Dakota SLT 5.2L V8

• Automatic transmission
• 59,000 miles

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Complaint Photos

I bought my truck in 2001 from my grandfather who maintained this truck as his prized posession. I too have also maintained this truck with the intentions of keeping it for decades. All of my routine maintenance has been completed properly and on time. Just recently, over the past several months, the oil pressure on occasion would drop to zero but returned to normal immediately when stopping hard on a heavy down grade. The past week while traveling to a friend's house the oil pressure would drop to zero while traveling on the interstate and return but just kept doing this over and over. I assumed the oil pressure sending unit was malfunctioning since the oil pressure would return after a few seconds, so I replaced it that evening. To my surprise the next day while traveling to work the same problem occurred just as bad as the previous day, really getting my attention. I had my truck towed home and begin what would be a five day project. I had to remove my engine to reach access to the oil pan and oil pump. When I opened my oil pan I found my oil pick up screen was approximately 95% clogged (see picture). I cleaned the oil pick up screen and replaced the oil pump. The oil pump was most likely an unnecessary repair but I would hate to be wrong and have do it all over again. I should add that my sister in law has a 2000 durango that had the exact same problem, but instead of taking immediate action to repair the problem, she kept driving along. She now has a brand new engine.