R/T Engine Whistling
NOTE: This pertains to the 4.0 Nitro Engine Only
Nearly all R/T Nitro owners may notice an engine “Whistling” noise under acceleration. Like me, many have satellite radio volume high and their windows up, so they don’t hear it or care. This all changed when I added the MOPAR CAT-BACK-exhaust system
http://www.dodge-nitro.com/dodge-nit...-exhaust-2564/
and the MOPAR CAI unit.
http://www.dodge-nitro.com/dodge-nit...nstalled-2359/
I now want to hear the engine noise and do drive my Nitro more aggressively at higher RPMs.
If you follow many Internet Sites as I do you will find many complaints on this issue from Nitro owners. From what I can see many Dealers just brush this off saying this noise is just the “nature of the beast” and nothing can be done and all Nitros on their lot sound the same and have this whistling noise.
Up till just recently they were correct!
After many Dealers replaced alternators and other parts with no luck a Factory Rep figured it was in the design of the head gasket used on the 4.0 Nitro engines that is also used in some minivans mounted sideways. The placement and large engine cover on those vans reduce any whistling noise complaints from those owners.
It has been reported that the oil passages are smaller in the original 4.0 head gaskets and when hot oil is pumped through them a venture effect cause the whistle. It is also said that the 3.5 HO head gaskets were used on the 4.0 engine and just maybe the 4.0 Nitro engine should have had their own head gasket!
I have read that a newly designed head gasket is now being installed on the 4.0 from the factory at the Trenton Michigan Engine Plant. The date is something like August of 2008. I’m sure someone at Chrysler knows s the exact date but that would be 2009 Nitros,
NOT any 2007 or 2008s!
I took my Nitro in expecting a hassle. To my surprise the Service Writer didn’t want to test drive it saying he knew about the “Whistling” but had not known anything about this fix, with head gaskets. I gave him the part numbers I had found to correct this issue (4792753-AD & 4792752-AD) but when he went to the parts department to order he found
they had been changed again to 479275353-AE & 4792752-AE.
He told me to bring the Nitro back in two days and they would start on it. I did, but one day later he called back and told me I might as well pick it up since the new gaskets are not scheduled to be released for another 3 or 4 weeks.
It sounds believable since I did get a copy of a repair order that I signed stating these gaskets are verified as ordered. I suspect they got paid to check out serial numbers and got paid and received approval to do this repair from Chrysler.
I will follow up after this repair has been performed, but I am hopeful that this will correct this issue. Since my Nitro only has 9K miles there was no issue with mileage, but I suspect it may only be available for the first 36,000 mile or 3 years. It is still not listed as a TSB as of this date.
