So I have had my '98 on the road for about a month and a half now, took it on a 600 mile road trip and so far im happy with what it is, but noticing some things that i dont really like...

*Ride and handling suck! I think i should have spent the 100 bucks plus hardware in shocks should have gone elsewhere... The rear shocks were DEFFINATELY shot, the fronts were old KYB's and the ride was VERY bouncy. So being on a budget 4 new $25 Monroe gas matics went on (Id rather Bilsteins but...) the ride is still bouncy. more so up front, seems to dip on the left front...
*Body roll is a little excessive. if I can ever make a little money im hoping a complete poly sway bar bushing set front and rear will fix this but for now, just not happy with it.
*Fuel mileage is terrible, overhead says an average of 12.5 - 13.5 depending on if im driving or my girl is driving it... I dont do a lot of open road interstate driving but a decent amount of my driving is 60 - 65 on good not so hilly road. I know how to be easy on fuel since i am truck driver so im a little conserned about that. Was told the plugs wires cap and rotor were replaced and it does look as if they were. Seems to run just fine, I have personaly done an oil change with Mobil 1 conventional 10w-30 and a mopar filter and did the PCV. Air filter is clean and just fine. The whole thing is bone stock as far as i can tell, just a glasspack in place of the muffler.
*Trans... shifts awesome! BUT, during the roadtrip, in very hilly country (PA Turnpike I-476) the Torque convertor was slipping or something, i was going from about 2025 to 2125 RPM with NO change in throttle input, it did this for about 30 miles that i knew about, stopped at a rest area, checked the fluid level and the fluid is just fine, not really any funny smells, nice blood red coloring... ever since then it hasent acted up once... ???? I had about a total of an extra 1000-1500 pounds between the little Reese backpacker trailer in tow the crap inside the D. So it isnt like it was nearly overloaded or anything.

Overall I love the thing, but I really would like these issues handled... Any help or advice??

 

the gas mileage could be bad pre cat oxygen sensors, the monroe shocks you should have gotten are the reflex line, anything less is just, well less.

the rev changes could be the tc locking and unlocking as you drive and the grade changes

 

I have always noticed when you let off the throttle the torque converter seems to unlock, then when you step back on the throttle it will rev slightly as the torque converter re-locks.

 

When you have a large load on the engine and trans, such as a hill the vehicle will disengage the torque converter clutch to allow for more torque multiplication from the converter.

As for the bouncy ride, check your ride height, if it's sagging then your torsion bars will ride terribly.

And as for the gas mileage you'll be lucky to ever break 14mpg with it.

 

I got the 5.9l and a 70% highway 30%city driving I am now averaging 14, but I switched over to 91 octane. Gained 1.5mpg and alot better throttle response.

 

I used to get 15.8 MPG on the freeway and about 11.4 mpg's on the city because of my heavy foot. Now remember my old engine was heavily modified.

Next time you are doing hill's lock up the torque converter and that will lower your RPM's 300-400 and not cause extra heat. You can do this by pressing the "Tow" button on the end of the trans shifter. This is all caused buy "Torque Managment", go ahead and search it in this section for more details.

 

Thanks for the replies...
I guess I just expected more out of the shocks then what I got. Guess I gotta save the pennies for some decent ones! I might put a couple rounds into the torsion bars up front, but as of right now it sets relatively level, maybe with a slight rake like any pickup or SUV should set... could possibly need leaf springs and a few turns put into the torsion bars though.
As for the trans.. I have tow/haul?? Not on MY 98 anyway... I have the overdrive on off button on the end of the shifter... It definately wasn't the torque convertor locking and unlocking, as I could watch the tach make a slowish climb only a hundred RPM and throttle input made no difference, I was a little more concerned the convertor might be slipping in lockup... 3rd and OD have a very nice torque convertor lockup feel to them both, it almost makes for 2 more gears in the trans if you were to count the shifts from a stand still.

I guess I was expecting a little more in the fuel milage department, its liveable for now, for me anyway, I know I can get the average up over time (just gotta keep the lead foot out of the driver seat... lol) Im used to cruddy milage since I prefer a truck or at least somethin close to it.

 

Could be a TPS sensor causing fluctuation in the RPM's.

 

+1 on the tps

 

I have been planning on checkin the TPS, guess it just got a little higher on the list... What are the specs for the TPS anyhow? I know there is a FSM for the '02 but just how much of the '02 FSM applies to a '98?
Second, there is next to nothing on the RPO sticker in my glove box, how do i find out EXACTLY what options I have?? I used a VIN decoder thing once before via a link on here, but just how accurate is it? Can I trust it 110% to tell me exactly what options I have?