Dakota advice

[vancamp]

im thinking about trading my daughters 98 ram 360 quad cab for a 2000 Dakota club cab with a 3.9 v6 with about 68000 miles anybody have any problems with the 3.9 motor and automatic in these, ive never had a 3.9 and would like to know any issues to look for beforehand.

[A383Wing]

I have a 3.9 in my 94 Dakota....good little engine, basically it's a 318 engine with 2 less cylinders....

not all that powerful, mine ain't that great on gas...but if ya buy a truck, guess gas mileage ain't what yer looking for. Performance parts are non-existent.

3.9's were "timing chain challenged".....meaning there was a TSB for installing the dealer chain tensioner because chain hit the original timing pointer

[moparguy01]

I had a 87 Dakota with a carburated 3.9. The thing even with the 5 speed was a major slug. I couldn't hit 80mph on the highway even when I tried. It also got crap fuel economy. About 12/14 town/highway. But it was dead set reliable and it didn't get stuck unless I did something stupid.

[bull]

I've never had any major issues with mine. I've owned my 94 Dakota since 2000 and it's now got 151k on it.

[vancamp]

well ended up not being able to deal with the dealer on the dakota, he flat out said they had way to much in the dakota to probaly ever sell it he did offer to buy my daughters truck shes been driving for two years for what i have in it, i just decided to keep her ram for now and may try to find her something later on in the year when work picks up and give the ram to my son.

[bull]

I had a 87 Dakota with a carburated 3.9. The thing even with the 5 speed was a major slug. I couldn't hit 80mph on the highway even when I tried. It also got crap fuel economy. About 12/14 town/highway. But it was dead set reliable and it didn't get stuck unless I did something stupid.

Yup, my dad always said that when they touted the V6s back in the 50s and 60s they'd say they had "the power of an 8 cylinder and the fuel economy of a 4 cylinder" when the opposite was true. My EFI 3.9 Dakota doesn't do too terribly bad though considering how I've got my foot in it all the time. I get about 14 mpg with combo city/hwy driving.

[LaOtto70Charger]

I was shocked with the fuel economy of those 6's when I bought my Dakota in '03.  I got the V8 because the rated fuel economy was similar between the 8's and 6's.  My 4.7 normally gets 14.5 mpg.  I have hit 20 on the highway twice.  No problems with the truck at all to date.  107,000 miles.