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Roman
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
14:01:21
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 Subject: 2001 Dakota problems
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I have been having problems that Dodge can't seem to figure out.
I have a 2001 Dakota Sport with the V6/Auto... and the thing has no power to it. It idles rough. When I turn on the A/C or the defroster the car starts to shudder... if I cut the wheel all the way to the left or right (like to paralell park or get out of paralell parking) it occasionally stalls, and nearly always at least hesitates and feels like it's going to stall.
Miraculously these problems never happen when I can get an appolintment at my dealership to take a look at it. My regular mechanic thinks its a problem with the fuel injectors but the Dodge dealers (because I have an extended warranty) apparently think I'm crazy and say the truck runs fine.
My next truck will probably be an Avalanche (at least GM was always nice to me when I took my cars in for service) but in the mean time, I'd like to get my truck running like it should.
Any help would be appreciated.
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LI Blackdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
15:21:45
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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should have gotten a 2000 :-)
j/k
ur dak sux a bit more then mine it seems. but its a V6 they are weak...maybe you are expecting too much. mine has stalled in reverse a couple times.(that did not make me happy with only 33,000 miles)but i take crappy care of i and it keeps going so i dunno. its durable..ill give it that. piece of shit!
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JJ
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
18:15:18
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Geeze LI Blackdak, the guy came here for advice man.
Roman, I also have a V6 auto. personally its the fastedt vehicle I have ever owned, albeit I only had a handful of vehicles so far.
My dak has none of thos problems you are exhibiting. I have done alot of moding, but even stock never did that.
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92Dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
18:18:13
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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JJ - what did you drive before?
My moms van is faster than my dakota.
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Drew
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
18:31:57
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Man, yall make it sound like the later the model...the worse it is. I have a '98 and had NO problems with it and it has 70,000 miles on. It's a great truck. I sorta drive it hard too. I just got it serviced today and it's even better. Yall make me feel like i shouldn't save my money up for a 2003 or 2004 Dakota.
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LI Blackdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
19:05:42
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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yeah most mini vans are faster then dakotas. dak is the fastest car i ever owned too. the only other car ive had was a 1981 caprice classic.lol my mom has a 94 grand cherokee V8. it shows me how slow my dak is!!! that thing is quick man!!! and no tire slipage...ever. floor it in the rain and u go...fast...all time 4wd...hehe same milage as my dak.
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alacrity
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2002
22:09:37
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Im no certified mechanic, but I am certified in computer T/S. There is a certain way to do effective troubleshooting. Usually, you can make a corporation see your views and they will respond accordingly(called customer service). It may take many calls until you talk to the right person, but stick to it and it WILL happen. Immediately call Chrysler and create an incident report stating your issues and stating that they were issues since you purchased the truck. (you thought it was normal, but then you drove someone elses truk and found that yours just sucks, get the drift?) Start doing fixit, troubleshooting "stuff" and keep a log book. Log the times, weather, etc when the issues occur.
When you are done with a decent amount of "stuff" and it still has the issues, go back to the dealer with your book and tell them to FIX IT! If they can't, go to another dealer, go to several. Call Chrysler and whine, whine, whine... Always, be polite and do not ever personally insult anyone you talk to, but bitch, whine, threaten, cajole, etc. until someone, or a boss(OH, you cant help me? let me talk to your boss!), or a bosses boss promises to fix your truck or give you a new one!
Id probably start with the rough idle, maybe new plugs, wires, cap? possibly you got an imperfect wire or something? Maybe the PCM just isnt up to snuff? try clearing it out and let it relearn your driving environment? Could it be out of time? There was something about a crank pickup that might apply? Is there a bad sensor? Use some good quality premium gas for a couple of tanks.
In this day and age it is a safe bet for "something" to be screwed up out the factory!
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SloDak99
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2002
18:16:03
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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My 99 V-6 always seems like it wants to stall and has on several occaisions since day one. They're just cheap engines.......
