I have a 95 dodge ram 5.2, i only have about 200$ to play with right now so im wanting some suggestions on some cheap power adders i can get. right now im running a gutted cat into a flowmaster exhaust and thats about it. Im wanting some affordable things i can put on it to add some power. Suggestions??

 

Personally, I would throw that $200 in the bank and build it up. There just isn't much you can do to really add power with that amount. I'm not knocking ya so don't take me the wrong way.

Some are going to say to redo the intake...... IMO, it's really not worth $60-$80 to get 1-2 HP and lose what little bottom end you do have.

The only thing I would do right now is spend enough to do an in depth tune up which would include:

- Plenum gasket check- Look in the FAQ for a how to and an explanation on how to fix
- Spark plugs/wires/Cap-Rotor- Stock plugs are best (Copper Champions)- 8.5MM wires- Basic Brass cap and rotor
- Seafoam- Check FAQ and/or search it.
- Gear Fluid Change
- Transmission fluid and filter change

 

ya i just did, cap, rotor, plugs, plug wires, IAC, TPS, MAP and O2. my plenum is good. I agree 200$ isnt much to play with but i was thinking maybe a set of headers and then CAI? maybe throttle body spacer idk

 

Headers would be a good start, but you'll end up having to redo most of your exhaust to do it right since you would need long tubes. Short tubes are ok, but you don't see near the gains as you would with the long tubes.

You can cheaply port out your throttle body and that will help too. I believe we have a DIY on that as well.

As for the throttle body spacer, that would be nothing more than a waste of money. Trucks that were throttle body injected saw some benifits from a spacer, but newer trucks including ours have the fuel injected into the intake manifold, so you don't get the better mixture of air and fuel.

When I said intake, I was meaning a CAI or the 14X3 that people on here love so much.

 

at the least cut or air horns(free)

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...or-man-tb.html

 

what do you mean by cut or airhorns?

 

in red

 

HEaders will not do anything. and a CAI will do NOTHING.

Get a round air cleaner if you want to do anything. Go to autozone and get the $25 Edelbrock PRO FLO.

I have a Mopar performance 92 octane PCM from my 1996. Wonder if it will work for a 1995? If your truck a 4x4 auto tranny? If so, then it will probably work. It is 285 brand new, and I was going to ebay it for 100.

 

It most likely will not work for a 1996, as that was the first year for hybrid OBD II. 1995 was the last true OBD I setup.

CAI will do something, but some argue you get the same results out of that Pro Flow. Headers will help, but not very much unless you perform other upgrades in addition to them.

No offense, but I'm going to disagree with you. I highly doubt your plenum is good on a 1995, unless a previous owner fixed it. My plenum was blown before 50,000 miles, and I have a 2001.

 

That Mopar PCM won't swap. 1995 was OBD I and 1996 was OBD II, there are huge changes between the computers.

Was there a performance improvement or MPG improvement with the mopar PCM?

To OP

I would agree with not buying a CAI, just get the 14x3 or a drop in K+N.

Do you have access to a welder? You can build a really nice Y-pipe if you do. Build that and use a set of cheap headers that you cleaned up and there will be a noticeable difference, but nothing spectacular.