Dodge - Dakota :: Piston Eventually Cracked Away During Brake Replacement
Apr 21, 2013
So I recently attempted to change the brakes on my 96 dodge dakota. I followed the instructions in my Chilton manual to do it. The driver side was no real problem and managed to get it done within an hour. Now knowing how to do it I moved to the passenger side. Once I slid the caliper off the rotor I noticed that the pads on this side were nothing but metal but the rotor was fine. I took out the pads but the piston was hyperextended and there was no way to compress it no matter what I did. The piston eventually just started to crack away. So I went to O'Reilly's and bought a refurbished caliper. It looked very similar and fit the bolts. However when I tried to attach the brake line it was at a different angle then its fitting. The brake line is a thin metal tube for the last 6 inches with a square piece of metal at the end where the hollow bolt goes through and then into the caliper. But because of the metal section I cant angle the brake line correctly to get a good seal.
View 6 Replies
Advertisement
I just completed a front brake job on a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, installing new rotors and pads. Right front rotor and pad installation went perfectly. Left front - I heard a faint "hiss" as I compressed the caliper piston using a c clamp. In addition, as I placed the new inner pad against the caliper/piston, I noticed that the piston had become slightly "uncompressed," meaning it moved back out a little bit on its own. I compressed it again with a c clamp and had to rush to get the caliper back in place with the new pads in place before the piston SLOWLY worked itself back out and I wouldn't be able to fit the caliper around the new rotors and pads. I completed the brake job, pumped the brakes, and took it for a ride - all seems fine. The pedal is not spongy and it does not travel all the way to the floor.
Do I have anything to worry about? This is my 6th brake job in total. This is my first brake job on this vehicle. The slight hiss and the fact that the caliper piston did not stay seated after I compressed it bothers me.
View 18 Replies
I was asked to look at this Dakota because the Brake warning light and the ABS lights come on.
I get no stored codes with my code reader, and upon test driving it I found that the lights both go off when you shut off the truck, but each time you start up and drive off....those two lights will come on the first time you hit about 30mph and then stay on until you shut off the truck again. Restart and the lights are off until you drive off and hit about 30mph again.
Backing out of the shop, stopping, turning around, down the driveway 50yds and stopping at the road....the lights stay off, even though I just used the brakes three times at least. Get on the road and hit 30mph and they go on.
The two fuses, one in the fuse block by the drivers door and the other (ABS) fuse in the Power distribution box test good.Both brake lights work at the rear as does the high mount brake light. Fluid is at the full mark.
I pulled all four wheels and drums on the back and inspected everything and everything looks good and the E brake cables are intact and working as they should. Brakes were replaced (not by me) and have a little wear, but plenty of material left. No leaks of any lines, calipers, or cylinders. Front rotors are not scored from a sticky caliper, they do have a little minor rusting but because it has been idle for a few months.
I have the same year and drive train in my Dakota. Their truck has about the same stopping power as mine, but I did notice that I did not feel the surging in the ABS as I feel in my truck. I tested this by traveling at about 40mph with the passenger wheels in the gravel and drivers wheels on the pavement and applied the brakes hard. In my truck I felt the surging, but not in theirs. Note that my truck has a tall cap and always carries an extra 800 pounds of gear in the back.Maybe the heavier weight makes my ABS kick in quicker, but I would think weight wouldn't matter.....one wheel is slipping...period.
View 15 Replies
My brake pedal goes almost to the floor when I'm braking.I replaced the rotors, pads, shoes, power booster and the master cylinder 3 times.Had it bled twice and I still have a soft pedal, but now it firms up a bit as I pump the brakes.
View 7 Replies
I need a film crew to document this stuff, but here's what I've got. This engine had a cracked piston. It is currently torn down and ready to go to the machine shop. I ordered a powder coating set up, so everything that fits in the oven will get powder!
This engine will get cut/coated pistons, cryoed forged rods, 250/100's, waste gated T4/S369, head studs, 910 valve springs, smith bros pushrods, etc. We'll also be using a Southbend dual disc clutch in front of the freshly rebuilt ZF6.
Here's some of the shiny stuff.
