First Dodge Dakota (2000) Few Questions
#1
11-20-2010, 11:44 AM
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
First Dodge Dakota (2000) Few Questions
I just bougth my neighbors 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 2 wheel drive 3.9L. It's a really nice truck that I am enjoying so far. I want to do all the usual tune up things to it but I have a few questions. I am good with the air filter and oil but I have the following questions.
1) I see what looks like a pcv valve on each valve cover. Are there two?
2) I see what looks like 3 spark plugs under and to the side of each valve cover. Just pull the wires off and use a socket to get them out.....nothing special?? The wires just look different from what I am use to. What spark plugs would you recommend?
3) Is the a dis. cap? And if so should I replace that and the wires? If so what dis. cap and wires do you recommend?
4) The last questions is are there and weird things I should know about this truck maintenance or any other
1) I see what looks like a pcv valve on each valve cover. Are there two?
2) I see what looks like 3 spark plugs under and to the side of each valve cover. Just pull the wires off and use a socket to get them out.....nothing special?? The wires just look different from what I am use to. What spark plugs would you recommend?
3) Is the a dis. cap? And if so should I replace that and the wires? If so what dis. cap and wires do you recommend?
4) The last questions is are there and weird things I should know about this truck maintenance or any other
#2
11-20-2010, 10:45 PM
Record Breaker
Congrats on the new truck. As far as wierd things on it, I don't know. Maybe back flush the heater core if it needs it and you live in a place where it gets cold. Also the blower motor resistor is a known common problem on Dakota's, if the fan/heater starts only working on high speed, change out the blower motor resistor pack. Central Timer Module failure is another kind of common problem, but worry about that if and when it happens to your truck.
To answer your other questions:
1. There is only one pcv on the truck, it is in the driver's side valve cover. They cost about 3 bucks to replace, just pull out the old and put in the new.
2. Yes those are spark plugs under the valve covers. The wires look different because the plugs have cylinder-shaped heat shields on them. Twist and pull the boot to remove the plug wires. Don't pull on the wire itself. Some of us have removed the heat shields, you can do that by grabbing the shields with pliers and/or vise grips and twisting and pulling the shields off. The heat shields are very hard and stubborn to remove. I don't know what it really does to remove the shields, other than to have better access to the plugs. It is not easy to reach the plugs in the back of the heads near the firewall, but it can be done with a standard spark plug socket and a 3/8" ratchet with a 3-inch or 6-inch extension on it. The hardest plug to do is the one on the driver's side closest to the firewall. Put the plug socket on your 6" extension and drop it down onto the plug, turn it till it is seated on the plug hex head and then put your ratchet on the extension but let the handle point down toward the ground. This way you will have more clearance to operate the ratchet. Remove the ratchet from the extension and then pull the plug, socket and extension out of the heat shield. The other 5 plugs are not too bad to remove and replace. Be sure to use anti-sieze to make them easy to remove next time. For plug wires, I like the Belden Premium wire set from Napa. Here they cost about $38.00 but they work great and are all the correct length, but get a tube of dielectric spark plug boot grease. The small amount they send with the plug wires is not nearly enough for both ends on all 6 wires and the coil wire. The Belden set is better than OEM and much better than the cheapie wire sets they sell at other parts stores. For spark plugs, 3.9's run best on Autolite 3923 plugs. On a stock ignition just gap them at whatever your owner's manual and/or the emissions sticker on the bottom of the hood says. I gap mine at .040. You can buy 3923's at Walmart for about $1.50 each. Check them very carefully, they are now made in China and I have read on another forum the quality is really bad on the Autolite plugs now. I think on my next tune-up I will use NGK's. Napa sells NGK if you want them. Just use a good quality copper core plug, stay away from Champion plugs and you should be fine. There is no need for platinum, iridium, plutonium or kryptonite plugs in the 3.9. It will run best on a plain old copper core single electrode spark plug.
3. Yes there is a distributor cap back behind the passenger's side cylinder head between it and the firewall. If you can't find it follow one of your spark plug wires, it will lead you right to it. The better quality cap and rotor are made by Echlin Ignition Parts, you can get them at Napa, part # MO26 and MO28, they have brass contacts that last longer and won't corrode. They can help get a little bit better spark to the plugs. But you can use just the plain $8.99 and $2.99 cap and rotor from Advance or Autozone, they do just as well for less money, but have to be replaced more often. That is not a problem if you do your tune-ups on a regular schedule. I do my plugs, cap and rotor every 20,000 miles. I change out my plug wires every 40,000 miles.
