so i noticed smoke pouring out of my exhaust when i get on the throttle at a high rpm so my guess is my rings are probably shot and my little 3.9 probably wont last much longer unless i break it down and replace all internals, but my thought was that if i were to break it down why not build it, yet the theory of a small pocket book kinda stops me on that one. so i think i have figured out what i am going to do with my dak when my motor finally goes out. i have a buddy who owns a totalled out ram with a 5.9 and so i was thinking of pulling the motor and tranny and playing with it a little till my truck dies and pretty much give it a new heart. what do you guys think? been a while since ive done a build but it should be fun, eventful and give me some new scars

 

what year ram.... i probllly have a set of chrome valve covers and maybe a 4 barral intake depanding on the year...

many poeple on here have done that swap..... good luck with your project.

 

Two possibilities for the smoke. One is the O2 sensor is bad, not all bad sensors throw a code. Anther is the intake plenum gasket is bad and your burning oil because of it.

Check to see how your exhaust pipe looks, if it is saturated in dry soot the the engine is probably running to rich. If it is oily or wet looking maybe the intake plenum. Next look down the throttle body with a flashlight and see if you see oil on the plenum pan.

 

i didnt think my dodge had a plenum gasket and plate, but i will pull the o2 sensor tonight and probably replace it tommorrow

 

Your right 88 doesn't. I guess maybe I saw the 1996 Ram year.