Hey there guys (and gals)! Today I just bought my first dodge truck and I'm looking for a little advice on what I should do to go over it. Its a Black 1998 Dakota 4x4 with the 5.2 and 5speed trans. I has 166k on it which is about average and not terrible since I got the truck for a steal.

I'm creating this thread for two reasons the first is to introduce myself and the second is to ask for some advice. I'll start by saying I'm Justin and its nice to meet you all. I've worked on cars a little before (volvos) but this is my first truck. I chose dodge cause they seem to have the most reliable trucks that's were in my price range ( well reliable if you go with the standard trans and 5.2 magnum)

So I'm wondering what I should do to the truck. I'm not particularly looking to add to much in the way of performance mods (moneys tight and girlfriend wants to get hitched) but I would like to make it run as nicely as possible and replace anything that needs replacing. With volvos we called that doing a stage 0. So essentially I'm looking for info on what I should look over on my truck and replace. If you guys have any questions for me about my truck feel free to ask! Thank you for taking the time to read this!

 

Welcome to the forum, Justin.

There's a really good FAQ that you can go over, it will get you pointed in the right direction. Generally speaking, look at anything that moves- suspension parts, fluids, bearings. 166K is pretty darn high so I'd start by looking at PM items- PS pump and fluid, bushings, brakes, spark plugs.....just to start.

 

There is sticky on header of this forum that has some good info. Start with basic stuff oil,. rear end oil,transmission oil. just to make sure it is in good shape.Rear end & transmission are just 2 areas some folks do not worry about to often.Coolant and hoses. Steering shaft for any play. The u-joints on these shafts are a weak point and wear out easy.Plug & wires.Is truck showing any codes? Just a couple things hope this helps.

 

Welcome!
When I buy something used no matter how many miles I do the following. 95% fluid change of everything(usually skip power steering if its still clean) Everything else, oils(diffs,tranny,transfer case and engine) anti freeze, sometimes brake fluid. Do a tune up(plugs,wires,rotor and cap if applicable) Clean throttle body and sensors(replace air filter if needed) Tire rotation(if needed) air pressures,spend a good hr or 2hrs going over suspension and under body items. Check bearings,tie rods,ball joints,ujoints,cv shafts and boots. Check for all the lights working inside and out. I think thats about it for now.

 

OK I'm gonna get a little spare cash together and buy some of that stuff. I figured as much for most of that stuff but I have never changed fluid on a diff or on a manual transmission (I thought they use gear oil that doesn't need changing) Also I looked over a few of the parts websites on the FAQs page, most of them seem pretty decent I'm just wondering if any of you have favorites ( I tend to like to choose one website to order from and stick with it) Also before I order the plugs and wires what are some of the best wires to use and what are the best plugs (along with the gapping) to use on these trucks? Thanks so much for all the help so far guys!

 

You can get yourself a haynes manual for about 15.00 at your local auto parts store. It will help you with pretty much anything you have to do to the truck. It helps to search the site here to find out what you need to do to change the oils. I wont go into detail but pretty much pull all the bolts out execpt for the very top one(leave it in about 2 turns) pry the cover off(make sure your pan is under it) it might take a little work but will come off. scrap off the gasket reapply new stuff and tighten it up then refill. Im not sure about the tranny but I think there is a fill bolt and a drain bolt on the tranny. The magnum motors run best with autolite 3923's in them. I bought all the stuff from autozone. All the best duralast stuff for 65.xx out the door. My 5.2 ran way better after that.

 

Duralast and NAPA are the 2 favorites on the forum, depending on what you need.

AL 3923 plugs for sure, I have a generic O'R cap and rotor, generic O'R wires. But I'm working on some huge upgrades soon so I didn't want to spend too much on stuff I'd be throwing out.

 

Gear oil breaks down like any other oil just takes longer.Rock Auto is a good parts place. They ship from multiple warehouses so try to combine your parts as much as you can to save on shipping.Here a discount code good towards 5% off your purchase. 88F22BF5D6B7. Haynes manual good to have but you can also go to Autozone .com and look at a online version.

 

OK so I'm gonna order the auto lite 3923s cause everyone on here likes them the best. I'm also trying to debate on some good wires and distributer cap and rotor. I want to buy performance parts for those as long as they won't be ridiculous in price. Any good recommendations?

 

Save your "performance mod" money. You'll need it for repairs. A Dakota with that many miles... its only a matter of time before things start to break. My clutch and rear end went right around 150k miles so be prepared for those issues. If you take it to a shop to fix them, be prepared to shell out $800-$1200 for each of those repairs. PS pumps are known to go, mine went at ~130k, again, at a shop, you're looking at $3-400. 4x4 Dakotas eat ball joints for breakfast, do it yourself and the parts are $2-300, get it done at a shop, at least $800.


Not trying to scare you, but want you to be aware of what you're getting with a Dakota that has that many miles.