I got a 96 Dakota manual trans RWD doing a 3.9 to 5.2 swap got the engine going to wire in the extra 2 injectors wires, but I知 having trouble with the ecu I知 wondering if I can use a different year Dakota with the 318 ecu like a 97-2000 Dakota or has to be the same year Or should I get a remanufactured ecu from like flash masters or some other company but what ecu part number would I need or does it matter and does the VIN matter that gets put in the ecu

 

Same year would be best. I know there were changes in the electronics over the years on the full sized trucks, to the point that a 98 PCM won't run a 97 truck..... at least, not very well. Not as familiar with the Daks though.

 

Like it wouldn稚 run at all cause I知 getting hemifever to retune the computer I get since I知 putting a bigger cam in it

 

I don't think the 98 and up computer would be compatible at all. Certainly not with the rest of the truck.