This is a rushed post, but I hope yall can follow well enough. I have a 1991 Dodge Dakota 3.9 v6.
I've put around 150 miles on it since january of 2015, 70 of those miles were round trip to the dealership because of a transmission recall (Wouldn't of done it if it didn't get fresh fluid, filter, and valve body gaskets!)
Anyway, for the past two months it's been getting harder to start, and it's taking longer to warm up/smooth out/stop burning oil. If you try to move it before it warms up, it has no throttle response, and stalls. Once it is warmed up, it idles smooth with the occasional pop (I blame that on the hole in my manifold) but it doesn't have the performance it had a couple months back, and still smells like it's burning a little oil. From a little research, it can only be a couple things, such as the Valve Stem Seals, Plenum Pan Gasket, or the damn PCV Valve! I was going to do a rattle test on my PCV valve tonight, but I manage to break the top off of the pcv valve, but there seems to be no oil residue in the pcv valve or hose. I can put a paper towel on the pcv valve and rev it a couple times and I get no oil. From all that I have gathered on the forums, it's most likely going to be the Plenum Pan Gasket, isn't it? If it is might as well get the heads redone, and keep this beast going a little longer. Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated, as I am fairly sure I have provided plenty of info!

 

You don't have to remove the heads to do the plenum gasket; although you DO have to remove the intake to pull the heads.

But yes, I'd do a plenum repair kit while it's open.

RwP

 

Eh might as well do it to give the engine a bit longer life, and check on the cylinder walls and rings. But it's most likely the Plenum Gasket? if it is my guess on why it runs better when warm is probably because the pan runs out of the bulk of the collected oil. Anything to watch out for when I replace the gasket? or do I need to go ahead and get the Aluminum pan?

 

I'd get the aluminum pan; just replacing the gasket, it might last two months, it might last two decades, who knows.

And it's more that the metal shifts when it's warm and helps to better seal the leak.

RwP

 

I've done the Plenum with hughes engines kit and a bunch of other stuff. It improved a lot but I still have oil in the plenum. I put a filter in the PCV and crank case vent hose that goes to the air cleaner. The oil was blow by from the crank case breather hose that comes off the drivers valve cover to the air cleaner. I had been sold an after market air cleaner that was not sealing top and bottom and the oil was getting past it. Once you figure out if oil is coming from there which should be pretty quick replace the hose as I created a back pressure situation by leaving it inline where I started losing oil out my front seal. Until I rebuild or at least do the bottom end I will be keeping an eye on the air cleaner.

 

crankcase breather is on passenger side, and the pcv valve is on driver's side valve cover, correct? I'll check the line coming off of the crank case tonight, and I've got a pcv valve to put in it. What would you recommend to clean out the intake? Without pulling TB preferably...

 

if the pan is just 1/4 aluminum I can get a pan cut out on the plasma cutter at school, or just use the band saw, but it would be a lot cheaper.. if it's cheap enough to do I might run a full sheet and see if I can sell some plenum pans on eBay, and to one of the local shops I know of that does performance rebuilds on the first gens.

 

Welp.. it's spitting oil out of the exhaust now. That's not good. Still smooths out after warming up though.
Edit: as of 30 seconds after this post it got rough idling again, this time much worse..

 

Erk.

Time to run a compression test and a leakdown test.

Also, be DARN sure to check that PCV valve; if you've put in a Fram or house brand, it'll suck that oil in also.

Try using the Mopar PCV valve only.

RwP

 

yea it's a Mopar pcv valve. And I'll have to rent the compression tester. What should I be looking for? If I'm not mistaken, no less then 135 per cylinder?