it up.
I'd look now.
My dad has a 2011 Ram with I believe over 220K miles. Never had an issue with the engine, but it is beginning to feel a little sluggish. Strange how it also doesn’t eat a drop of oil at this mileage.
"Well that's not good"..."I'm not touching that". Love your comments. Great video.
Nice, didn't expect this one! People dunk on this motor a lot but I've had several and they've all been fine. Ran well, reliable, good power, decent fuel economy, no complaints here.
I've yet to see one of these motors hit 200k. Most I've seen is 165k. Downward slide starts at 120k. A ls or hemi is just getting broke in at that mileage. Unacceptable for a modern engine. Even a ford triton can hit 200k. It will be ticking, burning oil, and possibly not running on all cylinders but it'll hit 200k. I'd bet my bottom dollar you never towed or carried a load with your magical 4.7, drove it like a 87yr old, never let it go past 3000rpms, changed the oil every 2,000 miles, and I bet those motors didn't go much past 150k if they even made it that far. Prob just drove it to get coffee, donuts, and a newspaper every morning.
Feel sorry for you if you think this is an ok motor
@@beavistechrock can't say I agree with you on that one
My 03 Ram 1500 with the 4.7 has been overloaded several times to Mexico and back and has towed more than it is rated for and at 220k it still runs great and is able to do a burnout without needing to brake
So, yeah the 4.7 can take a beating
Guess I must've struck a nerve, fellas. I still stand by my original statement, though. Near the end of their run, the 4.7 was tuned to put out 310 hp (had one in my previous 2009 Dodge Ram). Plenty of power for an engine that size and no problems during my ownership. Although, I guess it did need a water pump once. Dang. Thing is, like Eric said, all you have to do is watch your gauges and routine maintenance, and any engine will serve you well. Yes, even this one.
@@beavistechrock My friends dodge pickup with the 4.7 developed a rod knock at about 140K. He traded the truck in.
4.7 in my 05 durango, change my oil regularly and maintain it right. 250,000 miles and still runs as good as a new one....
Been waiting on this one for a while, thanks chief! I loved it. :)
Big fan of this engine btw, my 2010 Dakota Bighorn is a monster with this thing and i love it.
Yes our Saturday night is complete!!
Another teardown video.
Thank you for supplying us with another video Eric. You da man!
Do another 4.7 please :))) love your videos keep up the good work !!
would love to see a Mazda SkyActive engine teardown. I got one and want to see the technology inside. Otherwise another great video.
Great video! I have a 2002 Jeep GC limited with a 4.7HO. Love the way it runs but just started running on 7 cylinders - I’m hoping it’s just a bad lifter. I never understood why some 2002 GC limiteds have an HO and others have the power tech. 205,000 miles by the way.
The HO package was available as an option on the limited, but it was standard on the Overland. Both HO and Non-HO are power tech. HO has different cams and intake.
next time you are removing a woodruff key, grab a pair of diagonal wire cutter pliars, and grab onto the end of the key, and pry the key out. the edge that you grab can use the tips of the pliars as a fulcrum. they almost always pop right out.
I was going to say the same thing. It works every time!
Still think these are one of the best engines to work on.
Great content to watch while eating breakfast on Sunday. Any chance you could do a VW VR6? Or even rarer, a W8 out of a Passat?
Very good! I was watching this while watching Fantom Works on Motor Trend on TV.
Absolutely love your content thank you for all of your tear downs and if I had to make a suggestion a 3800 Buick v6 I absolutely love these engines and would love for you to find one that’s cooked
Yes please. Especially like to see the factory supercharged one.
Might be hard to find. Between me and a buddy we have 4 old Buicks with the 3800, one is supercharged, however only 1 of the 4 has a good tranny in it. All 4 engines run great with anywhere from 100000 to almost 200000 on the highest mileage one.
@@nickroman9386 yeah same I got a series 2 powered Grand Prix and I love it
Glad you could keep a sunny attitude despite having to go underwater to get it, thank you much, I enjoy these videos
You really took one for the team this time! The things you have to do for good content.
For a long time, I was an 4.0 diehard and bashed the 4.7. However, I ended up buying a 2000 WJ with an 4.7 and has been impressed. From taking with Durango and Dakota owners of the same generation, they love it. From what I understand, it does runs hot for a Mopar engine, however, the issue such as the valve seat issue is from cooling issues like not understanding the hydralyic fan.
Love the timing guide spike!! Keep them up! Also words to live by...don't buy used chain guides lol. Do a Mazda rotary engine next. I hear apex seals taste Great lol.
There is lots of rotary engines online. I want to see a skyactive teardown I can’t find even one online
I'm probably going to get a lot of barking and hissing about this comment from your other subscribers but here I go anyway; this is from me to you. I agree with what you said. 'Keep up with maintenance, and they last'. Like many modern engines, they do NOT like being overheated for very long so you must keep the cooling system maintenance up to date. Add regular oil changes to that and there is no reason you can't get 300k+ miles out of them like you said you've witnessed. Though it's not my first pick, I've been happy with my powertech
How about an original Saturn S-series engine? 1.9L 4cyl in either SOHC or DOHC would be fantastic to see a teardown. 5th or 6th request now? Keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks for bringing one of these to the channel. I've owned 2 vehicles with these and both of them Didn't even make it to 140,000 miles before They started burning oil or had head gasket failure. I think my problem though was they were in rams that I had. I think this is a perfectly capable engine for a smaller vehicle or a Jeep but not so much for a full size truck
Love the channel Eric. Well done!
