poor performance /6
 

hello all nice site,

i've got a 1985 dodge ram d100 pickup w/ the 225/6 engine & have a few questions on poor performance issues & possible upgrades. it was bought new in '85 by my dad & since then it has always given problems, mileage was always under or around 12hwy or so, & since it is a 4spd manual transmission, it should be @ least 20hwy right? anyway i removed most of the lean burn system as it has been disconnected by the dealer some 20yrs ago along w/ the a.c. system, the computer probably is fried as a mechanic told me that is why the mileage is so bad as the timing is not advancing. & around 50 when i shift into od, then the engine begins to lug & the truck slows considerably, and i can forget about passing anyone unless i have about 3 miles of clear road & they're going about 30. lol. also truck has always been hard to start hot or cold & stalls always when stopping or dies while deaccelerating.:( any ideas on the problem(s).

so what i guess i'm asking is, are there're any performance parts made for this engine, eg. intake, carb, dist., etc, & is it not too pricey to do? i'd like to be able tow a small boat or utility trailer(s) w/ relative ease & pass or get on the interstate, i'd also like to use the truck as a daily driver for now.

thanks for any help/suggestions & sorry for the long windedness.

jude fontenot
85slant6

you can look for a two barrel in the junkyard or look up cliffordperfomance.net for a cam and four barrel intakes and headers if you want to go that route might also change the distributor to one with a vacuum advanced unit if you don't have one either salvage yards or summit i belive has that stuff also

wow, that is awesome thanks to jdog & oldblue!!:D

the only things that worry me now is where or which junkyards to look, i guess any & all i can find, and all of the intake manifolds, 1bbl,2bbl,4bbl do have the fittings or capability for the vacuum brake booster? correct

thanks again

jude fontenot
85slant6

can't remember bout the 4 barrel i want to say yes but i no the 2 barrel does have a vacuum port

I recall alot of Valories, and Aspens came out with what they called the super six which ran the two barrel, you have to mess around with the throttle linkage a little to make it work, mostly you have to pull it as far back in the holder as you can to have sufficient throttle movement.

wow thanks again jdog & thanks 83dodgeswb4x4. 3 more questions, can the non-leanburn distributor & related hardware, 2bbl carter carb. & 2bbl intake/aircleaner be purchased new? or should i look in a junkyard for used? possibly super 6?

also, is the 2bbl carter, one of the "better" carbs out there, or are there some better, i don't wan't to spend huge amounts, just get the best bang for the buck, if you will.

i was reading over on slantsix.org about 6-in-1 headers, or "DUTRA DUALS" or these any good? i believe the later still allows for the choke control? correct? any recommendations on a good muffler? cut mine of, almost completely clogged w/ junk:cool:

sorry again for my long windedness.

85slant6
jude fontenot

There is/was a Mopar Performance ignition kit that includes distributor, electronic control unit and wiring harness and directions. I don't see it on their web sites any more but a call to Summit Racing or Mancini Racing would be the best way to find out if it is still available.

I believe, and guys if I am wrong please jump in here, but the distributor is the same on the lean burn and nonlean burn models, atleast I mine seemed to look identical when I swapped it out whe my lean burn comp went out. I cheated and swapped in a point style distributor, it was a cheap fix at the time and I needed the truck. However I believe all you need to do to rid yourself of the lean burn system is possible look at converting to a G.M. HEI modual and I know if you look farther back in the threads it was fully explained how to accomplish this.

The lean burn dist. Ive had didn't have a vacuum advance on them.