engine was knocking really really loud, took it to the shop at dodge where I brought it from and they lied at first and said that it was not under warranty and I would have to pay something like 7 or 8 thousand dollars to get it fix, then my Son Showed them some warranty paper from ut of the car he had seen and then dodge said it was under warranty and that they were going to fix it. well they had the car at their shop for about two months or longer and finally said they were done with the car and that they replaced the engine and alot of other stuff ....

Well hell about 8 months later the car was doing the same knocking and stuff again and then stop cranking/Starting Up, I then had someone to rop the oil pan and the man told me that the people at the dealer had than put some kind of stuff in the engine to keep it from working, thats when the man and my Son said that they had than never fixed the car the first time, which made since cause there is no way that you can have been than replaced a engine and then its blows/ and is messed not even 30,000 thousands miles later again

I think that dodge knows that these cars are no good ...... And still Wants to put the blame on their customers and it doesn't get any wronger than that ........

I fixed my engine knocking problem for $95. A $75 TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AND A $20 CHILTONS MANUAL. I don't know if you'd need the manual. Tools: 1/4" drive, 10mm socket, with a 6" extension. Needle nose pliers or a jeweler's screwdriver to remove wiring clamps. The story: Only 60,000 miles and I just put on new tires.

I had also fixed a problem with the engine bogging down after warm up, when I hit the accelerator hard. Instead of racing away the engine actually slowed down, so I had to increase acceleration very slowly. I replaced the cam sensor ($15) it just plugs in on the upper front left side of the timing chain cover. I bought the sensor and searched the net until I saw a picture. First you remove the wiring connector and pull it out. It's tough to pull out because it fits tight and has a rubber oil ring, but it does just pull straight out.

I felt great. Then the engine knocking started.

First I had oil light flicker and so I switched to synthetic oil (that I had read about on the net). After running the engine with synthetic oil, the engine started knocking. It might have been coincidence the knocking started after using synthetic.

Next I added the sea foam to remove sludge with fresh oil in the car. I rode it for 100 miles and drained it. The oil was pitch black.

I freaked out because everyone said this engine was junk and I should get rid of the car. Then I took it to 2 different shops and $300 later, they both told me it was a rod knocking and I should throw the car away. They used stet-a-scopes to listen and checked out the oil pressure before it had really warmed up and it looked good. The second shop told me they were experts with the intrepid. Why didn't they let it warm up to the point where the oil light flickered before they tested the oil pressure? They were experts at taking my money and telling my bull sh#@*t!

The story of my solution: I stopped driving it and decided to check it out myself. I used a long handled screwdriver and put the handle to my ear and placed the blade at different points, such as the timing chain cover and head bolts and any other metal contact points on the block I could access. All the chatter was coming from the timing chain cover. I became convinced it was the timing chain tensioner.

I bought a timing chain tensioner, a manual and scoured the net for all the info I could find. The tensioner came in the locked position 3" length (with a warning that you had to prime it before you used it. I couldn't find any info on this.

First to increase the workspace around the tensioner location, I removed one AC electrical connector and 2 wiring clips (see pictures) I then moved the wiring harness out the way (see pictures).

I used a 1/4" socket driver with a 6" extension and a 10mm socket. I removed the tensioner mounting plate (2 bolts, see pictures) and then the old tensioner (anyone who works on cars, knows you have to be a contortionist, just don't give up and keep trying from different angles and different tool sizes).

The tensioner was hard to remove. It was stuck inside the mounting cylinder. I think the o-ring gasket is compressed inside the mounting cylinder. I used a pair of pliers with the jaws taped up for added friction and I clamped on the exposed end of the tensioner and pulled straight away from the head many times. It kept slipping off until one time it just sprung out. Then I pulled it all the way out.

I took it to the work bench and compressed it to its locked position. It will compress but in order to fully compress it to its locked position, you have to release a check valve in a hole on the bottom so the oil inside will come out. The oil inside won't compress.

