best oil and filter for new 2006 4.7 durango?

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my wife and y just bought a brand new 2006 dodge durango 4.7,what woul be the best filter and oil to run in this engine? is this engine one of the sludge monsters? the reason we bought this model was that it was a year end sale with 6k off the sticker price plus a 4,500 dodge rebate wich the price came down from 33k to 23k do you guys think i did good on this buy? tks
 
I have a 2k3 Durango with the 4.7 liter. I am using Pennzoil Platinum and Supertech Synthetic. I also use Amsoil SDF-15 oil filters. They are oversized. I have used synthetics only in both of the D's I have owned. I would say use a good synthetic and good filter and you will be fine. I do a 100 mile round trip journey everyday to and from work. I have had NO engine problems. My foirst D got to 130K+ miles and ran like a top when I traded her in for my present D. It is now at 77,5K+ miles and running smoothly.
 
I have a 2003 Dakota with the 4.7 and use a Baldwin B2-HPG oil filter(hold 1 quart,stock is 1/2 quart) and for convenience over ordering Amsoil(which I have used with great success,search oil analysis)I now use GC 0-30. The "best oil" for you is relative. I spend a lot for oil changes,could spend half that on Super Tech oil filters and Chevron/Havoline 10-30 conventional oil with 5k drains(7-8k OCI now) and still have a happy motor.

BTW if you see yellowish/brown snot under the oil fill cap don`t panic. It`s from condensation from the temp differential between plastic housing and aluminum block. Not the most desirable effect but normal for the 4.7(unless they changed the design,which I doubt). More prevalent in cold climates and synthetic lessens it a bit.

The 4.7 is a great as far as wear metals shown in oil analysis,and no history of sludge.I frequent the Dakota boards and sludging is not a common reported problem. Friend at work has one with 172 thousand miles,no smoke,runs great.

Should be fine with the motor just changing the oil at reasonable frequency. I would change it at 1000miles and 3000 miles with a less expensive oil/filter. Then at 5000 miles change it out to what you decide to use for the life of the vehicle.

Good Luck
 
I have a 03 dakota 4.7 and have ran some different oils out there. I have ran pennzoil dino 5w-30, M-1 5w-30,pennzoil plat 5w-30 and the holy grail or oils GC 0w-30. the m-1 make my lifters very noisey so I stopped using that. the dino is good for liek 3 to 5k miles. if you dont want to spend the money on syn.

PP made my truck run smooth just liek GC. so I would recomend either PP or GC. I am running GC right now and seems the engine is loving the elves massage.

oil filters napa gold (wix filter)filter is what I run in my truck. cant go wrong with wix. if going to long oic(10k or more)then I would go with amsoil EOA filter(is that right?)

in the end this engine likes alot of oils out there. try differnet ones and see what you think is the best in it.
 
The 4.7 is a great engine. You want sludge? Then don't do maintenance. The sludge in the oil filler tube is due to condensation in the tube. Synthetic oil minimizes this.
 
Alot of the engines in that first link are 5.2's (318's). As that shows any engine can sludge. We all know the 318 wasnt a sludger and was a great engine. I think the same applies here. If your ever concerened pull your valve covers. I'm willing to bet if you dont go crazy with the OCI,everything will be pristine.
 
ever try to pull a valve cover on a 4.7? they are a PITA to do. why people do a cam swap. most dont waste time with the HO cams. they go with KRC 212 cams. as tehy dont want to go back in there again later on.

as long as yo uuse a quality oil and filter. and keep the OIC reasonable. they you should never have a problem. you can use LC in your oil to give it an extra boost and if worried about engine not clean. you cna use auto R/X to clean out the engine. then use maint dose


4.7 are not sludge prone. I talked to the service manager about this myth. he said sence jeep and dodge started using the 4.7. he has only seen 2 that was sludged up. both accounts the owners admitted to not changing the oil.
his first flag shoudl of been this

"I bought this truck from a dealer only auction"

prob why it was there becasue someone knew it was sludged up to begin with. couldnt sell it at a dealership.

he also states his second engine came out of an 00 year and is perfectly clean inside. so if the 4.7 are sludgers. then his second engine would of been sluded also.

also the fisrt line you posted are for the 5.2 318 engine.

so take your misinformation out of hear. we dotn want it in here.
 
Yeah they are a PITA. I changed my cams to 206's a few months back. I came out with quite a few scratched knuckles.
 
I scanned the link with the multiple Dodge failures(seen it before) and saw one 4.7,more 318`s and 5.9`s,and most didn`t list what engine it was(kind of ignorant). I could find examples of virtually any motor being sludged up for any number of reasons. The 4.7 just doesn`t have the history to imply it has an inherent catastrophic sludge problem and it is irresponsible to post such a link that implies that it does IMHO.
 
Quote:


The 4.7 just doesn`t have the history to imply it has an inherent catastrophic sludge problem and it is irresponsible to post such a link that implies that it does IMHO.




Irresponsible?
smirk.gif


I was merely inviting the person to do a little research before he decided on the best oil and OCI.

I recall all the naysayers when the first Toyota 2.2/3.0s, VWs and Chryslers 2.7s sludge monsters appeared. Many blamed poor maintenance, but in the end even some of the manufacturers acknowleged that problems did exist.
 
Alright I was a little over dramatic,sorry
popcorn.gif
.I think any consistent sludge problems would be evident by now with the 4.7 being out for 7 yrs. It would be a marked motor by this time.
 
Quote:


Quote:


The 4.7 just doesn`t have the history to imply it has an inherent catastrophic sludge problem and it is irresponsible to post such a link that implies that it does IMHO.




Irresponsible?
smirk.gif


I was merely inviting the person to do a little research before he decided on the best oil and OCI.

