2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - Intake Manifold and Plenum Gasket Repair - Part 1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video series, I show the steps required to replace the plenum and intake manifold gaskets in my 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD with the 5.9L Magnum engine. Included in the repair is the installation of a new 1/4" aluminum plenum plate from Hughes Engines. This kit is available at:
www.hughesengin...
Part 1 - • 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
Part 2 - • 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
Part 3 - • 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
Part 4 - • 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
Part 5 - • 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
Part 6 - • 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 - ...
I am not a professional mechanic, and my videos are not intended to offer professional advice. Always reference your vehicle's service manual for official information, and please do not attempt any repair that you are not comfortable doing.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the DIY bro! It saved me $600. While I have a 2002 5.9 Durango, these vids still apply. Couldnt talk the wife into letting me use the savings on a new intake, but it emboldened me to do the project myself. I appreciate all the effort.
Mark Hall Mark, that's awesome! Congratulations on doing the job yourself! It's a great feeling, isn't it?
I am happy to have helped, even if the slightest way. Thanks for sharing your success story with me!
Man I really appreciate you making these vids! Helps all of us that just acquired a nice 5.9L even many years later. Thank you bud.
You're videos are great. I watched all 6 and then did this project myself. You're a life saver.
I just finished mine today!! It took me about 8 hours on a saturday plus 2-3 more hours two other days in the afternoon. I wouldn't have ever attempted this if it wasn't for these videos. It took my truck about 1 minute or so to really get idling good, but it finally smoothed out runs better than it has in years. I assume it was the dry fuel rails. Thanks!!
So I’m doing this job now. This video is invaluable! Funny enough, there wasn’t a gasket where the plenum plate and plenum meet AT ALL. Completely missing. Also missing was the rubber gasket under the distributor. Explains the oil leak. I’ll add another comment when it’s done as a quick follow up
Video doesn’t even show what I need.. still gave a like tho for a Better than professional explanation 👍👍
Wonder how many hundreds pf dollars these videos saved me. Thanks, man.
Great set of videos for this repair! The only thing that I've done for coolant because I'm impatient as heckis I remove the lower radiator hose and drain it into a pan. Drains in about 30 sec. I hate those petcocks 😂
It's so nice to see somebody who posts good quality videos on a very similar truck to my '98 Ram. When you showed removing the rad fan I remembered I was able to pull the rad without removing those four fan bolts by just undoing the shroud, sliding it back and pulling the rad directly up and out. The whole rad fan also comes off by spinning that big single nut on the fan axle, easier when fan belt is still on. Then the fan and shroud come off as a unit. I have a few special fan tools so the way you did it may be easier without a big wrench or pulley holding tools. I thought I had done a video of the water pump on the Ram, but if I did, I can't seem to find it now. As you say, it's a whole lot easier to stand inside the engine compartment, ha ha. You've got my sub, I hope you still have the truck.
Wow, thank you so much! I am truly flattered by your comments, and by the fact that you actually watched some of my videos! I have been a fan of yours for some time now, after having watched your video about repairing the AC compressor clutch pulley on your truck (which, coincidentally, is something I desperately need to do on my own truck now). I feel that my knowledge is only minimal, and what little I do posses, is mostly because of kind folks like you who have been willing to share your own knowledge.
I do still have my truck, and drive it every day as my work vehicle. I'm at just under 200,000 miles with the original transmission and engine (knock on wood). It's starting to smoke/burn quite a bit of oil, and it's getting pretty sluggish, but for a 17 year old truck, I'm pretty darn impressed with how well it's held up. I hope to keep it running for years to come, and with any luck, I hope to someday hand it down to my 5 year old daughter to have as her first vehicle.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. I thought I had already subscribed to your channel, but just realized that was not the case...but I have fixed that! Thanks again - I look forward to watching more of your videos in the future!
Yeah, my engine is at 250,000 km now, still going strong. Rust is the most disheartening problem, there are holes in both doors now. Nice to meet you, Matt!
Dave
Thanks for this very informative series of videos. I'm tackling this now on my 1999 1500 using your videos as reference. I might add your approach is excellent, not to mention your calm demeanor. Very easy to understand...
Your videos helped me a lot!! Thank you for taking the time to show everyone how to fix that dreadful plenum!
You're welcome, Cole! I'm glad you found them helpful - thanks for watching!
ABOUT TO DO THIS JOB TO MY 3.9 DAKOTA AND YOUR VIDEOS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
THANK YOU
GOD BLESS
Miguel Espinoza Happy to help, Miguel! Good luck with your repair. Thanks for watching!
