Hello All i am new here it looks like a great forum and i hope to get know all of you. I had just one quick question? I wondered i anyone had the same issues as with my 1998 Dodge Dakota Sport (V6) 2WD, My heater core is going bad and the belly pan under neath the intake there is oil inside the intake. I was just wondering if this was natorious with these types of engines. thanks to all who reply. With the heater core... If you replaced it did you do it yourself or did you have a machanic do it. thanks.

 

belly pan gaskets blowing out is a very common problem. If you replace it, i suggest getting a re-enforcement kit from www.hughesengines.com it's guaranteed never to blow the gasket again. I got a stage one intake manifold from them and it comes with the re-enforcement kit and a brand new billet plenum pan. very nice product.

 

the plemum is a common problem on the magnums.

and the heatercore is a PITA to do. I did mine myself in one weekend taking my time, and I ended up getting a faulty heatercore. so I took it to the dealer for them to do the second one and got a warranty on it and it wasnt even that expensive for them to do it.

 

Yeah i was thinking about a mechanic doing it i can get the core for like 70 bucks and then total from some of the places that i have looked at the total is about 1 grand is that about how much you payed thanks.

 

thanks wink2873 I will have to take a look at that site my dad had mentioned something along those lines I believe. thank you for all the advice it will deffintely help.

 

I've heard horror stories of it costing that much. the dealer quoted me around $500 to do the job. so I dropped it off around 9am and they called before lunch time to come pick it up and my total was only $350 including the heatercore.so ya, I love my dealer. they dont try and screw around with you.

thats why I did it my self the first time, cause I thought it would be 1k. but theres no way I would go through that headache for only $350. so maybe try and get another dealer to do it. I know the manual they have says its a 10 hour job. so some dealers will stick to that, even if it takes less.