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Donor Dakota RT

If ya decide to part it out, my dad might be interested in the wheels.
 
I like the mat silver wheels over the chrome ones.. I found the first sucker out there that wanted to swap for chrome.. My truck was bastardized when I first got it. It had 6 spoke 20 inch torque thrust wheels.. I hated them. Traded them for chrome R/T wheels then traded those for the silver ones..
 
Cranky said:
What rear gears did it have? IIRC, the RT's came with 3.9 gears or was a 3.55 optional?
Click to expand...
Mine came with 3.92 SG. Might have been other options. Bought mine off the dealer lot with an aftermarket leather interior and MOPAR bed liner.
Mine is still mostly original except for maintenance items. Been a pretty dependable vehicle - was my daily driver for over 18 yrs.
Biggest issue I had was that it ate up front brakes and rotors. Ended up replacing the calipers and upgrading to drilled and slotted rotors - no more issues. Also had to fix a coolant leak between the block and water pump housing which was pretty common.
 
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747mopar said:
Do explain?
Click to expand...
On the bottom of the intake there is a plate that seals the intake plenum. The gasket on it blows out, causing a vacuum leak and oil burning. The Hughes kit fixes this.
From the outside the Magnum intake looks like a high rise. Instead the air comes in through the throttle body and goes to the bottom of the intake, the plenum floor. The air then goes into the intake runners which then cross over to the heads. Iow the runners on the L feed the R kind of like the old Sonoramic engines.
Its somewhat like the intake system on an inline 4 motorcycle. There is an airbox (plenum) between the throttle bodies and head.
And don't think because it hasn't blown, its okay. It WILL go out.

Speaking of heads, Magnum heads are prone to cracking between the valves. While the engine is out you may want to have a look. Maybe get a nice valve job and a little porting.

In my part of the country? MO ain't that far from CO.
 
3.92 gear was standard.

I know of one that was special ordered with 3.19 (!?)

When it was my daily, mine had the highest average gas mileage ever recorded (per EVIC) at dakotart.com at 14.2.
Most were in the low 13's

Brake rotors are real easy to warp if you don't torque the lug nuts properly.

I've towed project and parts cars half way across the state with mine (including my D150) and generally used it like a truck.
I don't beat the snot out of it, though.
 
YY1 said:
3.92 gear was standard.

I know of one that was special ordered with 3.19 (!?)

When it was my daily, mine had the highest average gas mileage ever recorded (per EVIC) at dakotart.com at 14.2.
Most were in the low 13's

Brake rotors are real easy to warp if you don't torque the lug nuts properly.

I've towed project and parts cars half way across the state with mine (including my D150) and generally used it like a truck.
I don't beat the snot out of it, though.
Click to expand...
I was a mmber over there are dakotart.com user name was rtzod.
 
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What that "turtle" does in the bottom of the plenum, is add the "other half" of the long runners, guiding the air into them instead of just blasting the flat surface.
 
YY1 said:
What that "turtle" does in the bottom of the plenum, is add the "other half" of the long runners, guiding the air into them instead of just blasting the flat surface.
Click to expand...
Yup. I ended up taking all the hop up parts off and selling them. Put it back to stock.
 
I've had 3 of them in the past. I loved them all. I just kept them stock. Still quick. I towed my 56 Ford F100 on a flatbed trailer from West Virginia to MA with no problems.
Yes the heater cores are pains in the a$$.
I sole one with 220k on the odometer and it still ran great.
If I didn't need a full size truck I would get another one.
 
cool buy

my 99 SLT Dakota 4x4 5.2 magnum daily driver,
a few bolt on goodies, for better performance
& it is almost completely rust free after 21 years

I love that truck,
Emerald Green Pearl photo, the looks like it's blue
it's a cool green & silver actually, grey interior
Budnicks 99 Dakota 4x4 #1.JPG



& I had a Red 98 R/T 'I hot-rodded up' until 2007
I had a Silver 99 R/T, bone stock with just a Hypertech tuner
great fun little trucks, sold before I moved
sorry no digital photos right now

I just prefer the 4x4's up here

also had a low miles 99 Durango Shelby SP360, blue & white stripes
I got for a partial payment for a job I did, sold it pretty quick, back in 2002
wish I would have kept that one

all that doesn't matter if your taking all the drivetrain
& putting it in the kids car, use the harness & computer too

good luck
 
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I had a 1999 Deep Amethyst club cab R/T. I loved that truck. I sold it with 48k on the clock.
 
Slap Stick said:
On the bottom of the intake there is a plate that seals the intake plenum. The gasket on it blows out, causing a vacuum leak and oil burning. The Hughes kit fixes this.
From the outside the Magnum intake looks like a high rise. Instead the air comes in through the throttle body and goes to the bottom of the intake, the plenum floor. The air then goes into the intake runners which then cross over to the heads. Iow the runners on the L feed the R kind of like the old Sonoramic engines.
Its somewhat like the intake system on an inline 4 motorcycle. There is an airbox (plenum) between the throttle bodies and head.
And don't think because it hasn't blown, its okay. It WILL go out.

Speaking of heads, Magnum heads are prone to cracking between the valves. While the engine is out you may want to have a look. Maybe get a nice valve job and a little porting.

In my part of the country? MO ain't that far from CO.
Click to expand...
Much appreciated. Yes I'll be taking the heads in for a good going over so any issue will get addressed.
 
5.7 hemi said:
If ya decide to part it out, my dad might be interested in the wheels.
Click to expand...
I'll be selling the wheels, there's a spare matching aluminum mag as well. Make an offer.

I'll look them over and let you know the condition.
 
I’ll get in touch with him and show him this thread.
 
Another thought would be to post that thing on the dakotart.com site and or and flip it for triple your investment.
 
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