Hughes Engines, inc
Grand Champion
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,055
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From: Lee County, North Carolina
I got an email this morning.
We have never had a problem using either gasket. The problem with Dodge's original design was two things.
#1. They mixed metal and aluminum. The two different metals expand and contract and different rates and this can contribute to the metals separating, allowing the gasket to be sucked out of place.
#2: The bolts holding the metal cover plate to the intake are too far apart in a couple of places. This is where the plate usually lifts when the metals have their problems.
Once you go to the thicker aluminum plate both issues are corrected. It doesn't seem to matter what gasket you use as long as you use a thick, aluminum plate to replace the tin one.
Thanks for writing,
Kevin
On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 9:50 AM, <Sheriff420@aol.com> wrote:
#1. They mixed metal and aluminum. The two different metals expand and contract and different rates and this can contribute to the metals separating, allowing the gasket to be sucked out of place.
#2: The bolts holding the metal cover plate to the intake are too far apart in a couple of places. This is where the plate usually lifts when the metals have their problems.
Once you go to the thicker aluminum plate both issues are corrected. It doesn't seem to matter what gasket you use as long as you use a thick, aluminum plate to replace the tin one.
Thanks for writing,
Kevin
On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 9:50 AM, <Sheriff420@aol.com> wrote:
Hey Kevin, I just saw your thread on Dodgeforum.com and I do have a question for you. Why does the Plenum kit for 94-01 Rams come with a metal compression gasket instead of a Fel Pro metal-backed rubber gasket? When I took my stock plenum pan off my intake I noticed that I had a compression gasket, and it was leaking. I do know that if that gasket wasn't torqued correctly and installed with loc-tite that it could start leaking some time down the road (like mine did), but I didn't want to chance it so I went with the Fel Pro gasket instead.
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From: NH
Cool, I was hoping he'd say whether or not it's recommended to use anything like rtv on the gaskets. I did ask him that in my email,but like I said it's not working where I'm at right now.
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Registered User
Joined: May 2009
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From: Washington,IL
I see some of the other guys already answered it and they are correct. We do not do any emmissions testing and our intake is not C.A.R.B. compliant so we cannot sell it for on-road use. The OBDI issue is also correct. We have guys who have used our FI Airgap on the OBDI by figuring out how to bypass the EGR. It seems to work fine for them. Kevin
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From: NH
Ok, thanks for that info. I'm think I'm going to go with the steel one that came with the kit this time. It better work!!! LOL I have your email now, 
Last edited by zman17; Feb 26, 2010 at 10:24 AM.
Grand Champion
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,055
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From: Lee County, North Carolina
That's what I was told on the phone and that's what I did (with the addition of a little RTV ultra black in the corners where the end seals meet the heads) and mine isn't leaking.
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Burnsville, mn - Pensacola, fl
When you do the plate's do you notice any performance incrase, other than the obvious oil consumption decreasing. My truck has slowly started to lose power over the time i'v had it and i know i have a blow to hell plenum "1 QT of oil every 2 weeks" i was just wondering if it had any effect on the actual throttle response
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From: NH
Mine was leaking with the Felpro I think, no real damage I could see to the gasket though,other than maybe some seeping or I got some massive amounts of oil coming through the PCV valve. I'm putting it on my new truck and am just trying to avoid any probs down the road.