2004 Limited 5.7L 183k miles. What started out as simple over heating issue has left me with little room to move but making my next stop as the scrap yard. This is my last ditch effort to crack the mystery.
Backstory: (First, the winning answer (solution) a $50 Vinmo payment and my sincerest gratitude.)
Part 1: Six months ago I overheated. Got off the road and found fresh water to get home. Series of efforts to stop the continious overheating included system flushing, new radiatior cap, thermostat and finally new water pump and radiator. Ultimately realized a blown head gasket required the upper end break down. Ugh!!!
Side bar: I love this 'Rango! Hemi strong and snappy performance rechargered my middle aged desire for power and got me excited about the under appreciated Durango line as a stylish SUV with real balls.
PART 2: $800 later my local machine shop sends back two shiney hemi heads with 10,000th shaved off, recut valves and 16 new spark plugs. Nicely reassembled, all in my freezing garage and even polished my valve covers. New plug wires, gaskets, and after adding a cold air induction system left us confidant we built a better motor. Fresh oil and antifreeze completed our reassembly.
Fire it up: Started great, no leaks and holding around 200 degrees while idling encouraged me to take for a test drive.
A few minutes into my side street testing my motor began to sputter and surge rpms up and down between 600 and about 2200 rpms. No matter my pedal position, I was in limp mode home. I let it cool down and the next day it started fine and sounded like a champ. No issues until about 30 minutes into idling in my driveway we're sputtering again.
Turning off the motor would reset it at first but then a few minutes into running I'd get the surging rpms. My CEL was on every time this mode would occur and now I'm getting the "lighting bolt" warning too. Pulled the code to simply have it say "throttle fuel" issues.
Now the long and painful decent into the step by step process of replacing the entire throttle body, APPS pedal sensor and getting a refurbed and reflashed computer to my VIN.
The end: None of this has worked. It now enters this mode from the moment I start it and doesn't go away. I've laid under the Durango with my flashlight and carefully traced as many wires as I can; looking for cracking or lost insulation. It's all there, yet I suspect this is an electrical issue that I can't figure out. Remember, I never had this problem until after I reassembled the upper end of the motor.
Thoughts and prayers welcomed,
Nearly Defeated
Backstory: (First, the winning answer (solution) a $50 Vinmo payment and my sincerest gratitude.)
Part 1: Six months ago I overheated. Got off the road and found fresh water to get home. Series of efforts to stop the continious overheating included system flushing, new radiatior cap, thermostat and finally new water pump and radiator. Ultimately realized a blown head gasket required the upper end break down. Ugh!!!
Side bar: I love this 'Rango! Hemi strong and snappy performance rechargered my middle aged desire for power and got me excited about the under appreciated Durango line as a stylish SUV with real balls.
PART 2: $800 later my local machine shop sends back two shiney hemi heads with 10,000th shaved off, recut valves and 16 new spark plugs. Nicely reassembled, all in my freezing garage and even polished my valve covers. New plug wires, gaskets, and after adding a cold air induction system left us confidant we built a better motor. Fresh oil and antifreeze completed our reassembly.
Fire it up: Started great, no leaks and holding around 200 degrees while idling encouraged me to take for a test drive.
A few minutes into my side street testing my motor began to sputter and surge rpms up and down between 600 and about 2200 rpms. No matter my pedal position, I was in limp mode home. I let it cool down and the next day it started fine and sounded like a champ. No issues until about 30 minutes into idling in my driveway we're sputtering again.
Turning off the motor would reset it at first but then a few minutes into running I'd get the surging rpms. My CEL was on every time this mode would occur and now I'm getting the "lighting bolt" warning too. Pulled the code to simply have it say "throttle fuel" issues.
Now the long and painful decent into the step by step process of replacing the entire throttle body, APPS pedal sensor and getting a refurbed and reflashed computer to my VIN.
The end: None of this has worked. It now enters this mode from the moment I start it and doesn't go away. I've laid under the Durango with my flashlight and carefully traced as many wires as I can; looking for cracking or lost insulation. It's all there, yet I suspect this is an electrical issue that I can't figure out. Remember, I never had this problem until after I reassembled the upper end of the motor.
Thoughts and prayers welcomed,
Nearly Defeated