Well I think the Durango has died.

The wife was driving home tonight and she lost power and pulled off the highway. As she did the radiator hose exploded and lost all the coolant.

The engine definitely overheated and I'm planning for the worst, because I have bad luck.

It comes at a great time, because I have no money to repair it or purchase another vehicle.

Cast iron or aluminum heads? If it still had fluid in it when it shut off, cast will probably be ok. Aluminum...

It's all iron. We'll see what happens.

Really? I thought the heads were aluminum.

Which engine?

Best case: Put a new hose on it, fill it with water and see what happens. Any chocolate milk under the oil fill cap? Check compression. Worst case: Those engines can't cost much at a junk yard. It's a Dodge, after all.

I think it'll be OK.

The loss of power followed by hose explosion makes me think head gasket.

Is this the one that had heads one on it? Or was that somebody else's Durango here?

this one basically had a whole new motor not too long ago. it might live.

Welp, it's done. Was extremely difficult to start and it has a really bad rod knock. Pulled the dipstick out oil smells beyond burnt which I'm a little upset about because it was due for an oil change and I was planning on doing it this weekend.

This is the engine that had the head debacle from a couple years ago. Only the top end was rebuilt.

I don't know what we are going to do. I don't have the time to try to replace the motor myself and I don't have the money to pay someone to do it for sure.

I'm really upset right now. I've been pretty depressed lately and this just makes things worse.

Don't be too upset, while losing a car is always inconvenient and annoying at best, it was a berkeleying Dodge Durango*.

*I may have a slight bias against the Durango, my dad was a Chrysler mechanic in the late 90s-early 00s and still becomes visibly riled up when you mention them. I'm not sure why, but he hates that truck.

Sbf, you still looking for a job? Ever thought of applying to metra or South shore line? Or even Amtrak or the cta? Seems like it would be right up your alley.

im going to go ahead and guess this was a 4.7? they are not know for being stout

In reply to edizzle89:

I thought it was the old body style with the 5.9. Could be wrong.

yamaha wrote: In reply to edizzle89: I thought it was the old body style with the 5.9. Could be wrong.

the first gen's had the 4.7, 5.2, and 5.9.

Junkyard 5.9 and http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/hrdp-0804-small-block-mopar-engine/

Or looks like if it's not a 3.9-5.2 then a 5.9 swap will be difficult.

DOH!

Can you find a running JY engine and dump it?

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Don't be too upset, while losing a car is always inconvenient and annoying at best, it was a berkeleying Dodge Durango*. *I may have a slight bias against the Durango, my dad was a Chrysler mechanic in the late 90s-early 00s and still becomes visibly riled up when you mention them. I'm not sure why, but he hates that truck.

Not a mechanic, but as a past owner, I share the sediment.

It looks like my inlaws are willing to help get another vehicle.

I'm not spending another dime on this truck. We've had it for 10 years and while it's been pretty reliable, it's time to say goodbye. I could get a JY 5.9, but like I said I don't have the time to do it or pay someone to do it.

And yes it's just a berkeleying Dodge Durango, but I've been through hell and back with that thing and it's taken most of what I've given it, so there's some sentiment to it.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: It looks like my inlaws are willing to help get another vehicle. I'm not spending another dime on this truck. We've had it for 10 years and while it's been pretty reliable, it's time to say goodbye. I could get a JY 5.9, but like I said I don't have the time to do it or pay someone to do it. And yes it's just a berkeleying Dodge Durango, but I've been through hell and back with that thing and it's taken most of what I've given it, so there's some sentiment to it.

Time to say good bye to it and grab something else.

edizzle89 wrote:

yamaha wrote: In reply to edizzle89: I thought it was the old body style with the 5.9. Could be wrong.

the first gen's had the 4.7, 5.2, and 5.9.

Hmm, didn't know that. Considering the circumstances, that coolant hose probably failed leading to overheating followed by losing power due to spun bearings.

Glad at least they're willing to spot you a couple bucks to get a ride. I was trying to figure out how to ship a corolla to il- the logistics were terrible.

former520 wrote: Not a mechanic, but as a past owner, I share the sediment.

"sediment"...hehehe

So the wife and I were talking last night and I think we have decided that we are still going to get another vehicle, but there's really nothing to do with the Durango. It's either try to sell it on CL or send it the the JY and get scrap price for it.

Well the wife suggested that we keep it, get a JY motor and in my free time swap it out. Then, once it's done I could sell my Cherokee. The Cherokee is beat to E36 M3, rusting away and while it's a runner, it's more ideal as a winter beater for someone. The Durango has a little bit of rust, but the overall condition is 3 times better than the Jeep.

I'm going to think about it. Even though right now my job is only 15 minutes away, it's not a permanent job and I may end up with another farther away, which then won't be ideal.

Sucks to hear that it blew up.

I didn't catch it, but what was under the hood? My Dakota has the 3.9, and I've always stated that I'll toss a 5.9 under the hood when it eventually blows up. Aren't the 3.9, 5.2, and the 5.9 basically interchangeable?