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Fastyz400
Dodge Dakota
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3/15/2006
22:58:59
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 Subject: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Hello everyone, been a long time since i've posted.
I own a 2000 dodge durango 5.9L. Since about 40,000 miles i've notice my mileage slowly getting worse and worse. Use to get between 16-18 mpg (on the mileage gage above rear view mirror)when new. My mileage slowly went down hill 12-14 mpg on the highway. Then 10-12 mpg on the highway. Finally at 80,000 miles. I would get 5-8 mpg after flooring it. And it would stay there until i restarted my Durango. Then jump back to 10-12 mpg.
This lead to the assumtion that the throtle position sensor was going bad. Well i just decided to give it a shot. Guess what!!!!. My mileage is up to 17-19 mpg on the highway now. So, all this time i was just wasting money on K&N, MSD ignition and any gaget out there to try to improve gas mileage.
I did confirm that your engine light will not come on until the sensor completly fails.
Hope this post helps you guys with your dakotas or durangos. :D
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jpkomm
Dodge Dakota
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3/16/2006
07:55:10
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Good tip. Luckily those sensors cost only $30 or so, so it is an inexpensive fix. And if it doesn't fix it, it just means you have a spare sensor for if/when it does go out.
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cook393
Dodge Dakota
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3/16/2006
17:57:12
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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hey thanks for the idea, i've looked around on the internet and the i found one for around $30, but the rest were $50, so my question is, is it worth the extra money, the $30 one has a better warranty, granted it's only a year. thanks for the tip and what you think.
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chris in SD
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
00:32:46
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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That sounds good, i have a stuped question does a 95 318 have
one, and if so where is it, soundes like a good fix. thanks
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Fastyz400
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
00:51:32
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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I belive the 318's are very similar to the 5.9L. The throtle position sensor is on the driver side right below the intake air hat.
It's like a 5 min. job once you find the torqx type screw wrench. 2 screws hold it in place on the throtle body. I just got the original dodge part. My company gets a jobber discount at the local dodge dealer. So, it was like $59, no tax. :D
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Fastyz400
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
00:54:21
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Oh,
Don't forget to reset the computer. Do this by disconnecting the ground to the battery while your changing the sensor.
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chris in SD
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
12:25:02
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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cool thanks, good info. what do you all think of a throtle body
spacer from airaid they put a nice down draft into the motor, the
only thing is the books only read for a 97 318 If its the same engin
will it still work in a 95??.
thanks
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Hmmmmmmmm
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
13:10:39
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Did you check the TPS before replacing it? I'm a bit puzzled about it affecting gas mileage.
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Fastyz400
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
19:50:50
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Hmmmmmmmmm,
No, i didn't check the TPS before changing. It was just suspect. My mileage kept getting worse and worse even after the following:
1. New O2 sensor
2. K&N Filter
3. MSD Ignition
4. Amsoil Oil & Trans fluid
5. Mobile 1 gear lube in both axles.
6. Hypertech programmer
Plus, The TPS is an irratic problem. It didn't fail. How dow you check something like that?
All I know is that it fixed my poor mileage problem. Some of the other symtoms are gone as well.
1. Pinging under load
2. Loss of power
Again Hmmmmm, take this info i'm providing as a guide. It worked for me in my case.
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N56629
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
21:49:21
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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A faulty TPS will usually give an irratic idle. It's possible that it was irratic only in certain positions. This would cause an irratic air/fuel mixture.
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Fastyz400
Dodge Dakota
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3/17/2006
22:43:24
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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N56629,
I also spoke with a dodge mechanic at the dealer relating to some of the symptoms of a faulty TPS:
Since it's from dodge take it with a grain of salt.
1. Shifting patters will change, example early kickdowns during accel or lack of kick down. He mentioned this is early signs of TPS going bad.
2. Loss of power and pinging from engine. This is caused by the TPS falsely giving the computer bad info on where the position is on the butterfly plates. And of course poor gas mileage.
This is my opionion: Dodge or any reputable mechanic will not replace this parts due to no error codes thrown by the computer. That's because, you can blame them that the parts didn't fail and they are just trying to rip you off.
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chris in SD
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2006
00:42:49
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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well if it works it works, i went out and got a TPS today, i work at
kragen for those of you not in cail, then it is the k CSK auto, so i ot
my sweet discount and got the price down to 45 dollors i have not
got it on yet but in the morring well see how it goes,
I have a question about spark plugs, if my plugs are not gaped the
right way what is going to be going on. when i hit the gas i holds
back and then goes, so im looking for some ideas
thanks
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N56629
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2006
11:23:38
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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What chris said, if it works, it works. It's not something that a mechanic would normally diagnose as the problem since you didn't seem to have a problem with the idle.
Chris, spark plug gap is usually pretty forgiving. I would be looking elsewhere unless the plugs have a lot of miles on them.
