Its a 98 Ram with the 5.9 liter and just turned 100k.  Its as solid as can be and as clean as i was when it rolled off the factory floor.

Ok so i have roughly $400 to use on "performance parts".
been looking at the K&N filter kit, 7.5mm plug wire set, and E3 plugs.

trying to optomize hp and trq along with gas milage.   anyone else have ideas or suggestions for under $400?




DAMN, I  LOVE THIS TRUCK.

The intake will do nothing.

Don't spend money on the truck motor. None of it is worth it really.If its stock, it's reliable.

Just put other things on the truck to make it better for what you do. Rubber floormats, CB, running boards, wheel well flares etc.

Use your money to take out an ad in the Auto Trader, sell that pos and buy a Toyota.

the single best thing I've ever done to my truck was a Superchips Tuner. Mine was an F150 though and the superchips seem to work well for them, not sure about the dodges though. Look around on Dodge boards to find which tuner would work the best if that somethign you woudl want to do.

If you're not into performance mods, then get a bed tool box. I love mine. Got a black diamondplate one at tractor supply for $150 on clearance.

sell it

I want a little more performance out of it.  most of the ECU reprogrammers i have seen specify that your vehicle run on 93 octane after its tuned.... $$$$$$$   i think hypertech has one for dual fuel.

A retractable Tonneau Cover would be nice.

I have a 97 Ram 1500 at 125k, it is still running strong.  If you want some fun mods that give you some HP, get some headers, a new cat, and a flowmaster.   You don't want to totally lose your backpressure, but this will give you a bit more power and sound better.  If you don't have some backpressure your horsepower will suffer also.  375.00 for me, cat back with flowmaster, 3" from the cat to the muffler, duals out back.  

Here it is about a year ago, since then...  new tires, bumper, and exhaust.  


If you want a bit more top end at the cost of your bottom end, I can reccomend a throttle body spacer. 50.00

K&N is overrated, you might gain 1-3hp with that, if the filter is clean.  Also, be careful with a chipset, they can be good or bad.  Surf some dodge boards to find one that works.  Some of the chips will reduce the life of your engine.  OR, get a tuner module kit to tweak your current computer, this would probably be a better bet.  ~120.00

Plugwires are a good idea, especially at that mileage.  I had a problem with mine near 105k, a new rotor, cap, & wires fixed it.  ~40-75.00

Oh, also, cuz the truck is new to you.  You should get a coolant flush kit, (the type that you hook up to a garden hose) and flush and lube your coolant system.  Flush it with the good cleaner, watch the brown crud come out, then put the protectant in.  It will make a difference in the whole engine, as it cleans out the passages in your block and heads.  

This is from personal experience, as having a plugged coolant passage in a block is a bitch.  Especially when it feeds your heater.  

here is a link to some good info...
dodgeram.org/support_pgs/tech_index.htm

I am was a mechanic, and these trucks are easier to fix than most vehicles if you keep up the routine maintence.  

Weak spots that need watching...

Vacuum system, it runs everything from your heater box too your front axle.  Engage your 4wd about once a month and drive it on some dirt, this will keep the dashpot and front axle seals loosened up.  

I had a problem with my cruise control, and it was just a broken vac line.  The cruisec dashpot is hidden under the battery BTW...

Oil changes, the 360(5.9) is a darn good engine.  Its lineage can be directly traced back from the original LA motors of 1964 with the 273, the Hi-Po muscle car engines 340-360, to todays workhorse.  However, unlike BMW or VW, even with synthetic it needs the Oil changed within a normal period, say3-5kmi, not 8-10kmi like some designs.  This may cost you more in the short run, but it will really make your engine last longer.  Same goes for tranny, reliable, old school tough, but not maitnence free.

Hope this helps.  Enjoy your Ram

Quoted: I have a 97 Ram 1500 at 125k, it is still running strong.  If you want some fun mods that give you some HP, get some headers, a new cat, and a flowmaster.   You don't want to totally lose your backpressure, but this will give you a bit more power and sound better.  If you don't have some backpressure your horsepower will suffer also.  375.00 for me, cat back with flowmaster, 3" from the cat to the muffler, duals out back.

wouldn't you want to do some sort of mod to your intake if your opening up your exhaust?  I was figuring on the intake part first so i would keep my foot out of the radiator and not listen to the roar of the exhaust right away.

I usually do new plugs, wires, rotor and cap, and fluids when i get a new vehicle.  
the dealer gave me an itemized list of what they fixed on it.  Main seal on xfer case, thermostat, torsion bars and a couple other small items.

3" on a 5.9liter seems pretty big.  i was looking at doing that on my 383 if i ever get a body for it.

Quoted: Quoted: I have a 97 Ram 1500 at 125k, it is still running strong.  If you want some fun mods that give you some HP, get some headers, a new cat, and a flowmaster.   You don't want to totally lose your backpressure, but this will give you a bit more power and sound better.  If you don't have some backpressure your horsepower will suffer also.  375.00 for me, cat back with flowmaster, 3" from the cat to the muffler, duals out back.   wouldn't you want to do some sort of mod to your intake if your opening up your exhaust?  I was figuring on the intake part fst so i would keep my foot out of the radiator and not listen to the roar of the exhaust right away. I usually do new plugs, wires, rotor and cap, and fluids when i get a new vehicle.   the dealer gave me an itemized list of what they fixed on it.  Main seal on xfer case, thermostat, torsion bars and a couple other small items. 3" on a 5.9liter seems pretty big.  i was looking at doing that on my 383 if i ever get a body for it.

