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10:43:55 - 04/18/2024
Dakota Performance
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P-Nut
Dodge Dakota
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2/16/2008
17:31:44
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 Subject: 3.9L Performance?
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Hey Guys,
I know you'll prolly laugh at me for trying to soop up my V6 haha but what do you think are some good ideas for performance accessories? I just got it and all it has right now are perf. plugs and wires and a KN filtercharger. Should I go with a new intake setup first, or get rid of the back pressure and put a new exhaust on? Either way, all suggestions are good. Thanks alot.
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Cuda
Dodge Dakota
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2/16/2008
17:43:58
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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A little experience with all my Mopar products has shown me they
are extremely restricted on the intake and the exhaust. More air in
more out always good. By the way do you know the torque spec
for the front hub nut?
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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2/16/2008
21:13:36
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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In order to make more power, you need to make the engine as efficient as possible. Fortunatly, the factory engineers have done a pretty good job of that in recent years. The down side of that is there isn't much you can easily do to make more power.
But, some things have been proven to be helpfull, and some have not.
Performance ignition and K&N filtercharge have proven to be absolutly useless at making more power.
Headers and full dual exhaust migh make more, and might not. That seems to be a mixed bag. Most cat back systems are also useless.
A good CAI does make more power, and might help gas mileage.
Same with a computer re-program from something like Hypertech. Definatly makes more power and 1-2 mpg improvement.
Another simple trick is switching to Viper rocker arms. They have a higher ratio, and add a little lift and duration to the cam. Definate improvement there.
To make any real power improvements, you'll have to dig into the motor: head porting, camshaft, intake, etc. OR, simply add a blower to the stock motor.
You could also change the rear end gearing, lighten the truck, change the wheels/tires, improve aerodynamics. All depends on your goals.
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Dakota3.9r/t
Dodge Dakota
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2/17/2008
08:15:15
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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I have a 1996 reg cab 3.9l 5 speed with 135000 miles on the original clutch. It ran 14.7 with a 2.3 60 foot in the 1/4 and raped a reg cab 4.7 5speed dak. It can be done. first of all if you have a newer dak maybe a club cab, you wont be looking for et's at the track, more like better gas mileage and the power just comes with the mileage. my dak gets a nice 26+ on the highway. anyway the first thing i did was get a 360 throttle body from a ram. ever notice how your power falls off at 4000. ya this fixes that, but you loose some low end for towing etc it sucks. to get the low end back i got a tb spacer, and if your thinking of this, dont even bother. all it does is make a cool turbo whislte as i get on it just right. the next thing i did was get the full k+n air intake. which worked really good. next i relocated the intake air sensor to the new intake. i still have one in the block, but i just switch em depending on what i want,mileage or power. if you have an egr,block it off. you can remove the evap system too if you want. Also GET RID OF THAT CLUTCH FAN that thing seems to sap 20 hp or so, if your cooling system is good just get a cheepie one. mine is quiet and works great. while your there get a 25% under drive crank pully and the appropriate belt. that helped mine!
Notice how i mentioned everything on the intake first. Do everything you can to the intake side first then do a high flow muffler. otherwise you will loose power at first. if u have the balls saw the cat off and just pop the muffler there. I did that and had a 2 ft peice of pipe after that. it sounds like an 8 too. uhhhh ya smaller tires make a HUGE dif. when you have no power. the smaller the better, dont get em to skinny though. i had 225 70 15s on mine and i put 235 75s on there and i lost a 1/2 sec in the quarter. Another thing after you do all this use 93 or 89 octane fuel, never use 87. i use 93 in mine and the computer will adjust for it eventually and learn to be addicted to it, and if you go back to 87 it will ping and run like s#it. Another thing i did was use the bottle, nitrous, i have a 75 shot on there now and its like a kick in the ass for it. If your into racing at the track, or street maybe?, then its worth the money, but not pratical for everyday passing people and pulling out in traffic. thats all the bolt ons you can do that are worth a s#it. hope it helps.
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Kowalski
GenIII
2/17/2008
11:50:30
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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Some good info in the post from Dakota3.9r/t; but also a couple of myths that bear some clarification.
1. No exhaust system is ever going to make a 6 banger sound like a v8. Without the extra 2 cylinders, it will never have the v8 cadence.