I recall all the naysayers when the first Toyota 2.2/3.0s, VWs and Chryslers 2.7s sludge monsters appeared. Many blamed poor maintenance, but in the end even some of the manufacturers acknowleged that problems did exist.





maybe you need to do some reserch before posting that a 4.7 has a history of sludge problems. posting a site that covers the 5.2 problems. its funny I never heard the dakota 5.2 having this problem. but durango 5.2 does. sounds fishy to me. as its the same engine as with the ram I bet had the 5.2 also.
that second link on a guy that bought a durango at a dealers only auction. that should be a flag that something is wrong with the SUV. plus that guy sounded liek he didnt know what he was talking about either. calling the white buildup in the oil filler neck sludge. I about fell out my chair laughing.

I visit plenty of dakota durnago sites and none of them ever talked about a 3.9,4.7,5.2 or the 5.9 having sludge in their engines. so to me that shows its how the people maintain their vehicles.

funny how some of them said they have documented proof of reg oic. but still they say they deny the warranty claim. I can bet you most of them didnt change their oil but they thought they could lie and got caught.

I know I dont have sludge in my engine and dont need to pull the valve cover to see. I keep it well maintaned and use nothing but the best syn and a good quality filter.

as long as you know the vehicle with the 4.7 was well maintained. yo uhave no worries on that engine. its a very strong and good engine.
 
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maybe you need to do some reserch before posting that a 4.7 has a history of sludge problems.




Maybe YOU should reread my post. I put it there so the original poster would be inspired to due further research. I never claimed that the 4.7 is a verified sludge monster. However, it has appeared many times when I was googling for specific engine year/models that are known to be sludge monsters, so much so, that if I had bought one, I'd surely do some checking before I decided on a maintenance schedule.

If you have in-depth, comprehensive knowledge that none of these engines have a problem, fine. State your case, provide references, and move on. Taking pot shots at someone else is not needed, and demonstrates a lack of critical thinking.

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I know I dont have sludge in my engine and dont need to pull the valve cover to see. I keep it well maintaned and use nothing but the best syn and a good quality filter.

as long as you know the vehicle with the 4.7 was well maintained. yo uhave no worries on that engine. its a very strong and good engine.




Now this is the kind of post that can be potentially irresponsible. You claim to be using "the best" syn and a "good quality" oil filter without specifying your OCI or other parameters. So how would you know how this engine would fare with minimum spec bulk oil/filters for the manufacturer recommended normal (not severe) OCI, under someone else's climate and driving conditions?

The one good piece of advice I did see in this thread is when someone mentioned UOAs. It would worthwhile to use the search function to check to UOA section and find all that apply to this engine, and more specifically, to the same year/make/model.
 
Quote:


maybe you need to do some reserch before posting that a 4.7 has a history of sludge problems.




Actually, maybe you need to do some research.
smile.gif


Just Google "Dodge Dakota 4.7 sludge problems".

I see over 35 hits & numerous references to threads in Dakota or Durango forums.

- if the new Bitog forum search function "worked" we could call up numerous threads in which this subject has been discussed in the past.
 
yes, you got a good deal
now save some money on maintenance and change it yourself...keep all receipts for any warranty claims

use a quality dino oil on sale such as Chevron Supreme or Havoline or Commie Wart's dino/synthetic and a Commie Wart filter...buy on sale just as you did the truck
first change at 1k miles and OCI every 3K miles including filter after...use FP and LC
run a UOA at 10k and please post to forum
rig will last you longer than you want to drive and look at it in the driveway and have low maintenance costs to boot....no $60 oil changes


Quote:


my wife and y just bought a brand new 2006 dodge durango 4.7,what woul be the best filter and oil to run in this engine? is this engine one of the sludge monsters? the reason we bought this model was that it was a year end sale with 6k off the sticker price plus a 4,500 dodge rebate wich the price came down from 33k to 23k do you guys think i did good on this buy? tks


 
Quote:


Quote:


maybe you need to do some reserch before posting that a 4.7 has a history of sludge problems.




Actually, maybe you need to do some research.
smile.gif


Just Google "Dodge Dakota 4.7 sludge problems".

I see over 35 hits & numerous references to threads in Dakota or Durango forums.

- if the new Bitog forum search function "worked" we could call up numerous threads in which this subject has been discussed in the past.




you know what searching google dont prove nothing. as stated before these peopel that has the sludge in a 4.7. never tells you the truth of why its sludged. they will lie out their teeth. because they dont want to foot that large bill for an engine replacement.

I can google any car and engine and bet I get hits of peopel saying their engine sludged. but they never say what causes it. because they dont maintain the engine.

well tell me these dakota and durango fourms that shows alot of hits of the engine sludging. I goto 3 of the major ones. and I never seen any reference of anyone saying their engine sludged.

this is a myth I wish would die about the 4.7. it is not a sludge prone engine. its no more prone than any other engine out there. you keep it maintaned and you shouldnt have to worry about it.

fine want to know my OIC. I run german castrol syntec 0w-30. with a napa gold filter for 6K miles. so anything wrong with that?
 
I'm running GTX with a Motorcraft FL400S filter in my 3.7 Jeep Liberty until I get to 24k. Castrol GTX gives excellent UOAs in these engines. I may go to synthetic then. Its the same engine minus 2 cylinders. For a 4.7 I would use Motorcraft FL1A if you have room, otherwise use FL300. I get sssoooo tired of hearing people say the 3.7 and 4.7 sludge. Here is the problem they have that people mistakenly call sludge. http://y2kota.us/oft.html I live in Ohio and have had my Jeep for 14 months and haven't personally experienced it. I only have 6600 miles so far.
 
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