Hughes plenum kit really worth it for me?
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Banned
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 704
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Hughes plenum kit really worth it for me?
Truck has 173k miles on it now. Had 135000 even when I bought it 6-14.
Yes I know the hughes kit is great and the problem won't ever come back. But if I could put that $100 somewhere else why not?
Question for the gurus - how long would you expect a felpro intake manifold gasket set last? I'm thinking it'd last long enough for the life of the engine, or maybe even life of the truck or until I decide I want something else. (Which inevitably would be another Dakota, either a 96 cc 5.2 5 speed 4x4 and swap all my stuff to it or a 99 cc same trim)
Does the pan itself get weak over time or is just due to the different metals? Ive been reading a lot lately and one main thing on some forum somewhere is the real problem result from the wrong bolt design and it backs out enough that the gasket fails and then there your oil in the intake problem.
Thoughts?
Yes I know the hughes kit is great and the problem won't ever come back. But if I could put that $100 somewhere else why not?
Question for the gurus - how long would you expect a felpro intake manifold gasket set last? I'm thinking it'd last long enough for the life of the engine, or maybe even life of the truck or until I decide I want something else. (Which inevitably would be another Dakota, either a 96 cc 5.2 5 speed 4x4 and swap all my stuff to it or a 99 cc same trim)
Does the pan itself get weak over time or is just due to the different metals? Ive been reading a lot lately and one main thing on some forum somewhere is the real problem result from the wrong bolt design and it backs out enough that the gasket fails and then there your oil in the intake problem.
Thoughts?
Champion
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,724
Likes: 153
IDK how long the OE design lasts until it needs repair. I have read that the older these things get they run hotter. I put a 180 thermostat in mine for that reason. I've got 143+ miles. Dissimilar metals expand and contract at different rates. That means whatever bolts are used the two pieces of metal will be rubbing back and forth against each other putting wear on the gasket between.
Grand Champion
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 7,435
Likes: 578
The stock plenum plate was thin and caused the gasket to leak/blow out. I hear they have a replacement that is thicker. I put my Hughes plate on ten years ago and still no issues. You need the fel pro gaskets. The ones that Hughes supplied in the kit are not as good. I think they don't even offer them with the kit they sell today just with the fel pros. ??? They also give you grade 8 bolts to replace the ones on the plate. I used loctite and lock washers on mine so they didn't back out.
