I just realized that it has been about a week since I have posted anything. Well, that isn't cause I don't still love you all. I have been busy working on my truck. Actually, running around getting ready to work on the truck, the actually work took all of last weekend.
Here's what I've been into in case anyone is interested.
I drive a 1999 Dodge 1500 Ram 4X4 Sport package with the 5.9 360 motor. It has been an excellent truck for the most part and just recently turned over 100,000 miles. I always keep up with the maintenance and am a firm believer that machines last longer with the proper care. So, when my truck started smoking and using oil, I was a bit concerned. I meticulously performed the 100,000 mile tune-up and could find nothing wrong, aside from oily plugs (it was smoking after all). Since the tune-up, I have been paying very close attention to the oil. I noticed to my horror that I was loosing about a quart of oil for 1 hundred miles, or 4 quarts in 4 hundred miles.
Now THAT is an oil leak! But, here is the best part, I have no oil puddles in my garage nor is the underside of the truck slicked down with oil. So, off to research this anomaly and found out that Dodge actually knew about this issue that these trucks have and back in 2000 sent out a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) instead of conducting a recall. That is great customer service, right! It turns out that my intake manifold is two pieces and has a plenum pan on the belly. It also turns out that from the factory, dodge used a crappy gasket that was prone to blowing out, thus creating an internal oil leak. I was burning oil through my intake manifold.
So all last week I was running around gathering up the proper materials needed to fix this problem and spent last weekend wrenching in the garage. This was a fairly easy job, just time consuming because the whole motor needed stripped down to be able to remove the intake manifold. I am pleased to report that I'm back on the road and have discovered that I have a lot more horsepower and torque. The truck is alive again and isn't doggy and pinging like before. I strongly suggest that if you own a late model Dodge Truck and you are using oil, take off your air cleaner and look down the throttle body into the intake manifold. If you see any oil in there replace that plenum gasket and save your motor. If left unfixed, you can seriously damage your engine and exhaust components.
Here are a few pics for your viewing enjoyment.....
The Plenum Pan with the blown out gasket (note all of the oil)
Inside the Intake manifold (again, note all of the oil)
A couple shots of the Fuel Injector ports (what a mess)
The disassembled motor (looks fun doesn't it?)
The one bolt that made the job difficult. There's always one right?
Here's what I've been into in case anyone is interested.
I drive a 1999 Dodge 1500 Ram 4X4 Sport package with the 5.9 360 motor. It has been an excellent truck for the most part and just recently turned over 100,000 miles. I always keep up with the maintenance and am a firm believer that machines last longer with the proper care. So, when my truck started smoking and using oil, I was a bit concerned. I meticulously performed the 100,000 mile tune-up and could find nothing wrong, aside from oily plugs (it was smoking after all). Since the tune-up, I have been paying very close attention to the oil. I noticed to my horror that I was loosing about a quart of oil for 1 hundred miles, or 4 quarts in 4 hundred miles.
Now THAT is an oil leak! But, here is the best part, I have no oil puddles in my garage nor is the underside of the truck slicked down with oil. So, off to research this anomaly and found out that Dodge actually knew about this issue that these trucks have and back in 2000 sent out a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) instead of conducting a recall. That is great customer service, right! It turns out that my intake manifold is two pieces and has a plenum pan on the belly. It also turns out that from the factory, dodge used a crappy gasket that was prone to blowing out, thus creating an internal oil leak. I was burning oil through my intake manifold.So all last week I was running around gathering up the proper materials needed to fix this problem and spent last weekend wrenching in the garage. This was a fairly easy job, just time consuming because the whole motor needed stripped down to be able to remove the intake manifold. I am pleased to report that I'm back on the road and have discovered that I have a lot more horsepower and torque. The truck is alive again and isn't doggy and pinging like before. I strongly suggest that if you own a late model Dodge Truck and you are using oil, take off your air cleaner and look down the throttle body into the intake manifold. If you see any oil in there replace that plenum gasket and save your motor. If left unfixed, you can seriously damage your engine and exhaust components.
Here are a few pics for your viewing enjoyment.....
The Plenum Pan with the blown out gasket (note all of the oil)
Inside the Intake manifold (again, note all of the oil)
A couple shots of the Fuel Injector ports (what a mess)
The disassembled motor (looks fun doesn't it?)
The one bolt that made the job difficult. There's always one right?
