For your leak I would check the lines leading into the heater core. There are a few other options that far back but not fun ones.

Ive never owned a truck that the oil pressure didnt behave exactly as you decribed. I would call it normal, Ive owned nearly 15 trucks.

 

Thanks on the oil pressure....

As for leaky items that far back - like what? I need to get it fixed, whether it's fun, or not...

 

Any help I can get is helpful, as this truck is to be my daily driver, and I need it to be reliable.

 

You may be lucky on the coolant leak... there are 2 freeze plugs within the bellhousing on the back of the engine. Unfortunatley, the transmission needs to come out to reach them. I hate to be the one to say it, but if its not coming through those freeze plugs, you may have a cracked block.

If you decide to go that route, once the transmission is out, you should drop the oil pan and put in a rear main seal and new oil pump. I'm going to disagree with Skyshark on this one... while the pressure will drop SOME at idle, it shouldn't go far (the needle shouldn't move more than an 1/8 inch). My truck has a less than 1 year old oil pump and it doesn't behave as you describe. I'm leaning toward you're pump is wearing out.

 

Lol, yea thats how they started

Actualy ive seen some (very few) 87 Dakotas with 100mph speedomiters and i think mine shouldve probably had one to but never had one put in because its got the 2.94 rear axle ratio and if the first 3 gears on the newer autos are the same throught the years it should beable to hit 100, ive heard of a newer first gen with the 3.9 4 speed auto dakota reachin 115 in 3rd gear and that had a slightly higher rear gear ratio

 

Lol, my speedometer goes up to 110. I've had it up to just over 100 at 2800 rpm. I don't want to go much faster than that cause the tires are rated for 99 mph. As far as gearing goes, if my truck had the power to overcome air resistance and friction, it's geared to spin the tires at 190 mph in 5th at 5200 rpm.

 

Thats cool man, though ive sertanly havnt had mine that fast yet, dont know if i ever will because i dont want to bind the spodometer up, the fastest ive had it was about 75mph on the highway, even though your only supposed to go 55 on the highway

 

Yeah, and I guess at 16 years old you don't want to get a speeding ticket. I'm sure your insurance is already pretty bad. The spot I went 100 was a very straight, low traffic 65 mph interstate that had absolutly nowhere for a cop to hide.

 

Yea your right about both of them, Where i went 75 it was only a one lane highway but there wasnt anyone behind or coming towerds me at least for a good ways so i just floored it