OEM 2005 Dodge Durango Crankshaft

2005 Dodge Durango Crankshaft Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Safely Extract the Crankshaft from an Engine on 2005 Dodge Durango?

  A: You have to take the engine out of the car, then take off the engine's oil pump to remove the crankshaft from the engine. Do not apply force to the oil pan gasket, because it is fixed to the cylinder block in three spots and cannot be unfastened while the oil pan is still there. Next, take away the bolts that hold the bedplate onto the block, see exactly where the two stud bolts are and pull the connecting rods away from the crankshaft. Ensure that the setup being used won't damage the bedplate to cylinder block mating surface and careful handling is needed to prevent the lower main halves from being dropped or damaged, as inaccurate installation could end up seriously damaging the crankshaft. Pry the bedplate loose with the cast pry points and then take out both the crankshaft and crankshaft tone wheel. Firmly tap on the common bearing and the connecting rod bearing bores to check for signs of scoring, blueing or deep scratches, since you might need to open up more parts after this step. If any issues are found in the rear and front connecting rod bearing bores, you have to service the cylinder heads to access the piston and rod and if trouble exists in the bedplate or cylinder block main bearings, the whole engine must be changed. If necessary, take off the main bearing halves from the cylinder block and bedplate, prepare the dry-running bearing sealing areas and the inner surfaces for the bearings and examine the bedplate for serious blueing or any small cracks. Inspect the crankshaft thrust washers for any issues and change them if you spot problems and also look for splits or cracks in the oil pan gasket/windage tray and repair or replace it as it ages. Installation of main bearings requires selections to be spot-on, so pick up the right bearings. Be careful not to hurt the crankshaft's bearings as you install it and use sealant on the tone wheel bolts prior to adding them in place. Put clean engine oil on the top and bottom of the bearings, fit the crankshaft's tone wheel within them and tighten the mounting screws to 15 Nm (11 ft. lbs.). Set the crankshaft into the cylinder block, insert the thrust washers and apply Mopar® Engine RTV sealant to the bedplate to cylinder block mating surface to stave off serious oil leaks. Thoroughly clean and clear the sealing areas and after that, lay a 2.5 mm (0.100 inch) layer of Mopar® Engine RTV sealant on the mating surface. Apply clean engine oil to the crankshaft main bearing journals and put the bedplate into position on the cylinder block, greasing the bedplate retaining bolts with clean oil before installing them. Place the bedplate retaining bolts in the proper location and tighten according to the instructions: rotating some bolts and torqueing them by hand until the bedplate touches the block, later torqueing others to 54 Nm, then 7 Nm turned an additional 90° and finally torqueing special bolts to 27 Nm. Calculate the end play on the crankshaft, next fit the connecting rods and take note of the side clearance, set up the oil pump and finally get the engine installed.