Hey guys, its been a while since ive visited the forum! Been busy working out of town and trying to avoid getting new ideas anddropping more $$ into the dak. Ill list everything that ive done mechanically then list a few issues im going to start tackling wh idle i have some time off? Any suggestions on solutions for any issues or where to begin looking is much appreciated! Thanks

Magnaflow hi flow cat
Flowmaster 40series
K&n coldair
Autolite plugs
New map sensor
Bosche o2 sensors
All fluids replaced
New speed sensor
New shocks tie rods etc
31" allterrains

I think that it,everything else escapes me right now

Problems:
Steering wheel has some play even after alignment (ateering box?)
When going from neutral to reverse or drive theres a clunk noise, same when under heavy load going highway speeds and switching gears (ujoint?) Its not the rear diff
Steam comes out of vents periodically (leaking heatercore?) Only happens when the heater is off, rarely happens andonce i turn the fan on it blows the steam out then stops and the floors inside are dry
No ac, i havent recharged it ever, the compressor doesnt come on when i engage the ac
Fuel gauge is very inaccurate. Sometimes it will get stuck on empty for 10 minutes to a couple hours once every couple weeks
Horrible gas mileage. I maybe get 180 miles to a tank, driving slowly mostly highway. Im lucky to get 8-10mpg highway, i dont expect great mileage but want to figure out why im not atleast getting 10-12 city driving
Cruise control light will come on when i tun it on but when i press set speed nothing will happen, actual cruise contol wont engage
When flooring it from stopped, it wont shift from 1st to 2nd without me backing off the pedal, it bounces off the rev limiter and basically putsit into neutral. It also seems to shift through gears before it maxes out the rpm in the other gears when flooring it. I have 3.92 gearing

Ive had these issues for a couple years. Time to fix them lol
Theres 248k km on the truck. Maybe wwhile i have the time i should start pulling things off and cleaning the engine? Ive used seafoam and injector cleaners multiple tiimes but never really got in there and gave er a good cleaning. Any advice on where to start?

Thanks guys

 

as for the steering wheel, i have the same issue its in the actual shaft going to gear box its a bushing/ujoint sorta deal that gets worn. ive looked and its 240 to fix that, so i just leave mine as it is.

now i have a question for you your headlights are they projectors? and are there a separate low and high beam?

 

Thanks, ive had the steering problem since i bought the truck..i guess ill just leave it.
Yes the headlights have separate high and low beams. They are projectotrs but it says on the housing not for use with hid lights. They look pretty sweet. The only notes i have on them are the stock bulbs are garbage, the fitment is mediocre, not bad but not great and when theselights get slightly dirty no light will penetrate through. I was driving at night in the winter andhad to pull over a few times to wipe the dirt rom the snow off the headlights. For 90 bucks they meet my expectations.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ws/eBayISAPI....m=230623389574

 

im in the market for new ones since the bracket on my passenger side snapped when re adjusting for my hids. i was very disappointed with 130 spent on the things.

one of these days im tempted to go to a junkyard and look for a steering shaft. having that play on my wheel, then driving my dads 2008 silverado with zero play is a huge tease!

 

Bought a new shaft for $200 from Steve White Motors of N.C.

 

Yup.. Typical with the old style steering..

 

Just caught my steering pop before it got bad sprayed the crap out of small u-joints with WD-40 a few times then crawled under and dripped Mobile 1 oil on everything the pop is now just barely noticeable more of a mild thud than a pop now.

Fixed them before they got bad but will need to replace the shaft at some time

 

I have a pop from the column; there is a TSB on loosening and letting the joint relax and then tightening it down. Don't have any other pops any where else externally.

 

tell me if you figure out what this is, i have the same problem.

 

This is for 2WD Dakotas not sure on the 4X4 if its the same

Check the steering shaft you need to crawl under the truck with a very bright flashlight and get a good look at the steering shaft. You will see the little what look like U-joints there will be two of the little U-joints one lower easy to see the other is higher up most people find they are all rusty and sometimes if bad lose. If you are lucky and still look ok just spray the crap out of them W/WD-40 drive a day or two spray again drive a day or two then drip oil on them I used Mobile 1 and now my pop/thud is not as bad and I don’t notice it at all.

Almost forgot you need to pull back the flex rubber boot and WD-40 and oil it also.

The steering shaft if the little U-joints are very lose you will need to replace the shaft.

Look here http://www.ebay.com/itm/STEERING-COLUMN-INTERMEDIATE-SHAFT-DAKOTA-97-98-99-2WD-/260825439103?fits=Modelakota|Year:1998&hash=item 3cba685b7f&item=260825439103&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_P arts_Accessories&vxp=mtr