It's in a '96 2500 Ram Van with a raised roof conversion. It has almost 100,000 miles on it now and I bought it last year about this time with around 63,250 miles. I've ran Valvoline MaxLife synthetic blend almost exclusively since 66,000 miles with a couple changes of full synthetic Max Life. I'very been looking at the Hughes/Edelbrock Air-Gap intake manifold, maybe getting a 360 throttle body, a true double roller timing set and maybe advancing the cam timing 2 to 4 degrees, relocating the IAT sensor into the air intake tube, and some later Magnum exhaust manifolds, a dual exhaust or bigger single exhaust, and a tachometer. Am I on the right path here or is some of this a waste of time and money? What order should I proceed with these if I do? I'm guessing exhaust mods first and then do the timing set, intake, and throttle body all at the same time. It runs good but has seeped and leaked some oil at the back of the intake manifold and valve covers but that has seemed to stop or at least slow down. I'd really like more power and gas mileage. I just had the tranny totally rebuilt because it fried in late june. I'm gonna put a tranny temp gauge on it and an add on tranny cooler.

 

Sounds like you are.


I advanced my timing 2 degrees and it was a noticeable difference, especially from idle to 4000. I also installed 1.7 roller rockers and installed a larger cat. These are the largest gains I though.


The van is definitely a lot quicker when I first bought it.


I think the computer is pretty conservative and I am unsure who could change this program, but I have a suspicion that it is a little too safe. But, along the same line of thought, it is hot in these van's engine compartments.