Awesome video series. Just did this job on my 02, 5.9 360. Went to Hughes Engines and bought the kit that you recommended. I decided to go with the kit that includes the Felpro gaskets...this is not a job I wanted to do again because of gasket failure. Also, encountered an unforeseen issue when removing my intake. I ended up breaking two bolts on the intake (fwd two, one on each head). I luckily had a welder and experience to be able to weld on a washer/nut and extract the broken bolts. Just wanted to give a heads up on this issue if you are tackling this job yourself. Really appreciate you taking the time to tape, edit, and post these videos!
Great videos. I will be doing this on my 98 dodge ram 5.9. Thanks.
I also removed the radiator when I did mine and everything upfront so I had a place to stand in. Great idea with the battery tray for tools. (thumbs up)
Really appreciated the lack of shaky cam. Some video make you dizzy
watching. Getting tips on making work easier for other jobs. Thanks.
James Henmueller Thanks for watching, James! I try to be as steady as I can...I use my phone to film these videos, so sometimes it's difficult to get a good shot, but I do my best to keep things still. I agree with you - it's tough to watch, shaky/bouncy videos.
Thanks for watching!
I have to do this repair soon... thanks for making these videos.
Sorry for your re-work but thanks for info. I'm going to do this too but I think I'm going to upgrade my cam, valve springs, and intake. Mo powr baby
Well, I have this problem to a T. I can't believe how much work it is on a 2001 to do. On my 2002 sport sbsc it's much cleaner in the engine bay. I've done a head gasket rebuild on it, but this issue has come up and i've been gritting my teeth on pulling them again. Got the intake gasket kit so i'll be hitting it tomorrow.
I just did this on my 2000 Dodge Ram it wasn’t bad the front two bolts on the intake did break which took up most of the time. I can say though if you go for this repair might want to think about timing chain replacement at the same time your right there. These set of videos helped very much thank you for these
headed to part 2 thanx
I was bouncing around looking at other Dodge plenum videos and have to say your video is the best one out there. Good camera work. I will do mine whether it needs it or not. If you have the intake off it is a good time to replace the cam sensor ,rotor,dist cap. Not fun to do with intake in the way.
+ram dodgetruck Thanks so much for kind words! I'm glad you found my video helpful. Great points about the cam sensor; I didn't do that, but it is definitely much easier to do all of that with the intake removed. I want no part of trying to do that with the intake in place.
Thanks for watching!
Great tutorial. Thanks a lot. How long whole job took when You did it for first time?
Well done! You know your stuff. I'm repairing/cleaning my 1993 Dodge Ram B250 318 5.2 liter. Doing the intake plenum & throttle body. Going to do the magnet test to see if plenum is still a steel one, so I can order a Hughes. Either way there's a nice coat of cooked oil in the plenum plate from a bad PCV valve or a blown gasket. It's nice to work inside this van from the doghouse, tho. I can even take off the heads from inside. A privilege, maybe. Love working on this stuff. Thanks for the great instruction!
Thanks for your kind words! My "wheelhouse" of knowledge is really very limited - mainly to stuff I've had to repair multiple times, unfortunately! Haha.
On the Hughes plate, I have read some dissenting opinions recently on whether the steel plate is actually the problem or not. Some folks are adamant that the real issue is with the factory plenum bolts - supposedly they were too long for the threaded holes in the bottom of the intake manifold, so the bolts never reached the specified "clamping" torque, because they would bottom out in the holes first. The Hughes plate will definitely fix this issue, since it is thicker and prevents the bolts from bottoming out, but some people say that all you really need are shorter bolts. I personally feel that the stock steel plate is a little flexible and I like the piece of mind the 1/4" aluminum Hughes plate gives me, but I wanted to mention this to you.
That is pretty cool that you can do all of that stuff from inside the vehicle! Not a bad thing if you don't have a garage!
Thanks for watching!
Matt Payne Me too. You know more than me. I have a few grand to restore this thing. Interior was already converted. Tranny already rebuilt. But, the throttle cable on the tranny where the end of the cable clicks onto the nub (of that lever with the spring) popped off due to wear (1994 tranny). I've been driving with the throttle cable on the tranny disconnected for 8 months. It shifts normally disconnected, though. When it's connected, the tranny shifts way too late (into 2nd at 25mph, 3rd at 46mph, and 4th at 55-60! Revs very, very high) The throttle cable by the throttle body & gas pedal is fine. But when I click that cable back on that nub at the tranny, the gas pedal is noticably tighter. I have a 1yr warranty on the rebuild until mid July 2017. I have all the tranny parts they removed stored in a box. I thought the tranny broke-in after the rebuild when it started shifting normally. But the cable popped off that nub - is what happened. I guess the tranny still knows (somehow) when to shift. But, it seems to me they screwed this job up. I only paid $1600.
