Well right now I'm doing a plenum gasket and valve covers too. Good thing I got a set cause I didn't know I had to take one off to take the intake off. The odometer has 265k on it and IDK if it's the original engine but the gaskets look original, no leaks but the plenum consumes a ton of oil.

Everything is going smooth, only broke one bolt on the throttle cable bracket, no worries when there's three. Intake and valve cover bolts came loose. Right now I' m working on the PITA plastic wire clips on the studs on the valve cover.

I was also kind of tinkering with the idea of cutting the ends of the plenum bolts both a hair since I heard they bottom out and that's why the gasket fails. Any objections or theories?

 

If you have the magnum engine (which I am sure you do) then the reason the gasket fails is acutally becuase of the design of the motor. Our intakes are split into 2 pieces, the "kegger" and the plenum plate. The kegger is made of Aluminum, while the plate is made of steel. These 2 metals expand and contract differently, causing the plenum gasket to rip in time. There is a kit out there (can't remember the name off the top of my head,) but look for the plenum gasket replacement DIY section in the Durango forum. I posted a write up and the kit is in that thread somewhere.

The bolts being a little bit too long on 4 of the bolts, causes them to sit out side of the engine, collect dust and such, and rust, sometimes causing them to snap when being removed. The bolts have nothing to do with the plenum gasket leaking.

If you have any more questions, send me a message. I will be happy to help.

BTW, you had to remove a valve cover to remove your intake? interesting...

 

Well from what it looks like, one needs to come off, but maybe something else is holding it in... I'll work on it tomorrow I hope

 

I was just looking at doing that on the engine that I am getting for my truck before I put it in, here is a site that has a whole kit http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/p...p?partid=26190. For what you get the price isn't too bad.

 

Hughs Kit, that is the kit I was talking about. Thanks Snow!