depends on where you live and what roads you drive on. A less restrictive filter will let more air in along with more dirt particles. If you constantly drive on dirt roads or live on Hawaii (the red volcanic dirt is nasty stuff) you might stick with a factory filter. If you just drive around town then a K&N will be fine

 

Get your pencil out cuz here's some tips to improve your mpg without breaking the bank. 1- the sooner you get to the highst gear needed to keep the rpms down and to maintain cruising speed, the better. 2- Use cruise control religiously except in bad road/driving conditions. 3- If the engine doesn't have too many miles on it, change all lubricants (engine/trans and drive axle) to full synthetics.if it does, use a "blended" oil for the engine. change the rest to synthetics.4- Check and maintain PROPER tire air pressureat ALL times. Make sure the vehicle is properly aligned. 5- Have the PCV valve checked and/or serviced. 6- Run a quality brand injector cleaner through the gas tank every other tank fill up, (I do every 3rd fill up). 7- Just start the vehicle and get oil pressure up and then go, don't just let itidle to "heat" up. Todays engines are designed to get to operating temp quicker so why waste fuel.8- Check the owner's manual for reccomended service intervals on the emmissions equipment. Remember this, Vehicle Manufacturers are responsible to fix or repair certain emmission devices for 5 years or 85K miles which every comes first at NO CHARGE!
Here's a start. FYI, my Dakota has the 4 cylinder and 5 speed manual and I get 22 to 25 mpg with it and drive about 45 miles every day.

 

Hi everone,Go to advance auto and get the hanes repair manual for your year truck,loaded with info.For ex,01 dakota has 4 02 sensors,2 up stream and down,the 2 up are the ones that controll air / fuel mix, the two down stream look at the cat,covertor.so for fuel,try 2 up fisrt,at70 a piece you save 140.

 

Sorry for bringing this back from the dead, but how would you check to see if you fan clutch is bad? When I first start up my truck I get a LOT of fan noise for about 1 min and then goes away. Should the fan always spin not matter what?