'Kota obsession

Topic: 'Kota obsession (Read 4126 times) previous topic - next topic

'Kota obsession

Reply #15 – December 18, 2011, 11:39:56 PM

Got quite a bit done. Got the block back from CNP machine last week fresh dipped with new freeze plugs and cam bearings installed ready for assembly

Cleaned all the parts up real nicely and shot it chebby orange for good luck (lol) and it was the only thing that I had a large amount of here to paint with cause 99% of my friends and family are chebby fans.

When I get a day off that Im not working 3rds anymore probably next week shes going in and I hopefully bolt eveything together once and for all and dont have to touch the motor again aside from routine maint.

'Kota obsession

Reply #16 – December 19, 2011, 12:01:46 AM

painting a dodge motor chevy orange.. I APPROVE! it'll probably run longer now LOL

'Kota obsession

Reply #17 – December 19, 2011, 12:37:59 AM

Oh ya. these little 3.9L's need all of the luck they can freakin get

'Kota obsession

Reply #18 – January 05, 2012, 11:01:41 PM

2 Updates. 1 The purple 98 runs and drives now, need to screw with the timing its a little hesitant still but is driveable and running strong.

2........ I went junkyard hopping the other day with the girlfriends dad looking for a rear yoke for his z71 and we did our rounds walking the lot and found about 7 87-96 dakotas with 5 speeds all of which are 2wd... so being the smarta$$ I am I started looking at the 97-up dakotas and durangos went through the paces, 2wd auto, 4x4 auto,2wd stick, blah blah blah. Well the last truck on the end of the line as I was walking up to it I turned to pops and said "bet its another 4x4 auto" then I opened the door.... well as of yesterday I have EVERYTHING to convert my 99 over to 5speed. I dont know about you guys that have any familiarity for dodges trucks and suv's to be more specific if its an automatic you best have 1500 or mnore stashed away just for a tranny for one. They out all the time its just a given. Well, soon as summer comes around and warms up I will take the 99 off the road and commence the swap so I will have eliminated the weakest point under this truck.

The only thing I could do aside from a dana 44 and 9" SAS is drop a 318 into the old girl and call it a day. and that is totally on the to do list.

BUT the bird will fire before I spend cheddar on another 318... for now.

'Kota obsession

Reply #19 – January 05, 2012, 11:31:49 PM

nice score.. and everyone knows dodge can't build transmissions to save their lives lol the 5 speed will definitely live a lot longer

'Kota obsession

Reply #20 – February 17, 2012, 10:42:29 PM

Cleaned the old girl today

'Kota obsession

Reply #21 – February 18, 2012, 06:09:40 AM

A clean 4x4? That's.... that's.... BLASPHEMY!!!

I've been making plans for mine recently. Gonna do a 3" body lift, 2" suspension lift, and buy an old Durango and do a 5.9 swap. Hopefully the Durango would have a nice loaded up leather interior because I'd like to option up my truck while I'm at it. Not gonna do anything until at least November though, when the warranty runs out (in fact I've been scheming on how to get the engine swap at least partially paid for by the warranty company

)

'Kota obsession

Reply #22 – February 18, 2012, 12:54:12 PM

Lol. its actually a pretty easy. I am going to find me a nice 318 and a harness for it for the 5speed also.. then swap it all in and call it good. I cant hold a candle to my 92. ive built and driven some pretty gnarly trucks but for being 99% stock that old dakota will hold corners at 60, go almost anywhere off road, and out smoke some guys mustangs and shes got 192k on the clock origional motor and tranny.

'Kota obsession

Reply #23 – February 18, 2012, 03:43:10 PM

Dakota thread on a tbird/cougar board......why not. :)

In 2002 I bought a 1994 2wd regular cab short box 5.2 with a 5 speed for $3000 with 88k miles on it. I believe is had 3.55 8.75 rear in it. Not one option, black. I beat the unholy hell out of it. It would start off in third if you wanted. Lots of fun in that truck. I put a K&N hi-po air lid, some flowmaster 40 series ler. Sounded great. It just worked. Funny thing was I had to change the plugs every 10k and use 93 octane or it would ping.

It was such a rare truck that it didnt have a clutch safety switch or a speed limiter. I started the truck in 1st or 2nd to many times to tell. I buried the speedo many times. The bench was so bad. I drove it up to 140k. Was starting to rust. Never let me down. With the simple speed density setup, wasnt much to mod. Looking back an adjustable FPR would have been helpful. Looking at the wiring harness it was simple....just a couple of wires going from the firewall to the engine.

I did put some cool 16" wheels the last year I had it.

I would recommend one if you are looking for cheap speed.

I went 15.5@92 with it.

Travis

'Kota obsession

Reply #24 – February 25, 2012, 02:28:08 PM

dakota gurus, i have a question for you.. my buddy has a 93 dakota (3.9/2wd auto) that just melted down ANOTHER transmission.. being a 93, there's something with the trans that i've been told is a '1 year only thing'.. isn't it just a sensor on the outside of the case? can i simply just remove said sensor, swap them and use a trans from a different year truck? our supply of 93's has run completely dry and he doesn't have the money for a rebuild kit

'Kota obsession

Reply #25 – February 25, 2012, 05:15:19 PM

I dont have any idea. as far as i knew the 42RE and 46RE tranny was the same from 87 on up to 96 I dont see why you couldnt swap in a good tranny from a 87-96. 97 on up, however, dont have tranny mounted speed sensors like the formers. (no gear drive like the T5 and aod, yadda yadda. Its powered by the ABS sensor on the rear diff, which in my honest opinion is the most RETARDED thing Ive heard of.

you should be gold from 90-96 for a tranny, v8 and v6 alike all share the same bell pattern. the 87-late 89's were tough to get overdrive with. they did come with it but were optioned kinda like our birds...

'Kota obsession

Reply #26 – February 25, 2012, 05:19:47 PM

i'm hoping the sensor is just an easy swap-over and done deal.. i really don't want this thing sitting in my shop any longer than it has to.. lol

'Kota obsession

Reply #27 – February 26, 2012, 07:53:46 AM

Have you checked for codes? Do you by-pass the tranny cooler with a new one. If the old tranny leaves in the lines you will quickly kill another tranny.

Travis

'Kota obsession

Reply #28 – February 26, 2012, 03:49:32 PM

with the last trans, it had the lines replaced, a new rad and an external cooler put in.. the lines had been bent by someone working under the hood and almost kinked, typical rounded fittings and the rad was filled with gunk and corroding away.. so no old fluid could have been left behind

'Kota obsession

Reply #29 – February 27, 2012, 09:44:33 PM

5 speed swap????

Travis