2. Since there are no knock sensors in the 3.9, it is impossible for the computer to adjust to the change in octane. Higher octane gas does not provide more power unless it is combined with more spark advance; or getting deeper into the motor, more compression. Computers can't change compression; and can only adaptively change timing if there is a knock sensor. You could add more ignition advance to the 3.9 in other ways to make more power with higher octane though. Higher octane fuels resist pinging by being harder to ignite. It is possible Dakota3.9r/t's truck is now prone to running poorly with the lower octane because it has become carboned up by the harder to ignite high octane fuel. You shouldn't run a higher octane than needed for the compression and amount of spark advance you are running - it would be a waste, since higher octane doesn't make extra power on it's own.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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Mike98
Dodge Dakota
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2/18/2008
03:16:03
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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The absolute best bang for the buck for a 3.9L is to simply sell your truck and buy a similar one with the stock 4.7 or any of the other V8's. Period.
That's not to say that you can't make a 3.9 faster than a v8. Many people have. But they have spent a lot of time, or money, or both, and they know much more about engines than I do.
Despite all this, I have really enjoyed maintaining and upgrading my v6 dakota. On my '98 3.9, I put in HS 1.7-ratio roller rockers, a dynomax 17748 muffler, and a K&N air filter w/ stock air box. There was a notable but mild performance increase, and the exhaust is slightly nicer than stock now. It's nothing like driving a V8. If I were going to keep dumping money into it I'd get a better throttle body and maybe 3.92 gears instead of 3.55.
I think the real value of the v6 is to have a reliable engine with reasonable gas mileage and adequate power. It's fun to "upgrade" it, but I don't expect much more than this from my truck.
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Dakota3.9r/t
Dodge Dakota
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2/18/2008
07:32:04
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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How do you explain how it NEVER would ping on 87 and now it is almost undriveable unless i use 89 or better?. I know there arent any knock sensors, but i moved the iat and that advanced the timing, and when its hot out, ping ping ping. and yes it does sound like an 8, everyone thinks its an 8(and not dumb people either) the 96 has way better throttle response than 97 and newer for some reason, and my exhause ends at the muffler pretty much under the passenger seat.i have videos.
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Kowalski
GenIII
2/18/2008
17:58:58
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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Dakota 3.9r/t - actually, you just explained what is going on. In your earlier post, you said you relocated the intake air temp sensor to the new intake; but skipped by how much that increased spark advance. I'm surprised you saw that much increase in spark advance from that; the IAT adjusters some 4.7 guys tried didn't make have nearly as much effect as the extra advance from a custom flash or superchip. It is that increase in spark advance that makes it need the higher octane; but in your earlier post you said the computer learns you are using higher octane and adjusts to it - claiming that is why you can't go back to 87. I simply explained why that is not the case. Without a knock sensor, it just can't do that.
And once your ears become a bit more experienced, someone with your skills should be easily able to tell a 6 from an 8 - a lot of us are not so readily fooled by just the louder tone. The rest of your advice is excellent. You effectively lowered the gearing with the shorter tires; great tip !
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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Dakota3.9r/t
Dodge Dakota
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2/18/2008
20:26:40
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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I used a dynomax turbo muffler that is really quiet, i had a muffler from summit racing but as the motor reved back down it sounded terrible. sort of like a harley with straight pipes after they rev up.now it has a mellow tone,
To p-nut i forgot to say but get some autolite 3923 plugs they work good for me too. My 14.7 dakota is for sale in florida as of today. just fixed the evaporator today...real fun...
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Problem Child
GenIII
2/20/2008
17:46:55
| RE: 3.9L Performance?
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Here's some reading for you P-Nut
http://www.dodgedakota.net/boards/v6/14757.html
I have done most of these mods, I have choosen to back off on some after running a few months.
With the 5 speed trans, the CPS mod started to throw misfire codes.
Moved the IAT mod back to manifold for the winter.
I got my intake done, but have yet to install it. I'm very curious to what that is going to do.
I also have an electric fan to replace the clutch fan. I'm curious to how this will all work and make the thing run.
Some of it is kinda costly, but if you can do the labor yourself, it's a lot of fun. I don't get tied up in numbers of HP and Dyno's, I just love to Drive and Play with my truck.
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