Exhaust, Intake & Control Module on a Dodge Dakota - Air, Spark & Exhaust

The first thing we did was... 

   

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The first thing we did was get the truck over to Connie and Dick's Service Center to have some baseline numbers recorded. The crew strapped the truck down and made a few pulls.

Dodge built a very nice truck with its V-8-powered Dakota. You almost want to grab those Mopar engineers and throw them a high-five for stuffing eight holes in a small truck. Does that mean the truck is good enough for us power-hungry mongers? The answer is no. So how do we squeeze extra ponies out of the motor? Going back to basics, we know that if we stuff our 4.7L full of air, ignite it with a hot spark, and then get it out much faster, we'll be smoking them down the street.

After a small bench-racing session, we sat down in front of our computer and logged onto www.truckperformancecenter.com. With our vast knowledge of theory, we used a tried-and-true method of combining the parts needed. With the last round of Rock, Paper, Scissors done, a Volant air intake, JET control module, and Flowmaster muffler and tailpipe were on their way. With everything installed, we fired up the truck and were already impressed. The Flowmaster had a deep, throaty tone, and when we cracked the throttle, we could now hear the air sucking in, much like the sound of a '70s cop car with a spreadbore carb. Once we were done farting around, we closed the hood and went on a testdrive. The truck had a noticeable increase in the bottom-end pull that anyone could see from the two black marks behind the truck. It pulled nicely throughout the rpm range, only dropping off at the red end of the tach before the transmission snapped into Second. These essentials will work on any truck, but follow along as we show how this Dodge got hooked up.

The Flowmaster kit has everything...        read full caption The Flowmaster kit has everything you'll need, from the catalytic converter back to the bumper, including heavy-duty thick-walled (0.075-inch) aluminized tailpipe, clamps/hangers, brackets, and, of course, one of the company's 30-series mufflers. Like all Flowmaster mufflers, this one features welded-in chambers that produce better scavenging of exhaust gases to reduce backpressure.	1. We had the technicians...        read full caption 1. We had the technicians at Rich's Motorsports install the parts for us; we wouldn't want to get our hands dirty. They started with the exhaust because it's the most extensive part or this story. As you can see, the factory setup is not "performance," but it does work, and, well, we want performance, so off it comes.	2a. A few squirts of WD-40,...        read full caption 2a. A few squirts of WD-40, an impact, and some persuasion from the hammer freed the hanger. We fought the urge to just cut this thing off because, per the instructions, we will need to reuse it.
2b.	3. The post on the rear hanger...        read full caption 3. The post on the rear hanger was slipped out of the rubber grommet.	4. Usually, this is where...        read full caption 4. Usually, this is where you would see the muffler coming out - well, not in this story. Ours was stuck, so it took a little heat and some grunting to get this sucker loose.
5. OK, so now the muffler...        read full caption 5. OK, so now the muffler can be discarded and not a moment too soon: Look how nasty that thing is.	6. Here is a better shot of...        read full caption 6. Here is a better shot of the front hanger. As you can see, it's discolored but still in good shape.	7. The new 30-series muffler...        read full caption 7. The new 30-series muffler slipped right over the factory pipe, and the front hanger was installed but not yet tightened all the way. As you can see by the big orange "inlet" sticker, Flowmaster's are directional, so pay attention. If you can't find the sticker, they're also stamped on the case.
8. Now the tailpipe section...        read full caption 8. Now the tailpipe section was snaked around the rearend and slipped onto the back of the muffler.	9. The outlet on the new muffler...        read full caption 9. The outlet on the new muffler is offset to the side, so the company provides a new rear hanger setup to support the weight. It's slipped around the pipe and installed finger-tight.	10. The tailpipe was adjusted...        read full caption 10. The tailpipe was adjusted with the two-finger method before all the hanger bolts were tightened.
11. Now the truck can be set...        read full caption 11. Now the truck can be set back on the ground to get working on this. The Volant air intake features crosslink polyethylene airducts that are sculptured to give the engine a less restrictive air pass to breathe. On the end of that is one of Volant's Cleanable Ram Filters and a shield designed to deflect a large percentage of engine heat away from the air cleaner to cool the intake charge.	12. Here is the stock stuff....        read full caption 12. Here is the stock stuff. As you can see, the air has to pass through a section of accordion-looking tube that creates turbulence and slows the air getting into the motor.	13. Here is problem number...        read full caption 13. Here is problem number two: The factory paper element, while good at trapping dirt, is not so good at performance flow, and you can't clean it.
14. The airbox also gets discarded....        read full caption 14. The airbox also gets discarded. A few 10mm bolts hold it in.	15. Before installation, we...        read full caption 15. Before installation, we set the two pieces side by side. As you can tell, the Volant provides a smoother path for the air to travel through, which we all know by now will increase efficiency and throttle response.	16. The tube itself doesn't...        read full caption 16. The tube itself doesn't bear the load of the filter all by itself; it comes with a support bracket that is held on by the provided nylock nut.
17. The kit also comes with...        read full caption 17. The kit also comes with a peel-and-stick seal for the base of the throttle body to prevent air leaks.	18. This big aluminum nut...        read full caption 18. This big aluminum nut and washer hold on the tube, but don't overtighten it. With most systems for these Dodges, you can eventually break the tube if you continually crank this sucker down; a half turn with a wrench will be enough.	19. The support bracket is...        read full caption 19. The support bracket is bolted to one of the holes left by the factory airbox before the new air cleaner is forced onto the end of the tube. There are no real tricks here, but we suggest putting the end of the hose clamp on the bottom and out of sight.
20. Here is the system once...        read full caption 20. Here is the system once it's tight. You might be saying, "Where's the heatshield?" Well, we forgot to take a picture of it, so just close your eyes and imagine it's there.	21. The JET module for Dodge...        read full caption 21. The JET module for Dodge applications is a plug-and-play install that intercepts the signal going to the ECM and then sends out its own signal. The ECM reads various parameters such as manifold vacuum, temperature, throttle position, and rpm. By recalibrating the information going into the computer, the JET module is able to tune the engine for better efficiency.	22. Before doing any work...        read full caption 22. Before doing any work on your vehicle's computer, it's a good idea to disconnect the battery.
23. OK, are you ready for...        read full caption 23. OK, are you ready for a really difficult install? Just unplug the factory harness and put the module in between. Then hook the battery back up and you're done.	On the trip back to Connie...        read full caption On the trip back to Connie and Dick's for the results, we hammered our Dodge at every stop, loving the fact that burnouts are much easier and much more impressive. With the truck back on the dyno, we saw a peak increase of 15 hp and 29 lb-ft of torque. Now you see why we had a smile after the install: almost 30 lb-ft of torque for us to play with!