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JJ
Dodge Dakota
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9/08/2002
00:29:36
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Well the last truck I had was a 87 Toyota 4x4. i got it when i was 16. now, i think toy are the best 4x4 out there, trust me. you can do wonders with them, any serious offroader knows that.
my 2001 cc 2wd dak is fast compared to that. sorry im but it is my best vehicle ive ever had. i love it, i lowered it and i think it look pimp and mean.
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Todd W
GenIII
9/08/2002
00:53:36
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Mine never wants to stall... well, unless I let the clutch out with it idling in second gear too fast... then it'll stall. I do have a rough idle, thats just a characteristic of the 90 degree V-6 though, but turning on the A/C smooths it out some by advancing the timing a bit. Idle speed seems to pick up a little with the A/C on... odd that yours doesnt.
Have you tried taking it to a different dealer?
"I think I hit my excitement threshold about ten minutes ago..."
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ryan nelson
Dodge Dakota
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9/08/2002
20:31:44
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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my dakota has stalled in reverse and first what i believe is the problem is the tranny isnt shifting in to gear properly it drops to fast the gas flow is not suficient therefore it chokes out.
always allow your dak to warm up enough before transfering into gear. this will help.
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LI Blackdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/09/2002
00:03:02
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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my ac doesnt make the idle any better...however, once i drive it for a while and stop it feels smooth after that. i think 87 octane makes it sound worse too. since i switched to 87 from 93 the engine is knocking a bit. think ill go back to 93.
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Pistolero
Dodge Dakota
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9/09/2002
11:50:38
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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I've got an '02 RC V6 Sport automatic...no mods, bone stock except for a tranny cooler. I only have 1200 miles on it so far, but it runs great, idles well, shifts well, no stalls or hesitations, rattles or whatever...yet. I can put it into gear and go 2 seconds after starting the engine, and it runs fine and pulls hard. Why would a major corporation like DC intentionally design a vehicle that can't be driven unless it first sits and warms up for 5 minutes? Why would they knowingly build and install engines that are so inferior to Ford or GM, Toyota or whoever? Would they expect people to buy their trucks just because they look more "pimp" than a Tacoma, knowing that they would be the biggest irritation of their lives? I don't think it works that way. Every business wants to have the best so that everyone will want to buy THEIR product. If your truck stalls or won't run until it's reached normal temp, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT. Period. Sure, one engine will have more power and torque than another...that is a function of design. My V6 is a slug with the AC on...hardly better than my 4 cylinder Mazda B2500. But, it runs fine, I just know that that's all it can give me.
The thing that really bugs me the most is the dealers who say, "That's normal". They KNOW it's not normal, and how they can intentionally insult someone's intelligence by trying to con them into believing that a crappy running car is operating normally, is beyond me. In essence, they're saying, yeah, we know our manufacturer builds total junk, so you were just stupid for buying it. Don't accept this, because it's not true. If a dealer tells a person this, it's just because he doesn't have the expertise to diagnose and fix the problem, or he doesn't want to devote the shop time and resources to do it. He probably hopes that he can put you off until your warranty period is up, then he'll be glad to spend the time to try to fix it. It's not in my nature to be confrontational, but if I had a problem with my truck that I KNEW wasn't right, I'd be with alacrity on his post...I'd be like a tick that someone couldn't find.
Sorry for the long post, but hearing folks say that crappy performance is normal doesn't set right with me...
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LI Blackdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/09/2002
18:46:27
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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my dak is the same whether its worm or not. u dont need to warm them up. the engines are inferior even to other dc engines(4.0 I6(190-195hp) and 3.7 V6(210hp)) let alone japanese cars ahahahhahahahahaahaaha...yeah toyota makes inferior engines thats a laugh
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Pistolero
Dodge Dakota
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9/10/2002
00:18:44
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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The 3.9 V6 is a holdover from the old days, for sure...a lopped off 318, missing 2 cylinders. My '97 Intrepid had a 3.3 V6 in it, and it ran like a scalded dog. So, yeah, I know that there's differences in engine performance, even between different DC engines. As for calling a Toyota engine inferior...I wasn't...I asked why DC would purposely design and build a vastly inferior engine than those of any other manufacturer that they have to compete with. Doesn't make sense.
