Re: Inconsistent performance revisited.....was R/T hesitation on the highway

From: steve preston (steve239dak@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Feb 11 2001 - 20:51:35 EST


I test-drove a new 99 318 4x4 RC one day.It stalled
when I started it,and seemed to shift very vaguely as
I drove it.It also did not feel like 230 hp,but that
could have been the gears (didn`t even look),or the
31" wheels.The Dak I ended up buying is very
similar,except mine is a V6,and my gears are
3.92s.(That 318 truck probably had 3.55s on it.) Mine
seems to shift much more truck-like,maybe even on the
harsh side,and only at times does it really run
strong.Runs strong unexpectedly,out of nowhere.Bugs
the heck out of me! But I will say that it`s weak
periods were unbearable before they put a new cat on
the truck.Before,I could hardly pass a person on flat
ground.It`s noticeably better now.I think. Steve P.
Rob Bunn <eatschevys@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I have the (ahhem) privalege if you will of working
> on and test driving many
> dodge trucks, rams and dakotas, let me tell you, you
> can hop in one and it
> will be a dog and you can hop in the next and it
> will be a rocket ship. I
> also found this to be true while shopping for my
> dakota. Also let me say
> that i've found that the V8 automatics i've dealt
> with are funny as well. It
> seems that the folks that never pull or haul
> anything are the people that
> have problems with pinging and intake gaskets
> leaking. But the people that
> work their vehicals don't seem to have problems. So
> how can it be that a 94
> ram with a 318 with 200,000 miles that has worked
> everyday of its life has
> had no problems and a 98 ram with a 318 and 40,000
> that has been babied has
> pinging problems etc. Perhaps the motors are made to
> be worked, i don't
> know, maybe we could find a common occourance
> between our trucks. By the way
> I bought my 94 dak with a 318 with 45,000 miles on
> it. It had totally been
> babied, i went through and changed the intake
> gaskets, badly leaking also
> pinged on occation. Then I added a bunch of mods
> then beat the crap out of
> it. Its never run stronger or better since.
>
> Rob
>
> >Well,that rules out the transmission,I
> >guess.Torqueflites have always been consistent for
> >me.And we know the motors are good.I think we need
> to
> >have another poll,like Bernd has on his website for
> >pinging.Find out how many people have had wide
> >variations in their Daks performance,and how their
> >Daks are set up.Need to see if it`s just the
> >automatics also.Maybe the torque converters are
> >causing it,or the computer/sensors.I really would
> like
> >to know the exact reason.Anyone on the list who has
> >dealt with this and has eliminated the problem on
> >their truck,PLEASE let us know!! Steve P. ---
> >Hemipower@aol.com wrote:
> > > In a message dated 02/09/2001 8:59:46 PM EST,
> > > steve239dak@yahoo.com writes:
> > >
> > > > I am beginning to believe all Dodge trucks
> with
> > > the
> > > > "LA" series motor and 4-speed auto
> transmission
> > > have
> > > > inconsistent performance.I drove a 2001 Ram
> 5.9
> > > like
> > > > that,my 99 V6 Dak is like that,and a 2001 V6
> Dak
> > > that
> > > > I drove for comparison purposes also was like
> > > > that.They go from being a dog to running like
> a
> > > beast
> > > > for no apparent reason.We need to look into
> > > this.We
> > > > can do it.We have the technology. Steve P.
> > > I agree with you and it does not just stop with
> the
> > > 4spds. I have 80's 3spds that do the same thing.
> >
> >
> >=====
> >Steve Preston
> 1999 Dakota Sport
> >3.9V6,4x4,3.92 Anti-spin,42RE auto,Intense
> Blue,regular cab.
>
>
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=====
Steve Preston 1999 Dakota Sport 3.9V6,4x4,3.92 Anti-spin,42RE auto,Intense Blue,regular cab.



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