Ok guys really need your help with this one. I got an 08 Dakota with a 4.7l v8, has less than 60,000 miles on it. Recently I have been driving it and I noticed there has been a loss of power. Happens a lot more when you try to go up a hill or get onto the highway. Its like the truck just fall flat, I can have the pedal almost to the floor and it take forever for the truck to get up to speed. Took it to the shop they put it on the computer didn't get any codes, fuel pressure reads good, Transmission reads good. They have been chasing this issue for a few days and no results so I turn to you guys for any advice. I already cleaned the trotted body in hopes that it might help. As well as replaced the air filter and use fuel injector cleaner and still no luck. Any body have any other idea.

 

i would look at a few of the normal preventative maintenance type things.
1. how's the oil? are you due for a change.
2. check the spark plugs
3. check the fuel injectors. if they are dirty, you might not get as good combustion.
4. check the intake, you might need to do a cleaning. check out the aerosol Seafoam, it does wonders. don't do the bottle version with a vaccum line, too much work to get it done that way.
5. check the exhaust, your cats may be plugged, the seafoam may help clear it also. This would be the last thing

These 5 things can actually do wonders. i know your truck doesn't have as much mileage on it, but even on my 2011, i had 62,000 KM on it when i traded it in, and i had to change the plugs, and do the intake cleaning with seafoam on it. After the seafoam, the exhaust sounded like it flowed better. I had a bad coil, and it plugged up one of my cats a little.

 

Did the sea foam spray and helped quite a bit (used about a quarter of the can, drove a day and repeated 4 times which I think does a little more thorough job than just dumping the whole thing in at once) I have the 6 speed so usually 6th gear is just a dog anyway and ill bump down to 5th, the 4.7 isn't all that strong for a half ton. Also have noticed a HUGE difference when using 93 octane vs 87 reg. Better pick up, better reved blips of the throttle when accelerating from a stop on the clutch and getting about 2mpg more per gal. Also noticed the truck doesn't really like warm weather. when its 50 or 60° out the engine loves that but hotter summer days slow it down a bit.

And i think people never think about stuff like this but take a look at what you have lying around for dead weight. I try to leave the tank half empty unless taking long trips to save a few lbs, took my trailer ball and hitch off, didn't take my tool box out but took some of the bigger tools out, and just tell my fat *** friends to ride a bike cause they're wasting my gas and slowing my truck down.

 

Put a can of sea foam in gas tank last week and drove it. Didn't seem to make much of a difference. I also induced sea foam into the vacuum line and though it did clean it out. I really didn't see the problem I am having go away. The computer still reads good when hooked up to the truck and it's not throwing any codes yet. I even hooked up a vacuum gage and did a few test that way and all of thoes came back good. The probably is definitely still there but it's intermitante so it hard to figure out what's cauing it. I'm starting to think I need to replace the throttle body because my throttle position sensor may be bad and of course it's all Internal in the one unit. It's just odd to me what the problem is because I can be driving just fine and when I Let off the gas to take a turn or because I'm stuck behind someone then try to go to accelerate again there is a lag and you can have the pedal always down to the floor but the truck doesn't wnat to respond then about 10 seconds or more later the engine will rev. Really high and the truck will take off.

 

when is the last time you reset you computer? disconnect the negative battery cable, go and turn the key to the start position and hold it for 30 seconds, this will clear the computer, reconnect neg. battery cable and start and stop truck 3 times, on the third start leave the truck running for about 5 minutes so it relearns everything, now find an open road or highway were you can open truck up, mash the gas and see if this helps with your lag. if not, time to change the plugs because there is a dead spot.

 

I thank I am going to reset my exam also.

 

Hey does any one have a resolution to my problem? I'm still having a problem on my truck and I was wondering if anyone had a fix yet. So far no luck on my end.

 

my other solution is gas grade, now the winter blend is around, try using a higher octane

 

You need someone with a more in-depth scan tool to analyze it for you. Watch adaptives and such...


Fluid could be leaking out of the converter/pump under load. It may or may not show up on a scan tool or diagnostic tests unless you have a VERY experienced trans guy riding along and watching the pressures.

 

try ur fuel pump I had a 98 Ford f150 and it had the same problem now I own a 03 ram 1500 having the same problem the fuel pump might of got bad gas and can make it run funny with no codes errors trying getting a new fuel pump