To make a long story short, i have a 98 2.5L Dakota [:@] . Its slower than sh** and its a stick. I cant even have my air conditioner on while driving or else i cant get up hills. I just want to have enuf power (or more than enuf) to actually move. Someone please help.

 

V8 drop in time!! How much money do you want to spend? 'Cas thats the all important question. I dunno if a chip is out for your engine but if it is, a chip, CAI, and better exhaust would probably get you some more of that low end grunt you want.

 

The best advice... FOR SALE sign. The new V6 3.7 liter engines are slow enough, I could just imagine how your truck is. I don't mean to be blunt about it, but when I went looking for my truck I test drove both the V6 and V8. I wouldn't even think about buying a V6. The 2.8 must be slow as hell. I guess an exaust would help a little, but I don't think it would give you what you are looking for.

 

Start with a K&N drop in filter, unless they have a FIPK2 for it, MSD 8.5 superconductor wires, MSD Blaster Coil and a flowmaster exhaust. This should help alot. 1st make it breath, then burn all the fuel.

Hope this helps.

 

it would probably take some extensive mods to make that engine have any reasonable perfomance likely, I really couldn't understand how they would even consider putting that low hp 4 cylinder in a vehicle that heavy, it's probably why they droped it from the engine lineup on the dakota's.

 

I had the same type problems with mine...I've got an '01 with the 3.9L V6, and it felt like I was driving a lawn mower when I first got it. I've done quite a bit to it, and I'm almost satisfied with it now (although it's still not a V8.) From stock, I put in performance plugs and wires, modified the exhaust with a Dynomax race series single, added a cold air intake, throttle body spacer, and a Stage 1 JET performance chip running with 89 octane or better fuel. I also ran a bottle of 44K fuel treatment through it, which smoothed it out a bit. Maybe some of this will help yours, but between the both of us, I think we'd have been better off just biting the bullet and getting the V8 to start with. Lessons learned...

 

you could have all the drop in filters and sC wires in the world, and that 2.5 still isnt gonna get out of its own way.

2 words my good man...

nitrous oxide.

 

2 Very good words..... Gas it 'till it blows..... buy a bigger motor!!!

 

I agree! Sell it or trade it in for a v8 model. Cheapest way of doing it! You'll have to spends thousands to get the 4 cyl to even perform like a v8 maybe. Save those money on upgrades on the 4cyl and go do a trade in for a v8 model dakota! I drove a 4cyl dakota and man, it was a joke. If budget is the problem, I would settle for a v6 minimum and then some small budget mods, you can get near v8 performace from the v6.

 

You could go with an old turbo II system from an early nineties shadow or daytona. That would give you a about 220 HP and still get good mileage. The parts can still be found at a reasonable price. The biggest obstacle would be plumbing the exhaust for the turbo, but there is enough room under the hood of your truck that it wouldn't be bad.