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12:17:25 - 05/08/2024
Dakota Performance
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Joel Petkovic
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
09:42:43
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 Subject: 5.2 performance
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Message:
To all,
I need help. Just purchase a 1994 Dakota 4x4 ext. cab, 5 spd with a 5.2L engine with 86,000 miles. I need to get more power and better gas milage from it without breaking the bank. I am not a mechanic so I can't do any of the work myself. I want performance only for street driving, not racing. Currently my engine seems to ping in the higher gears at low RPMs. I would greatly appreciate any advice on reasonable easy to do mods (exhaust,performance chip, air filter, thermosthat etc) that would help. Suposedly the vehicle now has 200 hp. I would like to get it into the 275-300 range if possible and improve mileage. Let me know what upgrades you would recommend and the approx. price. I would appreciate any help you can give. Thanks ahead of time.
Joel
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EBL
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
10:05:57
| RE: 5.2 performance
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Message:
The best place to start when trying to make your engine more efficient (more power per drop of fuel)is a good tune up. Without getting the most from what you have you will be wasting money.
Cap and rotor from local autoparts store-$12-15
New wires- $60-70 Don't use the autoparts store special. Go with quality aftermarket. I use Taylor.
New plugs-People argue about these all day. Pick a good one. $16-20
Fuel injector cleaner to pour into gas tank. If your throttle body is dirty you may want to spray that out also.$8
New air filter: At least $5? I have a K&N which cost around $40 if I remember right, but the pleated paper ones are better than an old, clogged one.
Change your oil in your engine and diffs to Synthetic. The Amsoil guy will be around to this post in the next few hours to tell you about Synthetics. Sorry Steven, had to beat you to it! :)
Inflate your tires to their max pressure and have them rotated and balanced. Sounds silly, but this is one of the most effective things you could do.
After that, always work to make the fuel burn completely, reduce all friction and get the air in and exhaust out.
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Joel Petkovic
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
10:34:42
| RE: 5.2 performance
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Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a try as I don't know when the last tuned up was on the truck.
Joel
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gen1dak
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
17:44:24
| RE: 5.2 performance
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Joel, if you're pinging, you need to check the belly pan gasket of the intake. It is common problem with these OEM intakes. When it begins to leak, it throws the vacuum off, this causes the engine to run lean, and pinging where it normally shouldn't is the biggest clue that it may be failing. You check by looking down into the throttle body. Have a bright flashlight. Open the throttle blades and look at the floor of the intake. If it's sooty/oily, you have a leak. It must be repaired, as it will only get worse. Keep in mind, running lean causes power loss as well. Get that fixed. You may not need as much afterwards. Opening up the exhaust is an all bolt-on affair and will help a lot. Get some headers and a good cat-back system. You don't have to go crazy here. Even a good single tube 3 inch system will be great. Even the stock PCM's are tuned for best power at 182 degrees, so a 180 degree thermostat is ideal. A performance PCM will help even a stock setup, but will require premium fuel due to a more aggressive ignition curve, so consider this as well. You can run a timing retard in tandem, but this is more money as well. Keep this in mind. Mopar advertises the "package as being good for 46hp. The "package" consists of the MP computer, headers and exhaust, and the Magnum RT campackage. A reworked throttle body will help, as well as some clean-up porting of the heads. Even stock, the Magnum heads will support 400hp, so your goals are certainly reachable. To make the most of your stocker, improve what's there. Better pushrods will not flex at high rpm, so you get full lift from the cam that's already there. Naturally, roller rockers will reduce friction, and the ratios are correct (stockers tend to fall short due to production-line status), so, again, you'll be making the most of the cam you have. If you step up to 1.7:1 ratios, it'll help as well. Personally, I'd pop some better springs on too for better upper rpm control, especially with the 318 cam, since it already has more lift than the 360 cam.
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chris
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
18:01:05
| RE: 5.2 performance
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lookin for some easy bolt on improvements to get more hp out of my 5.2 any suggestions?
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gen1dak
Dodge Dakota
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1/29/2004
22:11:47
| RE: 5.2 performance
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Message:
Jeeez, man. Scroll up!
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Joel Petkovic
Dodge Dakota
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1/30/2004
08:26:03
| RE: 5.2 performance
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Message:
gen1dak,
Thanks for the info. It looks like this is the route I will go.
Joel
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