Dodge Dakota ForumDodge Dakota PhotosDodgeDakota.net Membership
  Forums   Forum Tools
06:49:42 - 03/29/2024

Dakota Performance
FromMessage
another mark
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE


6/24/2004
11:38:36

Subject: swapped out belly pan
IP: Logged

Message:
just installed the hughes engineering belly pan replacement kit on my 99 v-6

a word to the wise, if you look down your TB and see oil on your belly pan, change it!!! it is worth the effort, my gasket was blown out by the #3 port a good half inch and boy was the inside of my intake manifold coated with oil all the way up to the TB holes, i used about 4 cans of B-12 chemtool cleaning that stuff out (it works immediately)

once i cleaned out the oil i took a die grinder to the manifold and smoothed out the runners a bit (there are nice metal bits for the makita of all types that cut down the aluminum in just minutes so don't use sanding/polishing stones, get something with some teeth) i also put the gaskets onto the manifold and marked with a sharpie how much over hang there was on all the ports, holy crap they did a bad job at the factory machining these!!! you could take off 1/8 all the way around every port almost or more

with the hughes kit you don't need gasket sealer because of the gasket they use just follow their instructions

i wound up going on a long 300 mile drive in high desert area and my mpg, no s h i t went up 2 mpg after doing this (with quite a bit of slow city driving mixed in), i'm looking for more as the computer learns

to flush out the metal when done grinding i just used more B-12 and hot water, the combustion chamber will take care of any stray bits left, but i was thorough in cleaning before reinstalling the manifold the kit was $60 i think



rgathright
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
 Email

6/24/2004
15:25:22

RE: swapped out belly pan
IP: Logged

Message:
Sounds like a good mod. Please supply some specs on the engine.



another mark
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE


6/24/2004
17:12:37

RE: swapped out belly pan
IP: Logged

Message:
99 3.9, 78,000 miles

is that what you were looking for?



Troy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
 Email

6/25/2004
01:09:01

RE: swapped out belly pan
IP: Logged

Message:
You left metal scraps in the engine and it didnt mess anything up??? Also do you have any pictures? Im afraid to touch the internals of my engine without some kind of aid.



another mark
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE


6/25/2004
02:35:33

RE: swapped out belly pan
IP: Logged

Message:
I was pretty thorough at removing all the metal shavings I could. If anything was left, it just gets incinerated in the combustion chamber, the shavings are very fine. I've put about 300 miles on it so far and runs great. I'll post some pictures in the next few days as I'm on vacation. This is a very simple thing to do it's just time consuming. You need to drain your radiator and remove the bracket for the alternator/ac compressor and get some new intake gaskets is all.



   P 1


Post a reply to this message:

Username Registration: Optional
All visitors are allowed to post messages


Name:
Email:
Notify me when I get a reply to my message:Yes  No

Icons:            

          

Subject:
Message:
 



Home | Forums | Members | Pictures | Contact Us

This site is in no way affiliated with Chrysler or any of its subsidiaries.