Mileage: 108,xxx
Plenum Gasket Blown: YES(eating a quart or so in a week)
Replacement: Ebay Plate/Felpro Gasket Set/Intake Bolts

Sorry for the terrible pics, snapped them quick with my cell and tried to brighten them up in photobucket, as you can tell I suck!

Underside of intake:


You can see at the top middle it is blown and the whole right side, no gasket touching. As you look around the intake, the parts where the gasket was actually still good was very slim, ie clean parts. It was never changed as it still had the thin metal like gasket...

Engine Valley: (Brace yourself!)


We believe the truck also had an exhaust manifold gasket leak, charring up the oil on top of the valley. Also severe neglect as far as oil changes. Good news is no coolant in engine, so head gaskets are good. Had to break out the shop vac for that!

 

I don't think engines work like you think they work.

 

HaHn,

That was my smart guess, which is exactly why I am not working on the truck... Lol. I have a mechanic doing the work, waiting to hear today that I can come and get it!!

What would cause that much sludge on top of valley?

 

The worse thing that makes the gasket blow,BG engine flush that dealers con you into.It's great for cleaning junk but eats the gaskets,also headgaskets.I,ve done countless R/R on many customer vehicles,Asked all the same question,"did you just have a engine flush with BG recently",Yes !.One of my regular customers has 389,000 on a stock 5.9 that's all OEM with no gasket failure of any type,No BG engine flush.Just a thought...........

 

Lack of oil changes, perhaps many short trips as well.

 

Thank you for your insight

 

I would really like to see that valley pic clear/in focus..It looks like spray foam I use around windows/doors. If someone talked you into a engine flush, I'd bet the house the oil screen/tube/pump would clog with in minutes and possibly seizing up that bad boy Hope you're going to change your O/F often! Good Luck..

 

No flush, he got 99% of it out of the valley with a shop vac and small screwdriver. And then he wiped out the rest with a rag and gum out. He pulled the valve covers and they were not bad at all. All of it was lying on the cam plate. He ran the truck hard for about an hour after plenum fix and then changed oil, surprisingly, not much sludge was in the oil. I am gonna change it in another 1-2K miles, and then 3K religiously! I know what happens when you don't change your oil, seen it first hand. I am just glad I caught it now and it didn't create a nightmare.

 

Hey Nereaga,

Wow, your valley looks a lot like mine did! Can you tell a difference since you replaced the gasket and pan?

 

Kbizzle,

As soon as I got it on the road there was a big difference. No hesitation after 3k rpm's anymore. No hesitation after Torque Converter locked up. I am amazed at how the truck can climb hills like a champ now. So glad I did the fix, should have done it when I first got the truck 10k mile ago.