It's also a good idea to remove and clean your throttle body when you do the tune-up, also remove and clean the black crusty crud off the Idle Air Control Valve, clean and lube all the pivot points and linkages on the TB and reinstall it with a new dry gasket. Also lube the O-ring on the IAC valve with a little clean motor oil and clean out the IAC orifice with a Q-tip or shop rag soaked in TB cleaner spray. Don't drop your IAC or handle it roughly.
These are a few things that may help you. Others here will have more info for you. Post back if we can help with any other questions.
Jimmy
To answer your other questions:
1. There is only one pcv on the truck, it is in the driver's side valve cover. They cost about 3 bucks to replace, just pull out the old and put in the new.
2. Yes those are spark plugs under the valve covers. The wires look different because the plugs have cylinder-shaped heat shields on them. Twist and pull the boot to remove the plug wires. Don't pull on the wire itself. Some of us have removed the heat shields, you can do that by grabbing the shields with pliers and/or vise grips and twisting and pulling the shields off. The heat shields are very hard and stubborn to remove. I don't know what it really does to remove the shields, other than to have better access to the plugs. It is not easy to reach the plugs in the back of the heads near the firewall, but it can be done with a standard spark plug socket and a 3/8" ratchet with a 3-inch or 6-inch extension on it. The hardest plug to do is the one on the driver's side closest to the firewall. Put the plug socket on your 6" extension and drop it down onto the plug, turn it till it is seated on the plug hex head and then put your ratchet on the extension but let the handle point down toward the ground. This way you will have more clearance to operate the ratchet. Remove the ratchet from the extension and then pull the plug, socket and extension out of the heat shield. The other 5 plugs are not too bad to remove and replace. Be sure to use anti-sieze to make them easy to remove next time. For plug wires, I like the Belden Premium wire set from Napa. Here they cost about $38.00 but they work great and are all the correct length, but get a tube of dielectric spark plug boot grease. The small amount they send with the plug wires is not nearly enough for both ends on all 6 wires and the coil wire. The Belden set is better than OEM and much better than the cheapie wire sets they sell at other parts stores. For spark plugs, 3.9's run best on Autolite 3923 plugs. On a stock ignition just gap them at whatever your owner's manual and/or the emissions sticker on the bottom of the hood says. I gap mine at .040. You can buy 3923's at Walmart for about $1.50 each. Check them very carefully, they are now made in China and I have read on another forum the quality is really bad on the Autolite plugs now. I think on my next tune-up I will use NGK's. Napa sells NGK if you want them. Just use a good quality copper core plug, stay away from Champion plugs and you should be fine. There is no need for platinum, iridium, plutonium or kryptonite plugs in the 3.9. It will run best on a plain old copper core single electrode spark plug.
3. Yes there is a distributor cap back behind the passenger's side cylinder head between it and the firewall. If you can't find it follow one of your spark plug wires, it will lead you right to it. The better quality cap and rotor are made by Echlin Ignition Parts, you can get them at Napa, part # MO26 and MO28, they have brass contacts that last longer and won't corrode. They can help get a little bit better spark to the plugs. But you can use just the plain $8.99 and $2.99 cap and rotor from Advance or Autozone, they do just as well for less money, but have to be replaced more often. That is not a problem if you do your tune-ups on a regular schedule. I do my plugs, cap and rotor every 20,000 miles. I change out my plug wires every 40,000 miles.
It's also a good idea to remove and clean your throttle body when you do the tune-up, also remove and clean the black crusty crud off the Idle Air Control Valve, clean and lube all the pivot points and linkages on the TB and reinstall it with a new dry gasket. Also lube the O-ring on the IAC valve with a little clean motor oil and clean out the IAC orifice with a Q-tip or shop rag soaked in TB cleaner spray. Don't drop your IAC or handle it roughly.
These are a few things that may help you. Others here will have more info for you. Post back if we can help with any other questions.
Jimmy
Last edited by 01SilverCC; 11-20-2010 at 10:51 PM.