Can I solve this cable/high shifting problem on my own without them removing and taking apart the tranny again?? ($500 in addl labor). Maybe just a band adjustment from outside? Or a bad soliniod?? The spring attached to the throttle shifting arm (with the nub) works perfectly fine too.
Matt Payne Yeah. A few other vids say the bolts were too long instead of different metal expansion rates. Maybe I'll just get new bolts from Dodge and keep the steel plenum?? Don't know if my plenum gasket is even blown. PVC valve was trashed for years. But if it is, the engine (crank case) becomes it's own vacume and will suck the oil lid down when I flip it over, right??
I think I might buy a whole gasket set and take the heads off & replace head gaskets. Clean off piston tops. May as well if I'm removing the alternator/bracket, AC compressor, fan, from the front. I'm van camping the CA coast surfing, so spacially memorizing this engine and the parts & their names/functions is my goal. I can take the engine apart (heads & all) and store everything in the van.
This engine is so dirty! I have very slow oil leak, but don't know where. Home Depot rents a carpet steam cleaner for $21/day, now. I'll put a different attachment on it & steam clean the engine so it's as clean as yours in the videos. Even paint the valve covers. Then, eventually reconvert it with solar (300 watts), propane, nickel hydride batteries in the undercarriage, and a 40" 4K LCD screen with wifi antenna on the roof. Never restored/converted a vehicle before. So Cal van, no rust. Muffler and CAT Converter are literally 12 years old.
I think my perceived knowledge is a mirage projected by the fact that I post stuff on TH-cam. I really don't feel like I am all that knowledgeable when it comes to working on vehicles. I really only know the things that I've taken apart/repaired on my own, and I know some other things in theory based on a lot of research that I've done on online forums. But don't get intimidated because you feel like you don't know enough. Just research what you need to know before hand and be meticulous in how you attack a project, and you'll be surprised what you can accomplish! That has been my experience.
As for your broken throttle valve cable attachment, I'm guessing that the PCM defaults to certain shift points in the absence of a throttle valve cable input. Have you spoken to the transmission shop about whether your warranty would cover repair of the TV cable attachment? If not, I would start there and see what they say. If not, I wouldn't think that they would need to do a total tear-down of the transmission to repair that issue, but I am honestly not sure about that. I've never really paid attention to how the TV cable attaches or how that meshes with the transmission internals.
Let me know if you get anywhere with this - I am curious. Good luck!
One way to confirm plenum gasket condition is remove the PCV from the equation. You can remove the PCV hose from the intake manifold and put a small piece of electrical/duct tape of the hose nipple on the manifold. Then, remove the breather hose that runs from the passenger side of the manifold to cold air inlet hose going to the air filter housing. Start the engine, and place your thumb over the end of this breather hose. If you feel a significant amount of suction, then it is almost guaranteed that the plenum gasket is blown. Really the only way for you to have vacuum inside the crankcase is for the plenum gasket to have failed.
I keep meaning to post a video on this test procedure, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Maybe I will find time soon. Let me know if you try this out.
By the way, your project plan sounds awesome! If you do that stuff, you should DEFINITELY document it in video and post it on TH-cam. I'm sure other people would find it interesting/helpful!
All you have to do with the reservoir is pull out on it gently then push it up so that the nubs are free and then it will slide up and out of the fan shroud.
The intake hose your using is what's causing you gasket to fail the high temp being released through the orinial intake hose was high because the original manifold or gasket u had was bad so your prob is going to persist until you get the oem intake line
On the fan clutch, my dad welded some blots in a piece of brass and made me a clutch tool and a took a 12" crescent wrench to the large nut and that's it.
Richard Cowtails That's pretty sweet! I wish I knew how to weld. It's a skill I've always wanted to acquire, but have never had anyone to teach me. Maybe some day...
from what I've experienced, I'ts really not that hard. I've watched and dd a little bit on my exhaust. ill ask my dad for tips for you. things that would help you. or anyone. I'd just buy a welder and practice. youtube is agreat help hahah
There was no need to remove the fan blad just to pull the fan shroud it's a tight fit and fit but it will fit around the fan to come out
I think I have the same problem when the truck is running and the AC is on you can start hearing air sucking sound from the intake and sometimes will shut off and run t tough now it’s got where it doesn’t crank at all
Does it matter if I use a wire brush to get the old gasket off and score up the plate a bit?
any benefit for removing clutchfan /install electric one(s)? thinking....
Man i think i have to so this to a b1500 ram van. Hope i have the space
Do you know how different this is from doing the Hughes Airgap?
Do you know where I can get a new Air Cleaner Cover?
