Hey everyone,
I'm doing the plenum (plate gasket) replacement on my truck tomorrow. Any words of advice or caution before I do this?

Also, I'm looking to install a set of 235/85R16 tires on my Ram. My questions are:
1.) Will a 235/85 size tire fit on the stock rim?
2.) If they fit on the rim, should I expect rubbing?

Thanks for all you help - I've learned a TON from everyone!

 

MAke sure you Remeber where everything goes, and torque the plate bolts on the bottom of the intake to specs. and 235/85 will fit no problem excellent tire for 1500, not to big not to small

 

be carefull running to narrow of a tire this can put stress on the side wall and cause a severe falure and read up on the DIY section on the plenuim gasket it will help alot

 

put a piece of tape on every wire and hose that you take loose and write on there where it goes. it simplifies things and eliminates doubt when you're putting it back together.
put all the little loose parts in plastic baggies and write on the bag what it is. use as many as needed to keep things organized.
for all the little red locking tabs on injector wires and other things, push back on the tab to unlock it. do it gentle and don't break them.
no better time for a tuneup than when you can actually see the distributor.
remove the fan and shroud so you can climb over into the engine bay and stand up.
pull up a picnic table for all your tools and parts to avoid climbing in and out.
have an assistant available to fetch more tools.
when reinstalling the intake, use 4 old bolts and saw the heads off and thread them in a little ways to acts as guides to drop it on straight. make sure they are long enough to remove

 

I believe our Rams, equipped with 4-wheel drive and at stock height, will fit tires up to around 285/75R16 without rubbing.

I read in a couple places that tires a little bigger will fit, but will rub when making sharp turns.

 

Ah, I see. My biggest concern was going from a 75-series to an 85-series tire. They look to be about the same size in all aspects except height.

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Today's the day - hopefully, all will go smoothly and I'll emerge victorious.

 

After you get the intake pulled off and clean the gasket off the heads, grab the new rubber end gaskets and "glue" them in place with some HI Temp RTV like permatex Ultra Black. That way, by the time you get the plenum gasket pulled and replaced, the gaskets will be set and won't move on you when you replace the intake manifold. You might want to run a bead between the rubber end gasket and the head gasket as well.

Also make sure you line up the head gaskets carefully, as overlap into the runner space will hurt the airflow and cost you a bit of performance.

 

I second everything dhvaughn says above
plus suggest buying a 'bottoming tap'
and running it in each threaded hole underneath the intake manifold
and then inserting the bolts to make sure that each bolt threads in deep enough
to hold the plate

Also be extra careful to make sure the rubber seals are seated right at the rear of the manifold
or use 'Great Stuff' gasket maker in the 'Cheese Whiz can' instead.

 

Quick update:
I have removed the fan shroud and other miscellaneous components. The cables and wires on the manifold have been marked as well - so now, it's a matter of removing the injector connectors and going from there. I don't plan on removing the injectors from the rails nor do I plan on removing the throttle body.
Alas, everything is on hold until Tuesday. We have a garage on base that allows us to perform maintenance and repairs - and that's where the truck is parked. Unfortunately, the place is closed Sunday and Monday.
So, Tuesday I'll pick up again and go from there. Thanks for the tips, everyone! The method I'm using is small, colored zip ties and it simplified everything. I imagine reassembling the components will be much easier now that it's all coded appropriately.

 

+1 on the GREAT STUFF. That is probably the best silicone known to man.