What can be done to fix a 2000 Dodge Dakota v6 when it lost power and acts like it is going to stall after installing headers dual exhaust and other options to help increase its power?

Answer 1

This may not be the right answer, but I believe it has something to do with it. The Computer on the Dakota has a "look up" table for temperature, vs fuel/air mix, vs timing. I am also told it sort of stores this information based on the last operating cycle queries from the computer to the various sensors that detect the necessary information (temperature sensors, oxygen sensors, fuel micture sensors, etc). The fault in this is if you don't drive the truck year round...for example I drive mine only in the spring and summer. The last day i drive the vehicle in summer may be 85 degrees, but the first day i start it up the next spring it is maybe 40 degrees. This completely freaks out the computer as based on its last run...it is expecting all the conditions or relatively close to it, from the last day it recorded. I always have to sit in the truck for close to 45 minutes before it will stay running on its own ...and I always require three or four restarts (been doing this every year since 1999...and it never changes) So how does this apply to you change of exhaust and component parts? It is essentially the same thing. If you changed parts that breathe freer or have the effect of changing fuel air mixture manifold temperature...it will behave the same way until it adjusts itself for the change. Even these 20 dollar resistors that you add to the sensors to trick the truck computer into thinking the air temperature is cooler thus running engine timing richer takes about a day to adjust itself to run right. So my advise is to run the thing for a while and give it time to figure out the right adjustments. One more point ...I think another fatal flaw with the Dakota design is that you might even outspec the factory Computer. In other words its possible you put on stage 1 or 32 or 3 upgrades that made the truck factary computer obsolete...this will cost you big money as you really must match the truck computer to the level of upgrades you have made. Now maybe...and I do say maybe a stage 1 upgrade does not require a truck computer upgrade...but I would bet stage 2 and beyond absolutely require an upgrade. So if your computer seems unable to relearn how to run correctly...my bet is your upgrades made you foactory truck computer obsolete because it cant make the enough of an adjustment to align with your changes.Hope this helps> maxvolt1@Verizon.net