Matt, great series, like many here, I'm about to do the same on my '01 ram 1500, 5.9 V8. I know that since it will already be most of the way there, that this would be a good time for head gaskets, my question is on reinstalling the heads. I know the push rods go back to the same locations they came from, but what else other than torque specs/sequences do I need to know?
Did you find coolant in your oil when these gaskets failed.
Why did it fail again? Was it an installation error, faulty gasket and what can I do to minimize this happening to me?
Steve W Steve, if you watch the subsequent videos on this series, you will see an explanation of why the gasket failed. In short, I failed to use thread sealer on the plenum plate bolts, and the bolts ended up backing out over time, breaking the gasket's seal and allowing oil to get sucked into the intake. Lesson learned = use thread sealant! Take that to heart, pay careful attention to the torque specifications, and you should be good to go.
Thanks for watching!
***** Thanks. Had you not mentioned it, I would never have used thread sealer. Sorry I didn't get to finish the video before asking. I was interrupted while on the send vid. Thanks again.
Steve W No problem at all! I didn't think there was any need for the thread sealer the first time I did this, as the plenum plate kit I bought from Hughes included the bolts that already appeared to have a red sealant on the threads. I figured that would do the trick. Unfortunately I was wrong.
Good luck. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions while you have things apart. I'm far from an expert, but having done this twice, I have lots of photos documenting my process.
+Matt Payne, did you purchase the version from Hughes with the Fel-Pro gaskets? When I ordered they recommended it as opposed to the "Chinese" gaskets. Wondering if maybe that was your problem?
spray a little carb cleaner in dipstick tube see if engine revs
i just did my 2001 ram 1500 today,it did not fix my spark knock issue?any other ideas why im getting spark knock?it never used to do it and then one day it just started doing it.but it does run much smoother,i had to start using 89 octane gas to stop the knock.
Thank you for being so detailed. Gave me the confidence to do the job myself. From hughesengines.com I'm going w/ the Air Gap intake manifold replacement w/ their Big Gulp throttle body.....
Craig Jordan Craig, I'm glad to have helped, and even more glad to hear you gained the knowledge you need to take this on yourself! That's the whole reason I post my videos - if I can do it, I figure anyone can with just a little boost of confidence. Let me know how it goes for you.
Thanks for watching!
*****
Hello Matt. I completed my project about a week ago now & my 2001 R/T Durango is running very well. The intake I purchased from Hughes Engines is a 1 piece cast & has NO plenum gasket anymore...! I gotta say between the new intake & throttle body i can't believe how much more it breathes. I also changed the water pump, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, cam position sensor, tensioner & belt pulleys.
I can't tell you how thankful I am for the tip to cut the top off the bolts to align & position the intake straight down while installing, Big help! Thanks again.
Did your oil smell like exhaust or gas? Just changed my oil cause it reeked of exhaust and it already stinks again
Hey matt I have a question
Did it idle rough? Almost die out? My air cleaner clamp was lose and I hope that fixed it (which I think it did)
Hey I have a 1997 Dodge Ram it has a misfire on cylinder 2 I think it’s a bad intake manifold it burns so much oil when I give it 3000 RPMs Blue smoke goes out the exhaust shakes really bad any suggestions ? Thanks
So I’m not getting vacuum from valve cover..but I do see some oil when looking down the throttle body…would that still mean my plenum is gone bad??
If you don't have vacuum at the valve cover, your plenum gasket is probably intact (although if you have the original steel plenum plate and bolts, that would be somewhat miraculous given how common this issue seems to be). The oil you see through the throttle body could potentially be blowby from your PCV valve. Have you ever replaced that? If not, I'd recommend doing that and then taking a look through the throttle body again in another month or two to see if it looks like there is more oil present at the bottom of the intake.
Thanks for watching!
If i did this same test on my 2000 ram 1500 5.9 and the cap didnt get sucked in does that mean my gaskets are fine?
If where watching it then we are in the same boat
Hey Matt Is their a sure fire way to tell If the intake gasket is bad? spray break cleaner at the gasketed areas and if it changes rpms bad gaskets right?right?
How did you know that you have to replace what was the symptoms?
George, I checked for the presence of vacuum in the crankcase and for oil inside the intake manifold. If you're interested, you can check out my video on performing this diagnosis:
th-cam.com/video/mw_wYRER3gQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching!
Hey Matt, awesome video! You included many details someone would miss when used to working on other vehicles.
I just picked up a theft recovery 2001 Ram, my first Dodge. I'm excited to start working on it. The cat converter has been cut off. What is your opinion on bypassing that? I did it once with a 91 Silverado it worked fine but that was an older truck.
