Piston Slap: Fanning the Dakota's Fail Flames for Cherokee LSX-FTW?

by Sajeev Mehta

Updated: November 26th, 2019 Published: December 3rd, 2014

piston slap fanning the dakota s fail flames for cherokee lsx ftw

TTAC Commentator anti121hero writes:

Hello Sajeev! Very long time reader, but first time I’ve ever reached out. To start, I happen to be a huge RWD ford fan, (I’m actually helping my best friend put together his 94 mark viii). Now with your interest gained…

I have a 1993 jeep cherokee, 2 door, 4.0 high output, AW4 trans. It has been a pleasure to own, as I’m a jeep guy at heart, and i have lots of money into well done suspension and offroad modifications, far too much to list. To be frank, I’m in love with the thing. But about two months ago, it started rattling at idle. I chalked it up to something in the engine bay or possibly flywheel bolts. It always ran and drove perfect.

All of a sudden, one day after leaving work it was slipping hard into gear, and a mile down the road I lost all gears. (Automatic “bulletproof” AW4). I checked all linkages, changed the fluid and filter, tried it in 4 wheel high and low, but nothing. It can run all day and the transmission wont get hot so I think the pump went out. So I bought a 1987 dodge dakota, carbureted 3.9 v6, AT 2wd for 700 bucks to drive while I hopefully swap a transmission in my jeep.

My problem now is, with a full tune up, all new filters, this Dakota idles extremely rough, it shakes and wants to die. It wants to stall going up hills. Other than that, the truck runs great and is a good beater. I don’t know what to do to fix this dodge to be more reliable, and if I should do the swap in my jeep or if I’m possibly looking at another problem with that. My goal would be to have my jeep as toy, and the truck as backup vehicle. I don’t know if maybe I’m thinking this out wrong and I should sell both and get something more reliable/ better shape, or focus on fixing one and selling the other. The truck is a beater and will only last a few more years, and will be a nightmare in winter being 2wd and carbureted. I guess I’m looking for some good professional advice here. Thank you for any input!

Sajeev answers:

You are in the same place I was before buying a new truck…except you’re working on a Mark VIII that you do not own.

I reckon you need a newer, more reliable, less shitty vehicle and have the Jeep as a weekend project/toy. Because no man can live on project cars (or trucks) alone! Unless you are chronically single and dependent free, work from home, have a time value of money equal to zero, etc.

But I find that hard to believe: everyone has commitments requiring a reliable vehicle. So get a cheap-ish, fuel-efficient car that gives you plenty of monthly income (i.e. easy on insurance/gas) left over for your project. Get a FWD, compact-ish (depending on your physical size), mainstream Japanese, American or South Korean sedan for maximum cheapness. You might be a hard-core Mopar guy, so get a Neon. They are fun. And you can probably fix most problems in a single weekend, for cheap.

Why so thrifty? I think it’s time for a professionally rebuilt and/or upgraded trans for the Jeep. Or better, swap to a GM transmission. Or even better…wait for it… LSX-FTW SON!!!

The Neon, with the right tires will also be decent in the snow and most people hate them to the point that depreciation is right up your alley. Tidy up and sell the Dakota. Get a boring sedan so you can continue as a normal human on the weekdays, and a bad-ass Jeeper on the weekend.

That’s how you win at life.

[Image: Shutterstock user Scharfsinn]

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.

Sajeev Mehta

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4 of 33 comments

Ajla on Dec 03, 2014

"Unless you are chronically single and dependent free, work from home, have a time value of money equal to zero, etc." You rang?

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Hybridkiller on Dec 07, 2014

You couldn't pay me to own/drive anything with a carburetor any more - I'm old enough to have owned more than my share, and computer-controlled fuel injection is way more efficient, reliable, eliminates the need for regular adjustment and rebuilds, and doesn't eat exhaust valves. But if you like spending time under the hood, by all means, enjoy your carburetors.

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- CJinSD on Dec 07, 2014
  
  I had a bunch of carbureted cars. Some of them were pretty miserable, with or without emissions complications. The best of them had throttle response to rival any fuel injected engine and I never even took the air cleaner housing off of it, let alone fiddled with the settings. On the other hand, this was 24 years ago, so the car never had to choke on phlegmy fascist gasohol. Carburetors would probably be awful to contend with in today's market environment.
  
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- Hybridkiller on Dec 07, 2014
  
  @CJinSD The biggest problem with carburetors is their inability to adjust fuel mixture to compensate for varying load, rpm, air temp, etc. The best you can hope for is that you're only running a little too rich or a little too lean much of the time.
  
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