| From | Message |
daktone
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/30/2003
21:44:39
|
 Subject: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
i have intake and dual cat back exaust, i want opinions on what to get next as far as best performance gains for around $500
|
NOS Guy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/31/2003
02:15:12
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
NOS Stickers, hands down. 500 bucks worth!
|
b1llyw
GenII
 
12/31/2003
08:31:40
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
What year is your truck, daktone? What engine?Mopar PCM would be my first choice if it's available for your truck. A throttle body is another good mod.
Bill White - KRC Performance
'95 CC 4x2, SLT - 408 is done, truck isn't
'03 Ram 1500 QC 4x4 Hemi Off-Road
|
.boB
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/31/2003
10:42:51
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
Reprogramm the computer. Use Hypertech, Jet, Mopar, whatever you can get a good deal on. One probably isn't much better than another. I like the aftermarket reprogrammer because it is easily reversable for bad gas or towing heavy loads.
|
griffin7878
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/31/2003
10:45:49
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
I have a '98 5.2 manual reg. cab. Of all the mod's listed below, My chip was by far the best investment. I have the hypertech powerprogrammer 3, and I'm very happy with it. Other people like the Mopar chip, but I don't think you're supposed to tow with them. I also like the pp3 because I can "detune" in 5 minutes for better gas mileage. It also can adjust your speedometer for different tire sizes. It only increases the rev limiter to around 5500 - 5700rpm,but unless you're going to do some serious internal stuff in the future - Heads, cam, etc., Then you're not going to make any power higher than 5500rpm, it's best to shift much earlier than that. I wouls assume it changes your shift points, also (mine's a 5spd...). That was 350 bucks. It gave me around 20 horses and 25 ft/lbs. Nothing else for the money will give you the increases a chip will at this point. You'll need a lower - temp. thermostat to go with that, $5.00. Go by a dremel tool and port your throttle body - There's directions on how to if you search this forum. I ported mine in a few hours time. BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH THE AREA WHERE THE THROTTLE BLADES CONTACT THE THROTTLE BODY ! Get the adjustible speed dremel - the single speed is too fast and eats up sanding drums too quickly. I can feel the diffence it was worth it. The dremel was about $70.00 I believe, with extra sanding drums and buffing wheels. You could return it to wal mart when you're done with it, if you're shady. You might as well polish it while you're at it so add $5.00 for some Mother's aluminum wheel polish. There are a couple of cheap or free mods you can do as well - again search the discussion forum for the vacuum line mod and tps voltage mod, as well as the IAT sensor mod. Those are all cheap or free.
All this is assuming your truck is like mine. A 4.7 is different, but I would still think a chip would be the way to go on a 4.7.
'98 5.2 5spd reg. cab. 3" single exhaust no cat flowmaster, Hypertech pp3, IAT resistor, TPS at .75 volts, Hand ported tbody, no a/c, homebrew intake. Best 1/4 mile time 14.85 with a 2.1 second 60ft time Birmingham, AL 25yrs old.
|
teamfast
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/31/2003
15:00:14
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
Cams and intake, then put them in yourself.
Or lower the floorboard about 1/2" thus allowing the gas pedal to go down further and thus faster
|
DakToBasics
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/01/2004
09:14:02
|  RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
Teamfast...
That is always a good mod, but I like vinyl graphics! I know... A little expensive... But it works on for the import cars... RIGHT!
Daktone...
If your automatic and want red light to red light performance, a shift kit ($99), gears ($150 + installation), and a 2" drop in the rear ($25) will do wonders for your 60 foot times! Nothing soaks up performance like a sloppy torque converter, tall gears and 2 seconds of overlap from 1-2! Not to mention how much longer your tranny will last when you get rid of the friction. A 2" drop will level your truck while increasing your traction and ride quality 10 fold.
It should be within your budget and it will, without a doubt, be the biggest seat-of-the-pants, smilin'-like-you-just-lost-your-virginity, passenger-wearing-his-slurpee, did-I-just-break-the-tires-loose-in-second-gear, modification you can make!
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH-VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM-CHIRP....
What a wonderfull melody!
|
griffin7878
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/01/2004
15:17:24
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
Oh yeah I forgot about rear end gearing. That should be well in your price range, also, but it will kill your gas mileage. If you've got a 4.7 you can do the cams yourself pretty easily, if you want to try. I wouldn't recommend it on any typical, non overhead cam motor, though. Not unless you want to get really dirty - all depends on your skill level...
|
DakToBasics
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/01/2004
16:56:43
|  RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
If most of your driving is stop and go, around town or you live around alot of hills, the gears will probably INCREASE your fuel economy! Though Griffin7878 is correct if you are a highway driver! Gears have no effect on my fuel economy because of my driving "style" or lack there of. I call it agressive, other call it road rage.
|
Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/02/2004
10:17:35
| RE: best way to spend $500
IP: Logged
Message:
teamfast - giving away Richard Petty's tricks with the floorboard tip ? Daktone - you'd do well to answer B1llyw's question if you want any real advice, a lot of the rest is guess & B.S., especially the claim that one computer reprogram isn't much better than another. For example, the flash I got for my 4.7 bumped the timing up to 34 degrees; a jet chip isn't going to do that. If you're comparing different PCM changes, try to find out what the total advance is changed to for comparison. There are other differences too, but I think this is one of the most important.
|
| | P 1 |
|
Post a reply to this message:
Username Registration: Optional
All visitors are allowed to post messages
|
