2003 Dodge Ram 4.7 liter

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Richie

Richie

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Hi everybody :)

Me and my boss are looking for a truck for me to run around in. I'm loving this one because I'll have to sleep in it over night sometimes because when blasting sites are left live sometimes overnight I have to guard them. One of my friends has the exact same truck 2003 quad cab dodge Ram SLT B7 Blue ...sort of LOL and really likes it. My worry is that the reviews on these motors have been mixed. Any thoughts on this guys??

2003 Dodge RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X4 SLT - Castanet Classifieds
 
I helped my brother in law reassemble his after it dropped a seat and blew up.

The new heads lasted a few hundred miles before dropping a seat and blowing up.

The third head had 50 miles when he traded it in.

I was impressed at the design of the engine, but they seem to have issues and cannot be rebuilt. Everything is remove and replace, no room to machine anything. Cam lobes are pressed onto the shafts, is dual overhead cam with oil fed tensioners (take a look at how they fared on the 2.7L engines), plastic intake manifold, all kinds of 'neat' things that don't inspire confidence. It did seem to run OK when it ran, though. I would much rather than a magnum motor.
 
I have an '02 Dakota with the 4.7, about 135k on it. Only problem I've had is a couple of the studs for the exhaust manifold on each side broke around 100k. My mechanic thought the steel seemed awfully soft in them.
Gas mileage is nothing to write home about, but other than that no complaints.
 
My daughter had one in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a bunch of miles (150Kish miles) but they didn't keep it more then 2 years. They didn't have any problems. A friend who works for the best engine machine shop around says stay away from them. They got a big power boost in 2008 so if I did get one I would look for an 08 up. For that price I think you could find a Hemi. Simplier and makes a ton more power with no fuel economy hit. I would pay $2000 more for a Hemi no matter what blue book says.
 
13 year old 4.7 with 153,000 miles? Stay away. In 2008 the 4.7 got many updates and power boost that made it a good engine. Can't speak to the price but in the states that many dollars would get you Hemi easily in a 13 year old 1500 4x4.
 
2001_dodge_ram_1500_laramie_slt_4x2_quad_cab_4500_fort_smith_8070028459967413284.jpg
Yep...I'm kind of horrified ...the more I find the more I cringe. I found another Ram with 5.9 and 190 Ks. The shop mechanic and I looked at it and the dealer is going to let us take it for the day to our shop and give it an inspection..Very nice of him. We'll see how that goes. The picture is just like the 2001 we found today...$4000 :)
 
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I'm learning the hard way about the 4.7

I had no idea about all the problems with them till I bought an 05 Grand Cherokee, yesterday. It more than likely has the broken exhaust manifold studs. Didn't notice the exhaust leak during the test drive cause we had window up and air on.
Soon as I bought it, stopped for gas on the way home, had the windows down with I started it up. Sure enough, tic, tic, tic, tic, from the drivers side manifold.
And to top it off my check engine light is now on.
Kind of stuck with it now, but did talk to the dealer where I got it, and taking it back on Monday to let them check it over, and see if they can help me out with it. They didn't really say they would fix it, but look at it and see.
 
4.7 is a Daimler engine thus the Mercedes "look" . Like most Mercedes, they get negative MPG and are impossible to work on. Run like hell and dont look back. I bought a 01 Durango with 5.9 and 160K, would not trade it for a 4,7 truck with 50K.
 
magnummopar said:
4.7 is a Daimler engine thus the Mercedes "look" . Like most Mercedes, they get negative MPG and are impossible to work on. Run like hell and dont look back. I bought a 01 Durango with 5.9 and 160K, would not trade it for a 4,7 truck with 50K.
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I`ve got a 2002 quadcab w/ the 4.7 in it. 157,000 no problems. still has the factory brakes on it ! and yes , I have pulled a heavy car trailer quite a bit. would I rather have a hemi / yes, I`d like more power for the same mileage.-----------for what it`s worth, I had to put front wheel bearings in at about 150,000 , and an ebay radiator about the same time. that`s it !
 
