S/D 318 different than normal 318

[Phatnlow]

Goto WWW.ALLPAR.COM

Click on cars at the bottom then click on Dodge a list will drop down choose Shelby Dakota scroll to the bottom of page and read what ShelbyDak wrote: In shortened version below: "Shelby Dak" wrote I own #939 with 97,000 miles on it. I work in a auto shop and my engine started knocking so i took it out and stripped it. It had aluminum flat top pistons,double roller timing chain,roller lifter, and a mild cam. I compared the crank to one in a 1989 Dodge truck's 318 and it was very different, maybe stroker or balanced. I am not sure yet

[shelbymotorsports]

http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/dodge/shelby-dakota.html

 

It had aluminum flat top pistons, double roller timing chain, roller lifters, and mild cam. I owned this truck since new and the engine has never been out before, so I think the 175 hp is a little off. I compared the crank to one in a full size 1989 Dodge truck's 318 and it was very different, maybe stroker or balanced, I am not sure yet.

 

I have to disagree with some of what this person wrote on AllPar. The Shelby Dakota V-8 engine is exactly the same as a 318 engine from any other truck of the same year. There were some external differences like the oil pan and air filter housing but absolutely not was the Shelby Dakota stroked. Nor was it balanced any different from other 318 truck engines.

 

Flat top pistons are correct. What was he expecting domed pistons?

 

Roller lifters are correct and were introduced in late 1988 on the LA engines.

 

Mild cam? Nope at least not when it left Whittier. Perhaps the author was confused by the roller lifter camshaft lobes.

 

And yes the HP is a little off but not in the direction the author thinks it is.

 

Steve

[Phatnlow]

Goto WWW.ALLPAR.COM

Click on cars at the bottom then click on Dodge a list will drop down choose Shelby Dakota scroll to the bottom of page and read what ShelbyDak wrote: In shortened version below: "Shelby Dak" wrote I own #939 with 97,000 miles on it. I work in a auto shop and my engine started knocking so i took it out and stripped it. It had aluminum flat top pistons,double roller timing chain,roller lifter, and a mild cam. I compared the crank to one in a 1989 Dodge truck's 318 and it was very different, maybe stroker or balanced. I am not sure yet

 

 

 

Thanks Steve for clearing up the mystery. The Shelby Dakota i just bought on the 15th of this month has a single inlet dual outlet muffler dual exhaust system and it has a strong lope when idling the valve covers are green including the oil cap (kinda slopy looking) you can tell someone repainted them i want to clean off the paint of of the oil cap make it black again. I know the Shelby Dakota was a Dakota Sport with Shelby package added from cal. Maybe you can shed some light on this next question i have being i don't even have a owners manual for this truck yet. I ordered one last night (will take 3 weeks to get it) for 29.95 shipping and handling. I have a set of factory Bosh driving lights for a 1989 Nissan Pathfinder (junkyard scrouging) they look just like the Dakota ones can they be incorporated into the harness of this truck? Mine don't work at all no power when i turn the ignition all the way on checking with a electric tester to the 2 plugs that lead to the factory light switch only one plug will be use to the light switch. It seems the harness for the lights also is used under the dash going to other components. Or can i strip out the whole harness and disect it removing wires to the old lights that aren't used any more or is there a way to fix my existing lights?

Thanks for your help so far Leonard

[shelbymotorsports]

Thanks Steve for clearing up the mystery. The Shelby Dakota i just bought on the 15th of this month has a single inlet dual outlet muffler dual exhaust system and it has a strong lope when idling the valve covers are green including the oil cap (kinda slopy looking) you can tell someone repainted them i want to clean off the paint of of the oil cap make it black again. I know the Shelby Dakota was a Dakota Sport with Shelby package added from cal. Maybe you can shed some light on this next question i have being i don't even have a owners manual for this truck yet. I ordered one last night (will take 3 weeks to get it) for 29.95 shipping and handling. I have a set of factory Bosh driving lights for a 1989 Nissan Pathfinder (junkyard scrouging) they look just like the Dakota ones can they be incorporated into the harness of this truck? Mine don't work at all no power when i turn the ignition all the way on checking with a electric tester to the 2 plugs that lead to the factory light switch only one plug will be use to the light switch. It seems the harness for the lights also is used under the dash going to other components. Or can i strip out the whole harness and disect it removing wires to the old lights that aren't used any more or is there a way to fix my existing lights?