My cousin has a ram with that motor with 297,000 on it, it was beat on heavily and used as a work truck most of its life. It ran until it dropped a valve.
After he said "I'd definitely reuse these cams" I was 100% expecting him to throw them into Illinois. Lol
I’ve conditioned you guys to thinking I throw everything 😂
@@I_Do_Cars Don’t you?
We had one of these 4.7s in a Dakota that we owned for 14 years. Never had an issue with it. What was a surprise is we never had an issue with the transmission, either.
Me too 330,000+ miles original motor and trans , everyday driver , now dodge suspension is absolutely horrible, change out the front end completely 06 ram 1500
I might be three days late but I'm super excited to see this tear down. I really enjoyed my 4.7 powered Ram 1500
After watching the video, the 4.7 looks like a fairly stoutly built engine that would tolerate a decent bit of boost.
I love my 4.7s always had my back actually never had one break on me ever, just do your oil changes and change your coolant and thermostat , any aluminum head engine is sensitive to over heating.
I have a Durango with a 4.7 with 457000 miles and still going strong. It's a daily driver
Holy crap. Nice to see. 260,000 on mine. Plan to keep it long as I can. You've replaced lifters by now?
@mobius-1503 No, just tune ups, oil changes, tires, brakes, and radiator about 200000 miles ago. Runs great no knocks or ticks
Looks like your first time inside a 4.7L engine.
This looks like a catastrophic failure of the left bank timing chain, as valves and pistons were not wiped out, because the engine rotation stopped instantly!!!
I lost my ass on a 4.7L, 2002, Dakota, for a friend. Overheated, and warped the heads. The heads straightened easily enough, and I replaced all the valve seats, because an overheated engine almost always drops them at a later date!!!
All new timing components, and YES!!! all new torque to yield head bolts!!!
replaced cam followers (rocker arms) with the later ones with the small oil hole, all new lash adjusters (hydraulic lifters) and yet it still had the valves clattering. Oil pressure perfect @70PSI cold and 55 #'s hot. Put on a second set of lash adjusters, same problem!!! Not wanting to pay $44.00 each from Chrysler OEM parts for lash adjusters, I machined up my own manually adjusted ones. Still makes valve noises, but I know they will not collapse, and cause more problems.
Runs great, replaced radiator as well, as I don't like repeat problems.
This engine has a poor reputation, because of a poor cooling system, (radiator air flow issues), and PCV air flow issues not eliminating condensate in the lower block area. A later factory PVC modification seems to have solved that problem. Everything was very prone to sludge buildup, and thus lubrication failure to the lash adjusters, and valve stem lubrication.
This engine had great potential, but suffered from engineering failures, like condensate, and cooling problems. If scrupulously maintained, Oil changes, and a constant watch on coolant levels, these engines would get many hundreds of thousands of miles, without major failures.
I should add that only genuine Chrysler timing components should be used, especially lash adjusters!!! I just ran out of time and patients on this job, so I made solid adjustable lash adjusters so as to verify the real problem, as I suspected upper end oiling issues, even though massive amounts of oil were observed while running without the valve covers in place.
I have never been back into one of these engines but have helped many others who were having problems with them. If they followed my advice, they never had another problem. If they didn't, well there was a very different outcome!!! LOL!!! Lots of time doing repeated R&R work!!!
I liked your crank puller extension pushrod, the crank should be OK, but I would magnaflux the snout to be sure!!!
Tim
These are great engines. The problem is, the radiators tend to crack and leak due to over pressurization because of faulty overflow container caps that don't open at the 16 PSI they are supposed to open at. You don't realize there's an issue until your gauges are going crazy and your temperature quickly goes from normal to 260F in seconds. Once this happens, it's too late. The heads have already overheated, seats fall out and valves and pistons get damaged.
You have precisely described how my 5.7 Hemi failed. 10 seconds from all good thru what the hell? to clank....clank.....clank oh no!
Overflow container caps? Is this only on the ram?
I would love for you to do any of the 6g series of mitsubishi v6s. They came in almost every sedan and suv that mitsubishi made from 1989 to 2008. They came in the 6g72-3.0l 6g74-3.5l and the last variant in america the 6g75-3.8l which could come with mivec. Either way love the channel dude.
I have an 04 4.7 I have upgraded to the 4.7 HO cams and the HO intake. Cloyes timing set, Melling rockers and had the heads machined to fix that "dropped valve" issue. Man that double overhead cam engine sounds amazing flowing through some flow master original series mufflers.
I have 230k on my 4.7 and it spent half its life towing a horse trailer from previous owner and Im very hard on it. It gets horrible gas mileage but its a great motor