Great Idea to stand in the engine bay! I would have to remove the radiator because I'd probably back my back side into the fins.
I'll have to watch for more of your videos.
Thanks Ron! Awesome score on the Ram - that is exciting! Regarding the catalytic converter, obviously removing it is technically a federal offense. However, if your area does not have emissions testing, you are probably never going to get in trouble for it. As for engine performance, it is my understanding that it really shouldn't adversely affect your performance at all. In fact, it should help it, because your exhaust gas flow will be less restricted (obviously). I think the PCM only uses the downstream O2 sensor to test catalytic converter performance (not to adjust fuel trims), so you probably won't have any driveability issues with the cat removed. You will, however, have a perpetual illuminated check engine light and associated P0420 code for low catalyst efficiency.
Thanks for watching, and enjoy that truck!
did you not show how to disconnect the fan from the fan clutch?
hey matt i watched these videos several time through out my project and im about to dig into my truck a lil bit more i got to change my head gasket but i cant find a decent video that helps me and was wondering if you had one or refer to one that can help thanks....
shane waling Hey Shane, thanks for watching! I have not actually removed a cylinder head myself, but doing so would not require too many additional steps from what I illustrate in my intake manifold removal series. Essentially, you would need to additionally remove the valve covers, which would give you access to the cylinder head bolts. You would also need to remove the spider brackets from the intake manifold valley and then remove the rocker arms and pushrods, I believe. All in all, it would not require that much more work. I don't know of any specific videos for this procedure, but I bet you can at least find one for another vehicle. You can also download the factory service manual from the link on the "About" tab on my TH-cam channel, and that should provide you with lots of detailed information.
Good luck!
You know you got to remove the entire fan to get the shroud out and I'm guessing you know that now.
PUNISHER 733 no you don’t
Matt - first of all, I really want to thank you for the wonderful video set on this job. I live in NM, and in a county that mandates a passing emissions test each registration period (not a BAD thing, but sometimes expensive) - and my 1997 Ram 1500 4 x 4 did not pass - and the check engine light stayed on. I invested about $100 in a complete diagnostic and they found that the intake manifold was the culprit - and you know how it affects mixtures and other things, so your videos were a blessing - since I could not afford the nearly $800 they wanted to fix it. I did have one question before I tackle the job - would you suggest using gasket sealer on ALL the surfaces during reassembly, and not just on the 'corners'? Really look forward to your response! AND - thanks again - great instructional set! Jimmy
Jimmy Bernstein Jimmy, I'm glad you found my videos helpful! I hope you are able to use them to do this project yourself and save a lot of money. With regard to your question about gasket sealer....I would not recommend using a manufactured gasket AND RTV-type gasket maker. I would just invest in a quality gasket set, like Fel-Pro. If installed and torqued properly, a quality gasket should not give you any issues. The problem with the plenum gasket on these trucks is not so much the gasket itself, but the OEM plenum plate, which is thin and made of a different material than the intake manifold (steel vs. aluminum), so it tends to warp and causes a leak. If you are going to the trouble to make this repair, definitely DO NOT re-install the OEM plenum plate, because it will fail again. Go with an aftermarket thickened plate like the one I used from Hughes Engines, or purchase an aftermarket one-piece intake manifold that does not use a plenum plate. The aftermarket plate is definitely the less-expensive option. Just be sure to use thread locker on the plenum plate bolts; I did not the first time I made this repair, and clearly I regretted that decision.
You shouldn't need much gasket sealer for this project; just for the corners of the intake manifold gaskets.
Good luck, and thanks for watching!
Hi again Matt - hopefully you check for messages frequently? I FINALLY got going on this job. Now mine is a 1997, not a 2001, but so far all is nearly identical. HOWEVER - I never checked for a Schrader valve for releasing fuel line pressure, and it does NOT have one - according to 'the book' - only some models did - sadly, not mine. The only other way they talk about doing this is to basically disconnect the control module for the fuel pump and run the engine dry. But - I already have everything off so I cannot even think about starting the thing.
I guess I am wondering if you know how safe it is to just disconnect the fuel feed at the rail and let the pressure just pop? HELP! Really appreciate anything you can suggest.. Maybe disconnecting the lines at the FI pump?
Thanks!Jimmy
Jimmy Bernstein Hi Jimmy, I'm sorry I am just now responding; I've been working crazy hours and haven't had much time to log in here. Anyway, that's unfortunate that your fuel rail doesn't have a Schrader valve. Obviously it would be best to pull the fuse for the fuel pump and run the engine dry, but since you can't do that, I think your only option is going to be to just disconnect the fuel rail at the fuel hose and have a good towel wrapped around the area when you do so. I have never done this myself, so you may want to consult a few other people, but I think it will work out. Pressure should be only ~50 psi or so, so just make sure you don't have any hot surfaces or open flames nearby, and wear eye protection just in case. Clearly this is not the ideal way to go, but I think you'll be OK.
