I didn't mean to out this in non tech. Please move to tech section.

As mentioned in my intro, I'm new at auto mechanic'ing so cut me some slack if you think this is a stupid question. I taught myself how to do everything on my bike, and trying to do same with autos.

Looks to me like both valve cover gaskets are leaking, but would like a second opinion. Facing truck, left side (pic 1) is way worse. Anything special I need to do when trying to replace both? Since pics won't upload, the right and left vlaves covers have a good amount of oil closest to the firewall. If not the gasket, what else could cause an oil leak right there? Would this cause the exhaust to smoke (whitish) and smell like oil?

Rear differential...can the rubber plug fail? Looks like I have a leak around the plug but also at the 11:00 position. I had planned on changing the fluid and replacing the seal, but do I need to replace the plug?

Hey you...I checked the driveshaft while in neutral and it moves about an inch. The differential has fluid in it, so in not sure where the grinding sound is coming from. It only happens when I press the gas pedal and at low speed. What the freak could cause this?

Just bought truck. Changing plugs, wires, drain plug, gasket, oil n filter, etc when I return from vacation.

 

Upload pics to someplace like photobucket, or imageshack, then just use image tags to post them in a thread. Makes life easier. Hosting space for pics here is SEVERELY limited.

The engine angles down toward the back, so, if you are seeing oil there, more than likely valve cover gaskets are leaking. Not that bad of a job to change. Just a bunch of stuff to move out of the way.

Consider: That rubber plug is 15 years old..... it's probably dry rotted. Parts store should have 'em on the shelf for cheap. Clean the hole it goes into really well. new one should seal up.

 

on both of the rams I have owned, the bolts were loose on the valve covers... maybe due to over time, heating up/cooling down... so try just snugging the bolts up at first. clean with brake cleaner and see if leaks still develop.

worse case you need to throw a set of fel-pros on there. like Hey said, not a hard job at all. just lift and zip tie up the wires/connectors and do your thing. make sure you hook back up the ground wires to valve covers when your done.

happy wrench'n

 

An inch of play in drive shaft doesn't sound right. How is oil usage? Leaking valve cover wouldn't cause smoke out the tail pipe. Worn rings would, blown plenum gasket, valve stem seals etc...

 

I thought hey you said the driveshaft would move a little, but not a lot. I didn't measure, just guestimating.
How do you know when plenum gasket needs replacing? Rings? Valve stems?

 

U can determine the plenum by 1 looking down your throttle body for oil at the bottom or check your engine oil level to see if it maintains the correct level or is getting low so it's burning it.
When my plenum was bad it went through the 5.2l every 1000 miles. Bad valve stems I think you will find oil in the spark plugs but hey you just mentioned it to me today about a bad spark plug I had.

Here's some pics of my bad plenum

 

What did you mean move an inch? Up and down? Side to side? Or rotating it?

 

I put my truck in neutral, put block behind the tires, then crawled under and tried to shake it. It didn't shake, but I was able to twist it side to one side about an inch, maybe less, but probably not more than an inch

 

If it has a lot of miles on it, and doesn't make any rude noises, that is probably ok.

 

Yeah Sam, your plenum pooching there on the bottom left corners there. Good work.

There is always going to be some slight play in the driveline. You'd get more putting the tranny in N, then all you have left is any backlash in the ujoints (if way old original), followed by the backlash in the rear end, which original could get up there. That backlash would (by comparison) be very small. hahaha

You probably guesstimated by how it sounded when you shook/rotated, yet it's likely less than that 1" feeling you got.

Good advice from the others about the valve cover bolts and rear diff plug-o-plastic.