i have a 98 dakota r/t, all stock exept a k&n filter (not CAI) i dont know what thottle body, intake manifold,or CIA to get. will any exhaust, even custom made (a shop makes it for me) increase hp. what about headers for in the future. i am new to increasing hp in cars/trucks. Thanks in advance. Jake.

 

I would always start with CAI and headers on back exhaust. They both will add noticable gains, nothing too extreme, but for sure noticable. Plus you will need them for future more extreme additions. Then on to intake manifold, rocker arms, cam and other. All depends on money and how extreme you want it to go.

Check www.krcperformance.net for some really nice builds on the R/T platform.

 

Talk to User2006, he has a nice setup going. I believe he has an m1 intake manifold. It would be wise to ask him about the gains; alothough, IIRC I think he purchased it with everything already installed. Either way, it would be a good start.

 

the M1 is geared more towards upper rpms gains... if you get one, it is suggested that you get your pcm flashed to match your setup. my suggestion is do all of the bolt on's 1st, heads, headers, roller rockers, timing chain etc, then when you get the M1 installed (if you go that route) yank the pcm and get a custom flash done on it. you may have your truck down while the pcm is out but you'll get the most out of it...

 

+1. if you are going NA, then do all the bolt ons available. then do a baseline run on dyno. then you will have a spreadsheet on the engine. in 20 years reading dyno's & tuning, most engines fall flat on fuel/air ratio.most are mapped from the factory as very conservative. bolt it on. map it and proceed from there. I come from a nissan camp both turbo and non-turbo. most MAPS are way conservative.

edit-also if 1/4 mile et is what you're after , consider Diff gearing. Dodge trucks are not my arena, but if you get a datsun/nissan/nismo holla

 

RT should have 3.92 gears so that's not really an issue.

52mm fastman TB, get some long tube headers, 2.5" dual exhaust through high flow cats and an X pipe, mufflers of your choice
M! intake, or better yet modify your oem intake to shorten the runners.
you're going to eventually want a higher flow fuel pump and an adjustible fuel pressure regulator as well as higher flowing injectors.

How much power do you want to make?

 

on his R/T he should go with the M1... I think it's the best choice for the lighter daks...

is it a club cab or std cab?

 

i would like about 350hp and i have a club cab

 

Well you have some work to do

 

and im basically broke hopefully i will gvet some good money from x-mas