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todd
Dodge Dakota
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9/10/2002
10:37:16
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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i have a 2001 quad cab 4x4 with the v6,you should expect problems with timing,however they can flash an update on pcm, dont worry this motor will run rough since it is built off the 5.2 block .however it is reliable and strong
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LI Blackdak
Dodge Dakota
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9/10/2002
12:24:46
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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*reliable and weak
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Cow
Dodge Dakota
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9/10/2002
14:08:32
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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My '99 3.9 runs great. It's plenty quick for highway driving and runs strong. No problems with power here.
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SloDak39
Dodge Dakota
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9/10/2002
15:58:29
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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They didn't build it "purposely" crappy. Its just a cheap, simple engine for people who can't afford a V-8 or want better milage(even though there's barely a difference between the two engines in mpg). The 3.9 could be a much stronger, smoother running motor but that would raise the cost and dodge is all about cost.Plus, it could take away sales from the V-8 models. Like with the newer Vortech chevy 4.3, also a chopped off version a a V-8, they could have put in a balance shaft to smooth it out and done some other things to give it more power but again, more expensive. The 3.9 does seem reliable at least but i think it's time for the 3.7 to be put into the dakotas. Does anyone know if thats going to happen??? With as many problems as i've had with my truck, i'd still get another Dakota but with a V-8 or the new V-6 if it ever is available.
1999 Dakota Sport, 3.9. auto...stock except for headers at this time.
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JP
Dodge Dakota
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9/13/2002
10:30:05
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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I've got a 2001 stock since last November. Currently have about 17000 miles and it still runs just like it did when I bought it -- GREAT!! Now my dak doesn't have the power my Astro Van has but then again, my van has the 4.3 vortec engine.
I have no complaints (yet) about idle, gas mileage, tranmission or anything. I travel monthly with it and it's a blast to have. Can't wait until I get it paid off so I can go buy another.
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92dakotahd
GenII
9/16/2002
23:53:13
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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3.9s are not crappy or weak motors. You guys are full of it. I have a 92 CC Auto with 133,000 and I can pull up to most hills and leave the truck in gear with no gas pedal and it will idle up the hill on it's own. After stopping at the bottom. Something is wrong with your truck take it back and harass them. Call the dealer owner. They will appease one to save face.
K&N, '01 wheels, Window Tint, Harley-Davidson badging, red underbody kit, ext.
Window covers, Harley-Davidson mudflaps, custom cat-back exhaust,
head/taillight covers, ventshades side and rear, ram air on the way. Autolite 3923s, 180 T-Stat
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SloDak39
Dodge Dakota
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9/17/2002
12:55:53
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Ball-less motors.....i here more people say they are weak than not......
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92dakotahd
GenII
9/17/2002
16:39:20
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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If it's weak then they wouldn't have kept it for so long. One other "theory" of mine is that a truck runs like you make it run. If you grandpa a truck don't expect to take it to the drags and have it run great as a drag truck. You guys listen to Lil Black too much. If you abuse a motor enough it'll turn to crap too. I know a guy with a 97 318 and I could beat him anytime any day just because of how he treats it.
K&N, '01 wheels, Window Tint, Harley-Davidson badging, red underbody kit, ext.
Window covers, Harley-Davidson mudflaps, custom cat-back exhaust,
head/taillight covers, ventshades side and rear, ram air on the way. Autolite 3923s, 180 T-Stat
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SloDak39
Dodge Dakota
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9/17/2002
20:21:43
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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well, it does seem that people with the older dakotas complain less about the power of thier V-6's. Perhaps the older ones are lighter ? Mine's a 99 and no matter how i treat it, its a pig, plain and simple.
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Drew
Dodge Dakota
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9/17/2002
21:00:20
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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I completely agree with that theory 92dakotahd...
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92dakotahd
GenII
9/17/2002
23:56:45
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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Yup, I'm lighter than a genII CC but I've got double to triple the miles, a tranny that's slipping and bigger 235/75 series Wilderness at's to make up some of the difference. Some might just try a few of the cheap mods(plugs, T-stat) and 89 octane or higher to see if it helps.