With that said, it's not imperative that you fully disconnect the fuel rail from the fuel line unless you want to change the fuel injector O-rings. Even if you want to do that, you could probably just tie the fuel rail up out of the way for now and then upon re-assembly, hook up enough stuff to turn the engine over with the fuel pump fuse removed, and then pull the fuel rail and/or injectors.
Just be cautious and use common sense and I think you'll be OK. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
***** Thanks Matt - understand perfectly about the 'hours' and no worries on the reply - I just appreciate you taking the time to do so. I have decided to kind of tie the fuel line down so when I take off the clip, it won't just pop off, spraying fuel .. may have someone hold it - and then release it slowly with a big rag - couldn't have TOO much fuel in there. And yes - everything in the area will be cool, and I will maintain safety - because I want to clean and replace o rings on the injectors, so I want them disconnected fully.
I will let you know how it goes - maybe something to add to your video narrative or notations! People should check for the Schrader valve, and take appropriate steps if there is none. Not your fault at all, since you have a later model than mine - it's ALL ME! I will look next time! Thanks again!
Hi again Matt - thought I would let you know that there was really no drama with removing the fuel line - I think the pressure may have dwindled since the truck had not been run for over a week. A small amount of gas came out but nothing under 'pressure' - so I guess it was OK to do it that way. I now am down to removing the manifold - all the bolts are out - but with the weather here (working in a carport) and have been pretty ill for about 5 months (I'm nearly 67 years old) - it's been hard to just work it through - would KILL to have a garage!) - so it's a day at a time. I will say that the Dodge wire harness routing is a nightmare - but suspect the engine has been messed with before and this is someone else's issue - it has about 218K miles on it - so probably been apart before. 2 of the bolts holding the manifold down were really loose - and YEP - there was oil inside!
Only drama was when my foot slipped off the bumper climbing out of the engine compartment and falling from there onto the pavement - ouch!
Thanks again for all the help - when complete and running I'll let you know!
Jimmy
This engine looks like my 5.2 L engine in my 1995 grand cherokee, except mirrored. The oil cap is on the other side, intake goes the other way, transmission dipstick is on the other side. It is the same engine right?
Richard, I'm very sorry for not replying sooner - I was completely overwhelmed at work this summer/fall and I am just now getting a chance to catch up on messages and comments. Please accept my apology, as I do try to make a point to respond to viewers in a timely manner. I just got swamped over the summer and really couldn't keep up.
To answer your question, I'm not all that familiar with Jeeps, but my understanding is that the 1993-1998 Grand Cherokees came with optional 5.2L Magnum engines. The engine block should be identical to the 5.9L Magnum in my 2001.
Thanks for watching!
Hi Matt. Great video. I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 hemi that needs the intake manifold gasket replaced. Was told it was a 4 hour job which with the part will cost me around $400 - does it sound like a 4 hour job for this? Many thanks. We are in Ontario.
Joe Norma Hi Joe, thanks for watching and commenting! That actually sounds like a pretty fair price to me. I haven't removed the intake manifold on a 3rd generation Ram ('02-'08) so I can't speak from personal experience, but just in general terms, 4 hours actually sounds a bit low....but, then again, I'm not an experienced mechanic that does this every day for a living. I'm sure I work much slower than a professional. So, I think you are getting a fair deal. To be honest, if I could have had my plenum and intake gaskets replaced for $400, I may never have attempted to do this job on my own. I have heard estimates close to twice that much for my 2nd generation Ram.
Thank you Matt. Appreciate the feedback. It is great having people like you out there doing these videos. Your time is very appreciated. Cheers!
Thanks for the video, I have a 98 Dodge 1500 with the 5.2 engine using lots of oil, engine pinging and bad mileage. I saw the plate mentioned in many places and the intake that some have recommended. I wonder if you could use a regular performance intake manifold instead of the fix or the more expensive manifold option? Anyone do this or will it not work so you have to do the plate or expensive manifold? Thanks.
Superiorpowerwash Thanks for watching! If you don't want to install the thickened plenum plate, I think you can use any solid manifold designed to fit the Magnum engine. I believe there are several aftermarket one-piece manifolds available. I believe all of them are fairly expensive, though.
What's the best way to diagnose this on my '98 ram? Does the OBDII scan tool tell you the intake temp? Is that the best awy to confirm it?
