V6 Loss of Power
#1
05-01-2009, 01:20 AM
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V6 Loss of Power
I've got a 2001 Dakota Sport, with a 3.9 Mag in it. Running Flowmaster 40's, and a drop in K&N. It's got about 97k on it, so I don't expect to get sucked into the seats when i put it on the floor. Even so, i've noticed a substantial power loss over the past couple weeks. I've done a tune-up, and recharged the Air Filter...nadda. I really don't understand where the power loss could be coming from, any suggestions would be great 
#3
05-01-2009, 01:27 AM
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#4
05-01-2009, 01:31 AM
take the o2s out and clean them off with alchole and replace them, if they are still the org. from factory repolace them, they where suppost to be replaced at 70k, but most people do them every 40 or 50
and filter... you have a k&N recharge it... as in clean it and oil it up.
as for the 2 cyl... pull that v6 and pop in a 5.2 or 5.9 or 4.7 about the same mpg as that v6 and way more power, fun fun...
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05-01-2009, 01:34 AM
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#7
05-01-2009, 01:41 AM
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#9
05-01-2009, 01:24 PM
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#10
05-01-2009, 03:22 PM
Record Breaker
You could also check the vacuum on the engine and replace any broken or cracked vacuum hoses. If the truck is using any oil you could have a blown belly pan gasket causing vacuum problems. Usually cracked vacuum hoses will trigger a code from the PCM though. It would also help to remove the throttle body and clean the TB and lubricate the pivot points, clean the IAC and reinstallit with a new gasket. Have a look in the intake while the TB is off. A light film of dust/oil is normal. If you have oil pooling around the inside edges of the intake the belly pan gasket is blown. Hughes has a one piece intake that is said to work really well on Dakota's. I don't know much about them but surely others here will be able to help you.
The O2's could be lazy like others have replied. A lazy O2 may or may not throw a code. How is the MPG? I personally have never heard of anyone having any success with cleaning and re-using an old O2 sensor, but I guess it's worth a try. If you need new O2's go with NGK or OEM from the dealer. I hear the Bosch ones from Auto Zone etc. don't work well in Dakota's.
Other than that, how old is the transmission fluid, if it's an automatic that is. Maybe it needs a flush and refill. Something else that could really help is a forced-induction service like BG or Ever Wear. You could have bad carbon buildup causing it to run poorly. I had the Ever Wear service done on my truck about 40K ago and it made a world of difference, and it is still doing great now at 108K. After that run a bottle of Regane (in the clear bottle) or Redline fuel treatment ever 5K or so to keep things clean. And it really helps, at least in my own truck to stay away from cheap gas. I run Chevron almost exclusively but the last few tanks I have been using the new nitrogen-treated 87 from Shell. My truck is running great on it and it seems to give me another 25 miles or so from a tank. I get about 20 mpg around town and 25 or so on the interstate with cruise turned on.
I agree with you, I don't expect my truck to smoke the tires and push me back in the seat, but for the age and mileage on my 2001 it still suits me. Try these few things and what the others have suggested and see if it gets any better. The induction service is what might help the most, maybe you can have that done next. I had mine done at Tires Plus and I printed a coupon off their web site and saved 20 bucks on it. My truck blew a big cloud of black crap out the tail pipe for 3 city blocks on the test drive.
Jimmy
The O2's could be lazy like others have replied. A lazy O2 may or may not throw a code. How is the MPG? I personally have never heard of anyone having any success with cleaning and re-using an old O2 sensor, but I guess it's worth a try. If you need new O2's go with NGK or OEM from the dealer. I hear the Bosch ones from Auto Zone etc. don't work well in Dakota's.
Other than that, how old is the transmission fluid, if it's an automatic that is. Maybe it needs a flush and refill. Something else that could really help is a forced-induction service like BG or Ever Wear. You could have bad carbon buildup causing it to run poorly. I had the Ever Wear service done on my truck about 40K ago and it made a world of difference, and it is still doing great now at 108K. After that run a bottle of Regane (in the clear bottle) or Redline fuel treatment ever 5K or so to keep things clean. And it really helps, at least in my own truck to stay away from cheap gas. I run Chevron almost exclusively but the last few tanks I have been using the new nitrogen-treated 87 from Shell. My truck is running great on it and it seems to give me another 25 miles or so from a tank. I get about 20 mpg around town and 25 or so on the interstate with cruise turned on.
I agree with you, I don't expect my truck to smoke the tires and push me back in the seat, but for the age and mileage on my 2001 it still suits me. Try these few things and what the others have suggested and see if it gets any better. The induction service is what might help the most, maybe you can have that done next. I had mine done at Tires Plus and I printed a coupon off their web site and saved 20 bucks on it. My truck blew a big cloud of black crap out the tail pipe for 3 city blocks on the test drive.
Jimmy