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2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems


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FredFrick
Novice

May 22, 2014, 2:23 PM

Post #1 of 8 (4849 views)
2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

2003
Dodge Dakota, 84k miles
4.7 liter,automatic

Hello my Dakota is idling poorly When stopped at traffic light or sitting in park
the revs bounce around from about 500rpm up to about 1000rpm back and forth.
sometimes dropping low enough to stall the engine.
almost sounds like an engine with a lumpy cam.
I am getting no codes from computer.
The truck started doing this last fall after repairing a blown out exhaust manifold gasket.
it did not do this all winter, and started doing this again when temps got back above the mid 60s.
engine temp is in normal range.
also if i turn on the a/c the engine idles much better.(under a slight load)

could this be related to an egr issue?
I know there is no egr valve but there is a port in the left side exhaust manifold that goes back into the head.
I assume that goes through to the intake manifold.

Any thoughts or advice will be appreciated
Thank you


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 22, 2014, 10:44 PM

Post #2 of 8 (4831 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

The only way the EGR can do this is if it has a valve and that valve is stuck open. If the valve is removed and the hole covered and sealed it won't. Now, if that hole isn't sealed good and leak vacuum, that will do it. Any vacuum leak can cause erratic idle along with many other things.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



kev2
Veteran
kev2 profile image

May 23, 2014, 12:48 AM

Post #3 of 8 (4826 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

  some thoughts to get started-
1)THe truck is STOCK ?
2)Take advantage of rhe free scan offered by parts stores- Its FREE, a scan is critical.

Your tools - a scnner? fuel pressure gauge, a DVOM- those are the tools of today AND the answer to 1 & 2 above.


FredFrick
Novice

May 23, 2014, 11:55 AM

Post #4 of 8 (4819 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

ok some more info on the problem
1 yes truck is completely stock
2 yes I have a basic scan tool (actron) that reads codes and gives simple definitions
there are no codes stored in memory (as i mentioned in my original post.)
I also have a fuel pressure gauge.
and a Digital voltmeter.

3 what i meant to say is this truck has no external egr that is plumbed back into the intake
there is just an extra port in the left side head and manifold that i assume allows exhast gases to
flow through the head back into the intake. I have a haynes manual that says there is no egr valve on
this truck. what i was wondering was, could the hot gases be causing a problem now that the intake air
is much warmer than it was in the winter.

A little more history on the problem
this truck blew out the exhaust manifold gasket on the left side, due to warped manifolds.
and was continued to be operated for about 1 yr. before the noise became too much.
then the manifolds were pulled and resurfaced and new gaskets installed.
the spot where the gasket was missing was around the rear cyl port and the egr? port
also replaced exhaust from cat back with stock style exhaust.
shortly after this was done was when the problem surfaced.
is it related? I dont know.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 23, 2014, 12:17 PM

Post #5 of 8 (4817 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In


Quote
what i meant to say is this truck has no external egr that is plumbed back into the intake
there is just an extra port in the left side head and manifold that i assume allows exhast gases to
flow through the head back into the intake.


No, that's not possible at all. EGR flow has to be controlled at all times. It doesn't flow all the time and never flows at idle.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



FredFrick
Novice

May 27, 2014, 1:56 PM

Post #6 of 8 (4795 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

right I understand that. there must be some sort of control in the head or intake mani. I was just hoping someone could tell me how to check if that that is working properly. since my haynes manual is of no use for this.
i always thought egr was just intended to help the engine reach its optimum operating temp more quickly.thereby cutting down on the higher emissions of a cold engine.
is that correct or is there another reason for it.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 27, 2014, 2:02 PM

Post #7 of 8 (4793 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

Man, you are wrong on all counts of everything.

You cannot have any sort of EGR system without an EGR valve and a computer controlling it.

The purpose of an EGR valve is to reduce combustion temperatures which reduce Nox gases and engine pre-ignition.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



FredFrick
Novice

May 29, 2014, 1:37 PM

Post #8 of 8 (4778 views)
Re: 2003 Dodge Dakota idle problems Sign In

ok. good to know more about egr.
I thank you for your advice.
I will continue to try and diagnose this problem but its tough to do since the engine has actually
quit doing this the past few days.( it has been cooler out)
I have been researching this on the dakota forums also
a few other dakota owners have been experiencing the same problems with the 4.7
but their solutions have all varied.
some say TPS was bad or trans issues
or dirty throttle body or IAC.
I will update when i get more info.






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