Did some work on the truck yesterday, one bone-headed move is going to cost me a new p/s pump I think though

Did idler and tensioner pulleys, when doing the tensioner pulley, I tried to see if it would break loose with the belt on, I think I hurt the p/s pump bearings, getting some squeeking now from it.

Sway bar links were shot, and truck pulled to the left slightly when stopping, replaced those and it seems to have helped, need new front shocks pretty bad and they may be the cause of the little bit of wandering while braking that still there.

Also did the Accel plug wires from my kit per tsb and Champion plugs, and brother it sure did need it. No idea when they were done last, from what I can tell in the paperwork I have the previous owner stopped maintaining it around 2004. I think the plenum has been blown since I have owned the truck(08, ~18K by me), and I have had all parts needed for the repair for like 5 months, except the new Magnaflow cat, just no time right now.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7 .. #8 was like 7 but the insulator around the electrode was cracked exactly in half and missing one half. Took it to work to show my boss so it is mia in the picture. The coil post and the coil wire elbow were rusted up, cleaned up the post with sandpaper and greased it. #5 wire was melted to its plastic cover in one spot.


Closer shot of #7


Truck runs ALOT better, got some much needed power back, and hope to get some mpgs. Plenum, cap and rotor, O2 sensor etc will hopefully make another big improvement when I get the time.

Topped up my windshield washer and did my headlights with dry 2000 grit and some Plastx, major difference!

 

I cleaned the TB today and installed a gasket for the air cleaner, which was missing from the truck from PO. Also gave her a bath and she looks purty...

 

told her she was an overly expensive thirsty b!tch. looked at my semi finished ballast box, and thought about how i want to make, and where i want to install my shovel clips. thinking about adding some extensions that go up towards the top of the bed rails to make access to the shovels easier.

 

Didn't to anything to the Ram today. On the list for tomorrow is helping the bro in law put the new transmission in the Z71 and changing the oil in the Buick, it's LONG overdue. Since it's got a Fram filter on it I was gonna pull it apart and see how it held up, and share my results. Not exactly a Dodge but a cheap Fram filter is a cheap Fram filter.... Oh, I bought a K&N filter for it this time.

 

Well I didn't do anything to my truck but drive to a friends house to help him install some led's on his bike

 

Well done on what you've been able to accomplish. I think others might agree, but I'm greatly concerned for you based on the condition of plugs 7/8 and I hope I'm incorrect here. Their condition indicate clogged cat and I know you've mentioned the Magnaflow cat is awaiting install. If this is true, you might already have cracked heads. The culprit may be the plenum gasket failing. You didn't say explicitly but plan to address it, but have you do some checking on it (gasket) at all? Reviewing your oil consumption over a period of time and look inside the intake manifold?

Hopefully, you don't go too long before checking plenum AND replacing cat. Worst is I think you just will need new plugs.

You got alot covered though, so again, well done.

 

That #7 looks nasty
Looks like alot of oil and water, hopefully not water
Did you do a compression test ?

 

since shes been so good to me, decided to give some TLC all in one shot. lets see......... where to begin, new front bearings (both sides), brakes, new rotors, front U joints, new ball joints (except pass. side), new lower control arm bushings, new radiator hoses, new cap and rotor, hughes airgap, new NGKs, oil, filter, pcv, relocated IAT, new t-stat and housing, flushed cooling circuit, reunel rear bumber and powder coated step bars. been a busy week.

looks like im gonna save some MPGs on my Tahoe trip..........

 

Thank you, got some done, but alot more to go. Oral surgery I have next week wont help , but after I heal from that, I am gonna take a week off work I think and get it all done.

Ive been putting off the repair because of a few missing parts I need to do it all and having time to do it. Last on the list is the timing chain, cover gaskets etc I havent gotten any of these parts yet, found the Cloyes on Amazon for a good price though and can get the gaskets at my work.

The truck has always used alot of oil since Ive had it, I can fill to the upper end on the stick SAFE area and it will be at or under the ADD mark in a week or so if it gets driven enough everyday. Sometimes it surprises me and uses even more. I try to check it daily.

When I became a member here I learned of the plenum problem and realized what my issue was eventually. I have looked into the plenum, it was very clean inside and first I thought looked ok, but then saw shiny, oily-ness, and I thought I could see a very small but clean oil pool that was running towards the rear(truck was parked on a slight downhill before I moved to level spot to pull air cleaner off and look in there).

At first I was just going to do plenum, accel tune up kit, and O2, then I realized I should get the cat also(thinking of magnaflow 24"muffler too). Then recently I started finding oily/coolant mix puddle on the ground in the morning from front cover(upper pass side), very little though thankfully, only leaks sometimes when fully cold.. now will be doing chain as well which Im sure it needs.

I hope the heads are ok still, oil press and coolant temps are great, truck seems to run fairly well, just lacks power, is a dog uphills and has horrid mpg which is what prompted me to do the plugs and wires before the rest.

This forum has a been nothing but the best place to find info on these trucks, and I am very thankful to have such a good resource.

Shocks and rear diff fluid change looming in the future for me also.

 

I didnt do a test, after seeing the plugs I wanted to but ran short of time and a ride to work for the tester. Have time on Sun and Mon and I may test a couple of them then.

Thought Id throw in some pics I took with the plug ones.

Pic of #5 plug wire with plastic burned on, they were "SpiralMax 7mm"(little blur).


New wires, I really like how much area I have to grab on these, easy removal.


Crap waiting to go, hate seeing it sit there.. Wife yells at me cause its been sitting on her quad for "too long"..


edit: was looking at that pic and realized, my coil wire isnt right, arrgh!