I think I'll give up a little top end to spool faster. Especially since this is a 6spd build.
View 14 Replies
I had a front brake job done on a 2002 Dodge Dakota pickup at 85000 miles. When I stepped on the brake, I felt pulsation in the pedal and a sort of wobbly feeling in the steering wheel. Also the brakes were making noises while driving. Classical sign of a warped rotor?! Long story short brand new rotors, brake pads and calipers, later the pulsation is mostly gone but the braking is still not smooth at one point while the tires are turning. Now i do have to older tires on the front but i just bought two brand new tires for the rear. Would it be wise to put the new tires on front to see if there might be some unevenness caused by the old tires before i take it back to the shop?
Also the feeling of the brakes catching on one point seems non existent or so minimal I can not be sure if the road surface interfering while driving slow of applying the brakes gently. But slowing down from higher speeds (above 40 mph) and using more then gentle braking ( not standing on the pedal with both feet) it is definitely there. Before the brake job braking caused the steering turning right. (sign of more braking action on the right - right?). Now with new stuff still pulls to the right but not as strongly. Should not this disappear with the brake job? Or get the new tires on front and see what gives?
View 9 Replies
4 days ago I had a complete front brake job done on a 02 Dodge Dakota pickup. 80 miles on the new brakes I stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour. Once I stopped at the store I smelled burning brake odor on the passenger side right front wheel. Is there anything that should burn off of a new part of shall be concerned about this? New brakeshoes, rotors, calipers + brakefluid.
View 9 Replies
Chasing this knock and I'm starting to get a little bit worried. So I'm looking for what I should do next.
Here is the truck info... 2000 F250 4x4 206k. . Swamps Diesel 200/30's. Terminator HPOP. GTP38R. EBPV delete pedestal. Banks wastegate. AFE stage 2 intake. RiffRaff FRX. 4" exhaust. Hydra chip. John Wood Auto. 6.0 Trans cooler.
I have a knock sound coming from the area of #8. It is noticeably louder in that area with a stethoscope. Its not any louder anywhere else (oil pan, block, otherside of engine, or front). Truck does not smoke and runs and idles great otherwise. Was thinking possibly the cackle/fuel knock issue these trucks have but with bigger injectors and the FRX could this even still be a possibility?! Anyways here is what I've done.
Checked fuel pressure and at idle it is 61/62 with any tune. At WOT on Econ tune it goes down to ~40ish psi. With the extreme tune WOT dived down to 28/29psi. So my thinking was maybe that injector got screwed up so...
Swapped #8 injector with #2 so the front injector with the back to see if either it had some bad o rings or isolate the injector as the problem if the noise moved cylinders with the injector. While I did this I put brand new O-Rings on those two injectors and popped them in. Got it fired up and the knock is still in #8.
Unplugging the injector with the engine running the noise seems to disappear. HOWEVER, when I use the stethoscope the knocking noise still sounds like it's there but very faint. Without the stethoscope I can't hear it. Also driving the truck down the freeway and letting it coast the noise goes away when the injectors get cut off.
Recently pulled off valve cover and checked the pushrods and rockers on #8 and all looked fine. At this point I'm thinking wrist pin, rod bearing or cracked piston??? Could it somehow still be a fuel knock?
View 9 Replies
My van went from drive to 3rd gear while i was driving. and now its stuck in 3rd gear. its a 98 dodge caravan. i checked the transmission fluid it was full. how do i fix it?
View 7 Replies
Ive had both the piston rings and head gasket replaced on my 96 civic. This isn't for high end upgrades or anything just because i need to pass smog and both needed replaced. I am being told that once i get my car i should drive slow for 100 miles before i take it to smog. Ive read many different opinions on seating the rings but all are for people upgrading their car. I am sure I just got normal replacements.
View 19 Replies
97 Dodge Dakota Sport V8. Has spark, turns over, won't fire.
View 1 Replies
My dad has a 2001 Dodge Dakota extended cab with a 3.9L v6 (standard transmission). It will start and run for a while and it will die, if you turn the key it will start up again but will eventually die. He has changed the spark plugs & wires, the distributor cap & rotor, the MAP sensor, and the throttle valve sensor. It still does the same thing.
