2004 Dodge Intrepid 2.7L

[Jaspernuts]

I will be receiving this car from a relative. It only has 45k miles. I have read and heard numerous horror stories about this engine with sludge and getting coolant in the oil. Anyone have any experience with these engines? Should I run a full synthetic? I already plan on replacing the waterpump at 100k.

[Jeremy airjer W]

don't invest in anything more than is necessary. They are more prone than usually to engine sludgeing. Regular oil, kept full, and serviced regularly will prolong/prevent this from happening. Chrysler released a TSB NOT to use any type of oil additives in a week attempt at blaming the problem on those rather than poor engineering.

You don't run into many with coolant in the oil and I think that happens as a result of the upper water outlet housing that leaks and eventually overheats the engine and possibly causing head gasket failure. Heat and lack of lubrication will kill any engine so its unfair to say that its an inherit design flaw and IMO would be more fair to saw its a result of operator error.

Stay on top of the maintenance, Repair what needs to be repaired when it needs to be repaired and don't worry about any major problems. You will never be able to predict when they will happen anyways.

[highlife4me]

I had a 99 dodge intrepid with the 2.7 that I gave to the daughter. It now has 170,000 only replaced alternator, idler pulley and serpentine belt. I was leary about the 2.7 but it served me well the rest of the car is a different story. Mechanically it is fine it is just the comfort items like the power windows do not work any more. They went out one by one over the course of 5 years, resistor pack for fan keeps going out probably a bad fan, but the motor runs great and still gets 30 -35 mpg.

[Valv]

I bought 2 of them last year, both 2.7s. I replaced oil with Mobil1 fully sinthetic, and after 40,000 each none had any issue. One had 132,000 miles second had 118,000.

[Jaspernuts]

I talked to a buddy last night that works at a Dodge dealer. He says they have done a few that came in sludged up, but all of them had gone 8k without a lof. He told me to use mobil one and change it at 3k and I will be fine. He also stated they made improvements the the pvc system in the 04 year to help with the sludge and my year is better that the earlier years of this engine.

[Back2Dakota]

I have an '04 that is my extra car. 130k have not had one problem with it.Sisters has 190k-they just replaced something not to long ago,but it was $500 to fix then they sold it. The trunks are HUGE!!!! My brother in-law borrowed it almost 2 months ago and brought it back with a full tank of gas......its still has that full tank. I have not done anything to it besides oil,plugs,coolant.

[zamboni]

Those things had 2.7's in them? Thats an awfully big car with that small of a motor. Do they buck going up hills? I rented a PT Cruiser once and that thing could barely get out of it's own way

[Back2Dakota]

Not a speedy car. But goes just fine.

[Jaspernuts]

I changed the oil and put in 5 quarts and it is just a little above add on the dipstick. I don't want to overfill the system, should I add a half quart?

[Jeremy airjer W]

I'll tell what what I tell any new guy at the shop. You add as much as it takes for the dipstick to read full. From the bottom of the hash marks to the top is 1 quart. If its a quarter of the way up add 3/4's of a quart. Or add the 1/2 quart and see where its at. A 1/4 quart low won't hurt anything.