I as long as you keep a cat and a muffler, you should be ok with backpressure.   If I do an intake mod, I really need to do a different cam and possibly some head cleanup/port matching.  That would put you over 400.00 easily even if you did it yourself.  

3" was bewteen the Cat and muffler, I went dual 2&3/4 from the Flowmaster back.  This was just for that low throaty tone, not for flow.  I got what I wanted, as it dosent crackle due to the 9:1 compression at 6k above sea level, but it growls like a gas engine should.  I have had numerous people ask what kind of exhaust set up I have, as everybody likes the sound.  It is the perfect volume too, quet enough to tune out, but loud enough to know its there.

Also, I got a screamin deal on eBay for a set of tig welded shorty stainless headers, to me for 109.00.  Stainlessperformance or something was his name...

DAMN that bitch is clean!!!

ebay link

This is pretty much what I got for headers, I bought them from somebody else though.  The prices have near doubled since a year ago!  Still... Stainless lasts forever.  

i'd say you got lucky with those headers!  there aren't any on ebay right now.

Quoted: DAMN that bitch is clean!!!

Yep, its so clean i hate to drive it on gravel roads.  but what the hell is the point of it, if it never leaves tar just to keep it clean.

intake is one of the first things i like to do because it helps with hp even if just a few but the sound is awesome.

pair the intake with an exhaust and the truck will sound amazing while adding several hp

if the K&N kit is over rated what is recomended?  Volant?

i was looking through headers and the cheap ones look like they could possibly be one hell of a bitch to get on because of space allotment with the exhaust tubes by the header bolts.

so much stuff to do and not enough $$

Quoted: if the K&N kit is over rated what is recomended?  Volant? i was looking through headers and the cheap ones look like they could possibly be one hell of a bitch to get on because of space allotment with the exhaust tubes by the header bolts. so much stuff to do and not enough $$

Get a good Fram or "gold" level filter for it.  There was a test a while back on a Hot Rod dyno, they tested a stock air filter element, big k&n, small k&n, mr. gasket mesh filter, and open carb.  They all dyno'd withnin 6hp of each other.  And surprising to most people, the car ran better with some restriction, producing more torque down low and more even power and torque curves.  

k&ns are expensive.  They also let Dirt in, regardless of what k&n says, they do let more non air particles in than a normal air filter.  You are also introducing that filter oil to your intake system.  My throttle body and butterflys were black with grit and oil residue after having a K&n on for a while.  They are a good filter, but they aren't worth the money.  I talked to the owner of a local truckng company, according to him, K&n settled out of court all their k&n equipped trucks engines had low compression tests after 6mo or so.  

I had to shorten the bolts to get my headers on.  The passenger side header is the worst.  

Quoted: Quoted: if the K&N kit is over rated what is recomended?  Volant? i was looking through headers and the cheap ones look like they could possibly be one hell of a bitch to get on because of space allotment with the exhaust tubes by the header bolts. so much stuff to do and not enough $$ Get a good Fram or "gold" level filter for it.  There was a test a while back on a Hot Rod dyno, they tested a stock air filter element, big k&n, small k&n, mr. gasket mesh filter, and open carb.  They all dyno'd withnin 6hp of each other.  And surprising to most people, the car ran better with some restriction, producing more torque down low and more even power and torque curves.   k&ns are expensive.  They also let Dirt in, regardless of what k&n says, they do let more non air particles in than a normal air filter.  You are also introducing that filter oil to your intake system.  My throttle body and butterflys were black with grit and oil residue after having a K&n on for a while.  They are a good filter, but they aren't worth the money.  I talked to the owner of a local truckng company, according to him, K&n settled out of court all their k&n equipped trucks engines had low compression tests after 6mo or so.   I had to shorten the bolts to get my headers on.  The passenger side header is the worst.

i've actually wondered if the oil in the filters collect crap on butterflies and intake.

you have sold me on staying away from filters that require oil.  so i'm guessing that most "high flow" intakes use the oil type filters because it will collect more particles yet let more air by due to bigger screen.

any experience with these?

fastman TBI

Spend the money on the exhaust system.

Quoted: Spend the money on the exhaust system.

A good hi-quality set of headers dumping into the OE exhaust will give you the best results.
Stay with the OE air box and filter.

Quoted: Use your money to take out an ad in the Auto Trader, sell that pos and buy a Toyota.

I practiced the advice I just gave on my '02 4WD Toyota Tundra and it has really made a great truck even better


I recently sold my Toyota T100 with 212K on it just because I no longer needed 2 trucks.
@ 212K it would still out perform most new trucks.

Well i got a new Throttle Body for it from "The Fastman"  www.thefastman.com .  It has way better throttle responce now and more get up on the top end.  Dan the owner of Fastman is a really nice guy to deal with and he knows mopars pretty dang good.

Have a Flowmaster 70 series muffler on the way.

next step will be royal purple synthetic oil, 7.5mm plug wire set, and E3 plugs.

stick with regular champion plugs. gimmick plugs are just that.