Bob, you are indeed one of the super luck ones and there are a few buuuuttttt, there are way more sad stories of 10 MPG, broken cams, bad rod bearings and more. In 2000 I purchased a brand new Dakota ex cab 4x4 sport. Only new car I ever purchased. Only vehicle I have regrets on owning, well except for 68 VW square back with Bosch injection when I was 14.
I got a recall notice for my truck after about 3-4 months. Was getting about 17-19 mpg on freeway then the dealer recall gave me the "death flash". Truck never got more than 12 mpg after that. Replaces the pcm, had it flashed, tried everything I could think of but damn thing would get 12mpg hauling it down road on a trailer....I hated that truck every single damn mile I drove it until its timely death in 2006 at which time I cried tears of joy....what really pisses me off is that there was a 99 Dakota on lot with 5.2 and I didnt get it instead because it was red and I wont drive a red vehicle. My buddy had an identical 99 RED 5.2 ex cab 4x4 and would regularly get 18+mpg......
Lesson here, never buy anything Diamler built and never get a first year engine. The 08+ are imprived and I believe they solved the broken cam issues but getting one off those would be like dating the sister of your crazy ex!
 
magnummopar said:
Bob, you are indeed one of the super luck ones and there are a few buuuuttttt, there are way more sad stories of 10 MPG, broken cams, bad rod bearings and more. In 2000 I purchased a brand new Dakota ex cab 4x4 sport. Only new car I ever purchased. Only vehicle I have regrets on owning, well except for 68 VW square back with Bosch injection when I was 14.
I got a recall notice for my truck after about 3-4 months. Was getting about 17-19 mpg on freeway then the dealer recall gave me the "death flash". Truck never got more than 12 mpg after that. Replaces the pcm, had it flashed, tried everything I could think of but damn thing would get 12mpg hauling it down road on a trailer....I hated that truck every single damn mile I drove it until its timely death in 2006 at which time I cried tears of joy....what really pisses me off is that there was a 99 Dakota on lot with 5.2 and I didnt get it instead because it was red and I wont drive a red vehicle. My buddy had an identical 99 RED 5.2 ex cab 4x4 and would regularly get 18+mpg......
Lesson here, never buy anything Diamler built and never get a first year engine. The 08+ are imprived and I believe they solved the broken cam issues but getting one off those would be like dating the sister of your crazy ex!
Click to expand...
don`t know of many failures around here, haven`t heard about any. bought mine new and broke it in on the hi way, running back and forth to plano, tex. from Tulsa. changed oil every 4000 to 4500 . ???????????
 
Have a 2003 Dodge Durango 4.7 95,000 miles on it synthetic oil haul the racecar open trailer no problems.
Gas mileage is about 16 miles per gallon but 9 miles per gallon went towing the trailer .
 
My 04 Ram Quad Cab 1500 Gets 20 MPG empty and I pulled a open car trailer with a car on it over 500 miles last fall. I got 18 MPG and the engine and trans worked perfectly.
My truck has a tow package and a 3:92 rear gear.
 
Richie said:
2001_dodge_ram_1500_laramie_slt_4x2_quad_cab_4500_fort_smith_8070028459967413284.jpg
Yep...I'm kind of horrified ...the more I find the more I cringe. I found another Ram with 5.9 and 190 Ks. The shop mechanic and I looked at it and the dealer is going to let us take it for the day to our shop and give it an inspection..Very nice of him. We'll see how that goes. The picture is just like the 2001 we found today...$4000 :)
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DSCF0543_zps6osl4cil.jpg

DSCF0544_zps4hw2tvna.jpg


That's it. We took it to the shop over all it was really good just needs a wheel bearing pan and valve cover gasgetes. Then we went out on the Hwy with it for a long drive let it warm up found a place to use the 4x4 then took it back to the dealer. Mark said what it needed and sighed away and the guy says..well what do you think it's worth?..lol So we may even get it for 3 grand or so if the boss is ok with it. This one has a 360 in it not a 4.7 like the blue one. It would have to have the butt ugly rims on it minus one...the front rim. I hate those lol
 
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