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Dakota 3.9 V6 bearings shot @ 135K

Cliff Nagy

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Dec 12, 2018
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Location
Apple Valley, Ca
Are Dodge engines not known for reliability? One of my rod bearings is knocking. Stupid me, I took it to Jiffy Lube for an oil change before a trip. The 'Check Gauges' light came on, oil pressure went to max, pulled it over, checked oil and it was overfilled as well as black and gritty. Some mechanics have said that Dodge Engines don't last as long as they should.
 
My experience is that they last very well if properly cared for. You say yours was not properly maintained, had the oil overfilled with black and gritty oil and then you blame the engine manufacturer? Right off the top that leads me to say WTF?

Now, just maybe, if you had been doing regular oil changes at the recommended intervals yourself and could vouch for what was drained out and its condition as well as what was put back in - and all of a sudden the engine failed and now you have this nasty stuff in there then I might wonder if it was introduced by the engine failure, but that's not the impression I got from your lead-in.

Any chance you have some enemies that may have dumped something in your oil?? (All assuming you want to believe that Jiffy Lube did their job correctly.)
 
I've never had any reliability issues with dodge motors. But I do all my own oil changes. My father in law has a 96 dodge dakota 3.9 engine with 200k plus miles no issues so far other than a fuel pump
 
Polara_500: I do my own oil changes also except for this one time the day before I drove the Dakota 200 miles. I don't blame Dodge-it was Jiffy Lube's negligence. I'll do my own work from now on. I was just responding to some local mechanics who had worked on this particular engine.
 
So we're at the just maybe, and that makes me wonder what the heck is the gritty crap that came out? Is it metallic to indicate bearing material, or if not did either Jiffy Lube or someone else sabotage you by putting something else in there? Thanks for the supplemental info.
 
Sorry, I'm out of ideas here. Unless of course you saved the oil you dumped after the failure and want to send it for analysis. Not sure what that costs and it would likely only get you personal satisfaction/understanding. Good luck with the repairs.
 
You sure they even changed it and just did not stick a new filter on it and send it out the door. I have a 93, 3.9 with over 200K with nothing but electrical problems.
 
Im hear to tell you that the 3.9 is a VERY tough little engine. Ive owned half a dozen for work and play with no issues except one 96 of unknown mileage, it knocked quite a bit when cold but still hauled me and my tools all over the state for 4 years. I put a j/y 3.9 in a 94 I had, heavily modified it then threw 150 shot of n2o on and raced it for a couple of years without issue.
 
the 3.9s are durable but a sheer DOG.... my 90 was, my 94 was and my 99 is even more so... in between I had 318 trucks... same MPG, more power.
 
93 wasn't bad when not loaded with tools. The 3.9 and trans were probably the only things not worm out.
 
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