They recommend a special tool. A cap with a pin in it that engages the ball. I used a nail pounded through a 2x4. The nail tip stuck out about 1/3" First I ground the end of the nail narrower so it would fit in the hole where the check valve is. I used a grinder to grind 1/3" of the end of the nail narrower (so it fit inside the hole) and rounded the tip (so it won't scar the ball valve) then I pounded it through the 2x4 so it stuck out 1/3" and fit into the check valve hole to release the oil. I don't think you would need to do this though. I did it to learn how it worked.

After seeing the oil come out, I decided in order to prime it; I would unlock the tensioner to its extended length with it submerged in a bath of oil. I still don't know if that's what they meant but that's what I did. I poured 1" deep of oil into plastic Tupperware and unlocked the new tensioner with it submerged in the oil.

The manual says in order to install the tensioner you have to strip back the top end of the engine and remove the valve cover to install it in its locked position. With the valve cover removed you can insert a long screwdriver and pry the tensioner back towards itself to release it to its extended length.

I started to study and organize the manual because I was going to do it their way. I got to the point where it said in order to release the high pressure off the fuel line; you were required to run the engine. I couldn't run the engine because I had removed the tensioner. Whoops! I guess I should read all the instructions first, huh? I freaked out! I thought I destroyed the car.

So I figured I just install it in its extended position.

You unlock it be pressing the tensioner arm further into the locked position (SEE PICTURE), Then it releases to 4.25" extended length. I had practiced with the tensioner that I had removed from the engine.

Every time I pushed the tensioner into the mounting hole on the head (passenger side), it slid back out. It's mounted on a downward angle. So I jacked up the passenger side of the car as high as I could. I don't know if this helped but it's what I did. You have to get the tensioner in far enough so you can install the mounting plate bolts. There is not a lot of room.

It's hard to hold it in place while it's sliding out and also get the mounting plate cover over it and install a bolt in the first couple threads to hold it in place.

So I pushed the tensioner in further and I felt it hit the tensioner arm (that pushes against the timing chain) and I pushed it in even further and it held in place. It might have even compressed a little? I don't know why it held in place? Maybe the rubber o-ring gasket on the tensioner finally made contact with a narrower part of the cylinder. Then I put the mounting plate over it (alignment pin down) and got the bolts to catch a couple threads. Then I used a 1/4 drive with a 10mm socket with a 6" extension.

When I started it, it sounded way worse than before. Tons of very fast clacking and chattering. I think the tensioner when first installed is not filled with oil so the tensioner arm that it presses into the timing chain is bouncing against it. I ran it a few minutes. I shut it down and restarted it and it still made the noise. I told my wife we had to scrap the car. I thought I destroyed it. I imagined bent valves but I didn’t see any smoke? The next day, I started it again and it clacked like crazy and then it just stopped. Now there is no more engine knock. NONE. Fixed the problem. Man was I happy. If you look at my diagram you’ll see they is an oil channel that in the mounting plate(from what I’ve read) that is used to fill the tensioner with high pressure oil so it hold the tensioner arm tightly in place. So after running the engine for a while the tensioner locked into the extended position.

I hope this helps somebody. The net helped me so I want to contribute too.

The car is real bad and what makes it worse is the fact that 1) I can't afford to get it fixed 2) unable to hire attorney to help due to no money, unemployed, and 3) I'm unable to buy a different car due money problems . No one seems to care about those of us who need the help...I've got a car that I'm not even able to sell because no one wants it the junk yards .Wish some one out there would help us. The car companies don't need help, its us folks that they have wronged . They knew that the 2.7 engine was a bad engine and now they won't help to fix it. Won't even let some of us file arbitration papers .

HELP US SOME ONE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What good is it going to do to gripe because the car companies don't care about us. They got their stimulus money and what do we the consumer get but a runaround. I have a 2000 Intrepid that I did love but like everyone else my car also started with the knocking ,etc.. I did regular oil changes on it along with any maintance needed but here I am .. What makes it even worse is that I'm now laid off work ,no income and my other car that I got to use while I tried to figure out how to get the Intrepid fixed is also breaking down. With a cost of approx. $5000 to fix the Intrepid and $2-3000 to fix the other I'm shafted. I would be great if I could afford a lawyer but can't even do that.

