I wanted to keep the project as simple as possible so I was not willing to dive into the bottom end or pull the engine. Since the vast majority of my driving is at 1200 to 2400 RPM, my goal was to improve bottom end torque with a towing-oriented cam, repair the plenum leak, and possibly improve the gas mileage. I decided to address all these issues in one project, following the transmission rebuild. That repair did not last and by 170,000 it was drinking a quart of oil every 1500 miles. It tended to ping on hills and eventually I noticed oil in the intake, so I replaced the plenum gasket at 140,000 miles. It always seemed to struggle with acceleration, but I attributed that to the heavy engine and the all-wheel drive / 4WD drivetrain. I have used the Dakota as a daily driver since it was new, suffering the fuel expenses that result from 10 to 12 mpg in traffic. Planning on keeping it, I reflected on what it might take to keep it on the road, and keep me happy with it. I have always tended to keep vehicles for a long time and the $3000 investment in the transmission was in part, a commitment to keep the truck for the foreseeable future. However, at 173,000 miles, the transmission decided to implode, causing me to reflect on the future of the truck. I am the original owner of the truck, which has 176,000 miles and has had very few problems over the years. This is an overview of my selection and installation of an aftermarket cam for my 2001 Dodge Dakota 5.9 Magnum.
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