Thanks
High oil and coolant consumption. Take off the air cleaner and look down through your throttle and see if there is a pool of oil at the bottom of the intake manifold
i have a 2000 dodge ram 1500 the noise it is making is it sounds like a bad diesel. and it is not a diesel advise please on what it might be
Hi Suzanne, I'm sorry for my delayed response. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to even suggest what to check without hearing the noise myself. If you can capture a video of it and post it, I (or someone else) might be able to give you some ideas on what to check. Sorry I can't offer more help at the moment. I hope you can figure it out!
Just curious why did the first repair failed ? I am about to do the same to my truck
Lougui - I'm sorry for my delayed response, but as I mentioned in the video, my first repair apparently failed because I did not use thread locker on the plenum plate bolts. The kit I used included bolts that already had a thread locker on them, and I did not add any thread locker; however, these bolts loosened over time and allowed the plenum gasket to leak. When I removed the intake manifold the second time, I found that several of the plenum bolts were barely finger-tight. I would definitely recommend using thread locker, and letting the plenum bolts sit overnight and then checking the torque again the next day.
Good luck!
I have an '02 Ram 1500 with this engine and it's using oil like crazy....i'm wondering if I can just continue adding oil and move on with life...or will it eventually get so bad that i'll HAVE to replace the plenum gasket...?
thetvmn88 Have you confirmed that you in fact have oil pooling inside your intake manifold? If not, your issue may not actually be a bad plenum. For instance, how old is your PCV valve? If it has failed, that could be contributing to oil consumption. I also know that my engine seems to be leaking form the rear main seal. However, if you still have the stock plenum plate and gasket, that is likely your culprit....or is at least a contributing factor to your oil consumption.
If you have confirmed you have a blown plenum gasket, then you have to weigh the potential costs of not fixing it. Burning oil will foul your plugs and decrease combustion efficiency, cause your O2 sensors to fail, and will eventually damage/clog your catalytic converter. So, you can let it go for a while (I did unknowingly, as I was unaware of the chronic plenum gasket issue), but I would suggest repairing it when you have the time and money to do so. In the meantime, just make sure you check your oil level regularly. The last thing you want to do is let it get low and burn up your motor.
With that said, my truck seems to be using oil too, even after repairing my plenum gasket. I have a feeling my piston rings/cylinder walls are wearing and allowing some oil to pass by into the combustion chambers. So, repairing your plenum should help reduce consumption and will prevent further damage to other components....but based on my experience with my truck, it may not end oil consumption totally.
Good luck!
***** Thanks for the reply. Everything on the truck is stock, just bought it from my dad and he's had it since it was new. What you said makes sense. I'll probably fix it soon. I hope the rings aren't bad, it only has 76,000 miles on it.
thetvmn88 Wow, that's incredibly low mileage for an '02 truck! Really cool.
Did your truck burn a lot of oil? I'm going through a quart every 300 miles or so. Lots of oil in the intake when I take the air filter off and look inside. Already replaced the PCV valve.
***Classified*** if there is no visible leak, you definitely have a blown plenum gasket
Did the job and it didn't make a damn bit of difference. Gasket was defenitely blown though.
ok I recently bought a 2000 dodge ram 1500 with the v8 magnum on the right side of the engine where it grooves out there is a harness with 2 things on it that goes back in and under the engine it looks like one of those 2 injectors or whatever they are has had the wires chewed off by rats what are they and what do I need to do.
Thanks for watching Rusty. Is this your thread over on DodgeForum?
dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen-ram-tech/400275-2000-dodge-ram-surging.html
If so, it looks like you definitely have some severed injector wires. As HeyYou suggested, you should probably download a factory service manual and trace the wires to the correct locations before reparing them.
Good luck!
Matt Payne hell yea
Hey curious would the plenum have anything to do with me finding oil in my coolant revisor or is that a head gasket issue?
Mike, I'm very sorry for not replying sooner - I was completely overwhelmed at work this summer/fall and I am just now getting a chance to catch up on messages and comments. Please accept my apology, as I do try to make a point to respond to viewers in a timely manner. I just got swamped over the summer and really couldn't keep up.
I believe it is possible that an intake manifold leak combined with a plenum gasket leak could leak to you finding oil in your coolant reservoir, but obviously a head gasket failure is also a likely cause. I would start by checking your crankcase for vacuum by remove the PCV hose from the intake manifold and capping off the port where the hose connect to the manifold, and then removing the breather hose that runs from the passenger side valve cover to the air cleaner housing. With the engine running, place your thumb over the end of this breather hose - if you feel significant "suction", then it is likely you have a failed plenum gasket, since the only way for vacuum to be present in the crankcase with the PCV isolated is through the plenum gasket. If that checks out OK, then I would proceed to doing a cylinder compression test, as well as possibly a cooling system pressure test.