Thanks for your help so far Leonard

 

 

Leonard

 

If the Nissan lights are from Bosch you may be able to swap parts like the lens and possibly the mounting bracket. You do know the fog lights will only turn on with the headlights on and set on low beam. Pushing the fog light switch alone will not turn them on, must have the headlights on lowbeam.

 

That second plug is for the 4x4 off road lights used on some 4-wheel drive Dakotas. Since the Shelby Daks didn't use these extra off road light the connector just sits there.

 

Also don't forget to check the bulbs.

 

Steve

[BobsShelbyDakota]

Thanks

 

Bob

[Phatnlow]

Thanks Steve for clearing up the mystery. The Shelby Dakota i just bought on the 15th of this month has a single inlet dual outlet muffler dual exhaust system and it has a strong lope when idling the valve covers are green including the oil cap (kinda slopy looking) you can tell someone repainted them i want to clean off the paint of of the oil cap make it black again. I know the Shelby Dakota was a Dakota Sport with Shelby package added from cal. Maybe you can shed some light on this next question i have being i don't even have a owners manual for this truck yet. I ordered one last night (will take 3 weeks to get it) for 29.95 shipping and handling. I have a set of factory Bosh driving lights for a 1989 Nissan Pathfinder (junkyard scrouging) they look just like the Dakota ones can they be incorporated into the harness of this truck? Mine don't work at all no power when i turn the ignition all the way on checking with a electric tester to the 2 plugs that lead to the factory light switch only one plug will be use to the light switch. It seems the harness for the lights also is used under the dash going to other components. Or can i strip out the whole harness and disect it removing wires to the old lights that aren't used any more or is there a way to fix my existing lights?

Thanks for your help so far Leonard

 

 

 

Thanks Steve- Your a lifesaver Gosh, I am so embarassed that i didn't think of that. The wiring for the dakota lights is so different than the nissan factory or add on kits that i overlooked it. The nissan work the same way unless you take the purple wire and hook it straight to the battery with the red hot wire then they will work whenever you want them too also nissan't light have a fuse block that mounts to the battery tie down strap.

When i read our reply i jumped up ran to the shop and started working on it lol.. they both worked even with a cracked housing and lens so i rebuilt them. Put in the new silverstar H3 bulbs. My wife is beaming with excitement now, she's even hanging out in the shop with me learning. I stripped out the old alarm (didn't work anyway) so i could see the original wiring harnesses better and clean up the mess under the hood and dash. I found a long black wire running to the horn from behind the fuse box (it's not very loud like i know it should be). Do you have any suggestions to improve this?

I have another question Steve - What kind of gas mileage did these trucks get or list on the invoice when new like city mpg. highway mpg.

Thanks a million for your help so far.

:D

[shelbymotorsports]

Thanks Steve- Your a lifesaver Gosh, I am so embarassed that i didn't think of that. The wiring for the dakota lights is so different than the nissan factory or add on kits that i overlooked it. The nissan work the same way unless you take the purple wire and hook it straight to the battery with the red hot wire then they will work whenever you want them too also nissan't light have a fuse block that mounts to the battery tie down strap.

When i read our reply i jumped up ran to the shop and started working on it lol.. they both worked even with a cracked housing and lens so i rebuilt them. Put in the new silverstar H3 bulbs. My wife is beaming with excitement now, she's even hanging out in the shop with me learning. I stripped out the old alarm (didn't work anyway) so i could see the original wiring harnesses better and clean up the mess under the hood and dash. I found a long black wire running to the horn from behind the fuse box (it's not very loud like i know it should be). Do you have any suggestions to improve this?

I have another question Steve - What kind of gas mileage did these trucks get or list on the invoice when new like city mpg. highway mpg.

Thanks a million for your help so far.

:D

 

Real world gas mileage is around 16mpg. A little more if all highway driving.

 

The factory horn wire should be a dark green wire with a red stripe. It should be part of the trucks wiring harness so I'm thinking that the loose black wire you found was added by someone. Take a thick wire from the "+" side of the battery and touch it directly to the horn's power connector for a second or two to see how the horn sounds. If it sounds good and loud you know the horn is good. If it sounds bad try a new horn.

 

The reason the fog lites are wired this way is because there is some strange law that makes it illegal to run fog lites with the high beams on. They will also not turn on with just the parking lights, the low beams must be on.

 

Steve