To the poster of this thread. If you find it doing it while your near the dealer. Go straight there and try then. sometimes I think they control this crap and can turn it off while on their property. Happened to me with a tranny problem.
K&N, '01 wheels, Window Tint, Harley-Davidson badging, red underbody kit, ext.
Window covers, Harley-Davidson mudflaps, custom cat-back exhaust,
head/taillight covers, ventshades side and rear, ram air on the way. Autolite 3923s, 180 T-Stat
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02dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/18/2002
00:02:35
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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I bought myself a 02 Dak 3.9L, 5speed, 4x2, EC and have about 11,800mi on it.. runs pretty good! Only problem I have is it kinda idles rough when I stop at a light with the a/c on, but it only lasts a second, and its not all the time. I think its only when it is first started, but I never really notice. But I have no problem driving it from the second I turn the key whether its 80° first thing in the morning, or if its 10° that morning. It seems pretty darn solid to me.
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JP
Dodge Dakota
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9/18/2002
08:24:05
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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My take:
If you're unhappy with your dak, get rid of it or do something about it. I researched daks before I bought mine (2001 QC) and knew what I was getting. I've got 16,504 miles on mine since last Nov. Runs great 'cause it's maintained like the manual says and even better. My stock pickup isn't made to win races off the line but it hauls the boat and cruises down the highway like I want it to. If your V-6 isn't strong enough, move on up for more horsepower. Every auto maker is going to have problems or issues. Don't you think Ford has power issues with their Rangers (especially since they aren't the F-150 Rangers anymore). Just my .02 worth -- okay, maybe it was .05 worth.
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2slow2go
Dodge Dakota
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9/18/2002
08:49:56
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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hmmmm, mine does all those things as well, I've got a 2001 QC, 4x4.
But I have a easy solution to all those problems, I just ignore them all, when it stalls, I restart it, when it hesitates, I floor it.
I also have a 2001 Intrepid, this damn car has only one problem for me... The check engine light is always on? I bring it to the dealer they fix the problem, the week after light is back on?
this happened 5 times... Now, the light is on, I called the dealer, they told me to bring it in, I told them "NO", when the car dies on the side of the road, you can come pick it up. I have road side assistance.
I usually keep very good care of my cars, but I have only one word-------------> LEASE.
But don't get me wrong, I love my Dakota.
Also, JJ you wrote: I also have a V6 auto. personally its the fastest vehicle I have ever owned, albeit I only had a handful of vehicles so far.
WOW, I really like to know what you've had before the dakota?
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Wandering1
Dodge Dakota
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9/18/2002
09:41:29
|  RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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I've got a 2001 Sport with the V6 and a 5-speed and 58,000 miles. Admittedly, not the favorite of the trucks I've owned. However, the engine is not junk, it does have torque at higher rpm. I do have the rough ide, and usually have to double pump to get power off the line. The problem seems to me as a low idle issue. If you can adapt to the double pump, you should be fine. The 6's aren't junk. this 3.9 I have, along with an S-10 I had with the 4.3L had serious power for their size.
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SloDak39
Dodge Dakota
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9/18/2002
23:54:07
| RE: 2001 Dakota problems
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JP: I would get rid of it if i could afford the loss but i can't so i'm stuck with a powerless pig that runs rough and is starting to ping again after much aggravation with the dealer. I like the truck itself but i just think the engine sucks. Therefore, i'm looking at a 2000 (mine's a 99 V-6) 4x2 V-8 just like mine except with 2 extra mice under the hood. A nice, modern engine with distributorless ignition and overhead cams unlike the archaic 239/318/360 series before it. Jeez, my 88 buick lesabre had a distributorless igniton and ran way better at 200,000 miles than my 99 3.9 ran at 1000 miles. Anyways, as i said above, if i could afford the loss, i'd get another truck( a dakota) and i might get the one i mentioned. I just think the V-6's suck. Sorry........ :C(
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