I hope you have already found your issue and resolved it, but if not, I hope this information help. Again, I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. Thanks for watching!
Need help ,my 2001 Dodge van 5.2 has a loud hissing noise from throlle body ,has rough idle ,did plugs , wires cap fuel pump replaced ,map sensor,TPS, idle sensor,lost any ideas , now wondering intake gasket help
I'm going to be doping this on my 99 ram 1500
Cool, let me know how it goes Richard. Thanks for watching!
im lookin at hughes for the kit vs napa. you think its really worth the money for the hughes pack with the 1/4 plate? another like 70 bucks?
Richard Cowtails What is the Napa plate made of? If it's steel, I definitely wouldn't buy it. The stock steel plenum plate seems to be what causes the leak in the first place, because the steel plate expands/contracts at different rates than the aluminum manifold. Plus, I do like the fact that the 1/4" Hughes plate can't bend/flex the way a thinner plate can.
In my opinion, it's worth the extra money for the peace of mind. You don't want to do this more than once...I know from experience. Just make sure you put thread lock on all the bolts!
***** I did the repair and still does that EXACT same problem some times
could be intake manifold leak
what scan tool im in school an i would love to buy one
I have the BAFX bluetooth scanner for Android devices. I use it in conjunction with the Torque Android app. I've been meaning to make a brief video about it, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I really like mine. I bought it via Amazon for pretty cheap:
www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-34t5-Bluetooth-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490063287&sr=8-1&keywords=bafx+bluetooth+obdii+scan+tool
not bad but removing the fan and shroud is not necessary.....
Before this would it stall out on you?
dodgeboy6749 Actually my truck never stalled, but it did seem to be sluggish. I also got a lot of spark plug "pinging" under high load, probably from the oil being sucked into the combustion chamber.
Is your truck stalling on you?
I assume you've fixed your van by now but if anyone else has the same problem my van has been idling erratically, stalling on occasion and is often sluggish for the first 10 minutes or so of driving. I took it in and they found that the engine temperature thermostat was malfunctioning and causing the wrong oxygen intake. Fixed that, much smoother idle but still sluggish and occasional stalls. Took it in again, this time they found the intake manifold leak. Gonna try to save some money and do it myself this time. Thanks for the video
I'm having the same problem.
Sorry to hear that, Duane! It's not a very fun repair, but it's definitely doable if you have the patience. I'd say you should allow yourself a 3-day weekend if you decide to do this yourself, particularly if this truck is your main means of transportation.
Good luck with it, and thanks for watching!
***** yes thanks to your videos it took me about two two and a half days to get it done but she's running good now
You did a great job with your videos. I have learned alot and they helped me really much when I did mine. Now I would like to ask if you still have the truck and if after using the thread lock on all plenum bolts your fix is still good, how many miles you put on since? I did mine keeping the OEM steel pan and using permatex on gasket and bolts.
Keep up! PS: This is great info too, I posted my results here on May 05 2016 dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen-ram-tech/286307-end-all-be-all-plenum-thread-96.html#post3295723
+ESTATE CONSTRUCOM Thanks for your kind words! I'm glad you found the videos helpful. I do still have the truck - it has been almost 1.5 years since I last did the plenum repair, and to my knowledge, the gasket is still in tact after using the thread lock on the bolts. I periodically look into the manifold through the throttle to look for pooling oil, and also check for vacuum in the crankcase by bypassing the PCV system and checking for suction at the air intake breather hose. Last time I checked, all seemed well with respect to the plenum gasket.
Since I filmed the videos, I have read some more opinions that state that the plenum failure is actually NOT due to the factory steel plenum plate interacting with the aluminum manifold, but is instead because the factory plenum bolts were too long, therefore bottoming out in their holes before the proper clamping force could be applied to the plenum plate, leading to failure. So, you will probably be OK if you re-used the factory steel plenum plate, as long as you used slightly shorter bolts.
Thanks for your comments!
P.S. - that thread you linked is where I have learned EVERYTHING I know about the my transmission! It is an EXCELLENT resource.
If you would have had a decent scan tool it would have told you
will this work for a magnum 318???
CSE Films HD yep
I'm so sorry for not replying sooner - I was completely overwhelmed at work this summer/fall and I am just now getting a chance to catch up on messages and comments. Please accept my apology, as I do try to make a point to respond to viewers in a timely manner. I just got swamped over the summer and really couldn't keep up.
As gtocam2005 already replied earlier, yes - this should work for any Dodge Magnum engine.
Thanks for watching!
Look at all that extra work smh
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Don't buy cheap parts