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ewraven
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2006
13:58:41
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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"cool thanks, good info. what do you all think of a throtle body
spacer from airaid they put a nice down draft into the motor, the
only thing is the books only read for a 97 318 If its the same engin
will it still work in a 95?"
Throttle body spacers are as big a waste of money as the Tornado.
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2006
15:28:08
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Chris, The hesitation has been found to be the TPS set incorrectly from the factory,,, actually, from the factory there is no adjustment to the TPS, if the TPS is slightly out of spec you get hesitation.
This has been covered many times, do a Google search for "dakota TPS mod" and you should redirected back this site. Both my 2000 and 2003 4.7's had the hesitation which was resolved by this mod. From the factory the TPS's were around 5.5V, I bumped them to around 7.25V and the problem went away.
You can test your TPS, but you need an old-school analog ohm meter, the kind with a needle. Connect the meter to the TPS and slowly open and close the throttle looking for jumps and hesitations while you open and close the throttle. If the needle moves smoothly, and within the correct resistance range (say 1K-50K or whatever it's supposed to be) your TPS is fine. The only problem with this procedure,,, it's hard to fine a good analog ohm meter. DIGITAL ohm meters WON'T work as they will not show you if there are jumps and hesitations.
As long as your plug gap is reasonably close and are all set the same you should be fine. BUT,,, everytime I have changed my plugs on my 4.7's the plug gap on the replacement plugs were too close, something like .040" instead of .060"., If I didn't gap my plugs before installing them the coils would be throwing a weak spark, it doesn't take as much voltage to jump .040" as it does to jump .060" so the spark will be weaker. Not a problem as long as you gap your own plugs,,, but how many mechanics take the time to gap a set of plugs. All my mechanic friends say they don't bother wasting the time gapping plugs for customers,,, heck they will never know the difference and it saves 10 minutes on every tune-up.
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OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2006
21:02:19
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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These are pretty much a garage sale item or a second hand store. They always have them but around here they also over price them. Garage sales sell them for a buck. Far as there concerned there out of date and no one wants them.
So many problems .... So little time
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chris in SD
Dodge Dakota
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3/19/2006
01:31:08
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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Ok well this is all good info, i chaged the TPS and found out that
the guy before me but a holley TP on so i did not know that, so i
replaced it the old one sounded like the spring was loose, or
something but i have not seen any big diff a little less power but
i might be dreaming, not shure yet,
on the plugs they are only 6000 miles or so, but next time im
going to try truck plugs i here they are real nice on a 318, inless
you all think diff. and what would be the best gap to give for the
most bang, or whatever do you want the father or closer.
one the mod how would i do that, im not one of computer and
all that so to rase the volts what would that take, i can get a
niddle ohm meter from kragen, but what am i going to stick the
testers and what sould i be looking for, and if needed how will i
adjust it.
Thanks for all the help.
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jpkomm
Dodge Dakota
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3/19/2006
09:33:17
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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A side tip before you go replacing your TPS. Use a really good electrical contact cleaner on both the incoming plug and the receiver plug on the TPS sensor. Mine looked kinda nappy, and it helped clean it up a bit.
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OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2006
18:20:15
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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CHRIS....... That was me telling what makes the champion truck plugs work so well on our trucks. the posts are here now in the V8 posts 14 from the top.(BEST PLUGS FOR A 5.2.)I posted 3 or 4 times in there so do a bit of looking. Two of the guys took the advice and posted back to say how very happy they are. Read em.......This info goes for the 360 also. My best friend runs them in his ram because I talked him in to them. He also was very surprised and happy.his truck is a 94 with the overhead gas checker bought new. On his truck mileage went fron 16.5 to 17.9. this is the highest mileage he has ever gotten. It surprised me also.
So many problems .... So little time
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chris in SD
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
00:40:03
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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ok sounds good,
thanks
Any one have any info on shocks. I get some online, and they
called to do to tell me it is going to be another 3 weeks for them
so im going to switch. I got trailmaster, so does anyone have
and other ideas,
Heres a big question i have a 3 inch lift I need to get taller
shocks right.
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ewraven
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
18:42:04
| RE: Solution for poor Gas Mileage
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It depends what type of 3" lift your truck has.
If it is a body lift, then a regular set of shocks will be fine.
If it is a suspension lift, then that means the axle shock mounts are farther away from the frame shock mounts which means you would need taller shocks.
Try...
www.summitracing.com
Enter your details for your truck and it will bring up a huge list of shocks for your truck.
If you do need taller shocks, you can enter into it how much lift you have for and it will bring up a corresponding list of shocks for that high a lift.
I ordered a set of Edelbrock IAS shocks for the rear from them when they were on sale for 19.99. They are great shocks for my daily driving; especially for the price I got them for.
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