View 1 Replies
So, my oil light comes on after startup like usual then shuts off. Anywhere from 2-5 minutes of the vehicle running light comes back on and does not shut off unless I restart the vehicle. Have changed oil pressure switch and oil pressure is reading in the normal range..
05 dakota with 175000 kilometres
View 19 Replies
Is there a secret to this? I've tried everything. I have the proper tools, I've dried bleeding the brake fluid as I compress, but nothing is working! This is the first time I've changed my brakes, but everything online looks straight forward enough. Is there anything I could be missing or does it seem that my piston is legit stuck?
View 9 Replies
1999 Dodge Dakota
3.6 liter w/air conditioning
I'm pretty sure I made a mess of things. My Serpentine belt was all cracked and making noises while idling and driving. It was time to replace it. It's a long story, but my auto mechanic told me to drive my truck for a week and then give him a call. Well.... I didn't do that. My battery went dead and I charged it up and it lasted a month. Yesterday, it wouldn't start so I bought a Serpentine belt and installed it. As far as I know, I didn't damage anything while I was working on it.
The battery was still dead and I charged it, however, the key was turned on while I was charging it. I don't know how I did that, but I did.
The problem I'm having is that the engine is now idling at 2000 RPM. I scanned it and there are no codes or pending codes.
Today, I went out and drew a diagram of how the belt is routed and it's the same as the diagram under the hood. I had a friend take a look at it and he agrees that I put it on correctly.
View 7 Replies
I have had this truck in 3 different shops and none of them could figure it out. The codes say misfire in cyl 2 and 5 bank 1 too lean and primary and secondary circuits malfunctioning for ignition coil. I've replaced the ign coil cap, plugs,plug wires, rotor, pcv, fuel pump, pick up coil, cat, o2 sensors and all sensors under the hood. Switched out all vacuum lines, cleaned the IAC and checked the pulse ring. The truck loses all power and either dies or backfires and regains power randomly. If I drive at night, it will stall and keep cranking when trying to restart. Usually have to let it sit for ten minutes for it to turn back over. Last night it backfired and stalled every 50 ft for over a mile. During the day, it revs up and down at idle by about 100 rpms.
View 6 Replies
Have a 2002 Dodge Dakota automatic. This winter when temps. dropped into lows 10s and zero degree weather, the Dodge truck would start,but would not come out of park gear. Have replaced interlock solenoid and brake light switch. Still have same problem when Temperature drops into low 10s &below. Otherwise,everything ok. (not using ER brake).
View 5 Replies
I have a 2003 Dodge Dakota. A couple of years ago I was driving along and the radio just cut out, with no problems prior. I didn't go over train tracks or anything that would jar it, etc. It continued to not work for the next 6-8 months or so, but would occasionally cut in and out. After a period of time the radio suddenly began working again. The radio continued to work for a year or more. A month ago, I'm driving down the road and it again, cuts out. But now I can somewhat hear the radio amid the static. The best way to describe it is what happens to the reception when traveling under high voltage wires. Antenna is secure.
View 1 Replies
I have a 2002 Dakota 5.9l r/t. Always started and ran fine. It sat most of the winter approx 2 months. Now will not start but cranks/turns. Has new battery, newer full tune up and tried starting fluid.
View 2 Replies
The parking lights come on, the turn signal lights work, the interior lights and high beams work. Could it just be a fuse or two? Dodge Dakota 4WD 2002 ...
View 3 Replies
Every time it rains and I forget and leave the truck outside instead of inside the garage, it will not start. It is a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup truck. It tries to start but will not fire. I have to sit around and wait for a few dry days and full sun - which is hard to find around here other than August and September. I have had it towed to several different mechanics for review. They have all done the same thing - can't find anything wrong so they leave it sit around the lot for two or three weeks until the sun shines then charge me a hundred bucks or so for their diagnostic time and a jump start. Every once in a while out of shear frustration, I have it towed to a new mechanic or one of the previous ones but still get the same results. Does fine in the winter with snow, but it has even done it on occasion when going through a car wash - which I know longer do as I am too old to be pushing a pickup out of a car wash.
View 3 Replies