Wish our goverment would help us!!!!!!!! These car companies don't stand behind their cars. I know that when I'm able I will not be buying another Dodge most likely a CHEVY! The Atty. General of the state that I'm in won't even help . I wish some one in our goverment would help...

I bought my 2000 intrepid from my friends mom last year. When i bought it there was a small knocking and a couple months after buying the car the timing chain snapped and when it went it bent some valves and melted the plastic from the timing guards around my water pump. I replaced all the chains, guards and the valves and my car was running fine till up to about 3 months ago when the loud knocking started on the passenger side. I replaced all the lifters on that side of the car and the knocking is still there. I love my car but i put alot of money in this motor. I dont know if the car is worth all this work.

I feel Dodge should at least recall the 2.7 V6 engine. Either fix the issue of engine knocking or change the engine. I mean the car was not driving hard . Oil was changed at dealership. My car only has 98,365 miles on it.About 1 day before the car started knocking, the oil light would flicker, so i became concerned and contacted dodge and they said to take it to there dealership to be serviced, on the way there the car broke down, so i called the dealership to tell them.. and asked them to send someone out and they told me it would be $300 for some too look it over. I told them they were nuts. and ended up paying $125 for a wrecker to bring the car back to my house. And for about to years now all get from them is that it's not there problem..

i've looked around for another engine the cheapest i have found is $1600 plus $500 to change the engine. I don't feel i should have to pay all of the amount....maybe half, but not all..

LOVED my car until I was driving down a country road 30 miles from home and within 1 min of a blinking oil light this engine was hammering really loudly. Had less than a minute to pull over crossways in someone's driveway when the engine died. Cannot drive the car now more than 5 or 10 miles and not over 40 mph or it wll keep shutting off once it warms up. I am going to try some sensor fixes first because I don't have $3500.

for a new engine. Oh, and by the way, still have 12 more payments to go!!

The car will start right up with a small knock and than idles very softly. Once the car has warmed up it starts surging and and acts like it is struggling to maintain an idle, and at much higher rpm's you can hear a definite knocking. Car was purchased used in 2007 and had regular oil changes and maintenance. From what I have been reading I feel lucky to have gotten almost 108,000 miles as some people never even got to 100,000

Until this occurred, we never had a problem with this vehicle at all.

Piece of Junk. Had it since brand new. I always maintained including timing belt at 80k and it still failed. I WILL NEVER EVER EVER buy a piece o' sh*t dodge again! Anyone need some good parts? Ha yeah right i know there are many parts cars out there already! Looking at these posts I guess I got more miles out of it then the rest. Other than the weather stripping falling out of the door frames before the warranty was even up and now the engine clankin' I actually really liked the car. Live and learn I guess. I'm going to blow the engine up on You tube this spring so we can all watch it go up over nad over and over again. I think they should be held responsible yeah but it'll never happen. Give it time though, many sold many more people will be mad in the future!

I have a 2000 Dodge intrepid with a f..2.7L in it, I had that oil light flickers on idle, I tried to get it fixed by having a reliable mechanic replacing the oil pump and the rod bearings, had to put more than 700$ to fix it, ran fine for less than 2 weeks, started knocking and showing that damn red oil light again. since the moment I've purchase this f car and I had never enjoyed a weekend ever, I feel like dumb everytime I go to the mechanic to get it fix, cuz I already know it will let me own again.

Bought this very nice car used in 2002. Drove well, looked great, liked it a lot. After owning it for two years it started to knock on cold mornings. I called a Dodge mechanic I know and he said "sell it, now before the dies". I tried to trade it to two Dodge dealers who looked into the oil cap and said I already had sludge building up and they offered less than half KBB value. The only dealer who would take it was a Hyundai place, I bought an Elantra and I'm still a bit upside down on it after 4 yrs. At least this is still under warranty.

I did contact Dodge electronically and they rebuffed 2 attempts to get some money to help offset the $4,000 hit I took on their junk.