That is the injector connectors. If an injector does not have the metal clasp, it will be a missfire every time. I had the same problem because i changed injectors and lost some retaining clips:

http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/p...=&partid=24955

Best 11.95 you will ever spend.

Also, make sure the wires are routed correctly:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...lug-wires.html

Make sure the wire going from the coil to the dstributor is along the galley between the intake and head.

--Dan

 

If you can see that there is no oil in the intake with the tb open you are not going to all of a sudden see it with the TB off. You see the same basic area. Bottom line is if there is no oil, then the plenum is not blown or it just blew and has not sucked much oil in yet. It would have to have been really recently because they get covered in oil quick.

 

Mine looked fine, just a very light sheen of oil until everything was torn off. I had half a quart sloshing in there.

Your plenum gasket is blown, or will blow. All 1994-2001 Dodge Magnum engines have this issue, and all get it really early on. People just don't notice it until it gets really bad. Since you have the parts, if you have time, you should go ahead and perform the "repair". Consider it preventative maintenance if you don't believe me that its blown. My two cents.

The "looking down the TB" test is hit or miss. Gerehead, how can you say you see the same basic area? With the TB off, you can see a lot more area inside the intake manifold.

 

If it were blown, I would think I could see at least SOME oil through there, without taking the entire TB off and looked at it (which seems like a waste of time to me if there's no sign of any buildup).

Why get a custom tune?

I've only had it happen two times in two months though, and it runs good. Wouldn't that make it throw a CEL pretty frequently?

Edit:

Jason, if it were blown, wouldn't there be at least SOME oil in it? like you said, even just a slight layer of it? I can literally see complete bare metal. It's spotless. Not trying to argue, I just do not have a lot of money to throw around and I don't want to do repairs that aren't necessary.

 

But I thought you said you already ordered and had the parts in hand? And I thought you and a buddy/buddy's dad were going to do the work? I just see time, I don't see any extra money being thrown around.

It doesn't pool at all in the center, not really a "layer" at all. It pools around the edges, where light doesn't like to go due to the constraints of trying to look/shine a flashlight down the TB.

 

To the OP...
Years ago, when Dodge recognized there was an issue, the engineers at Ma Mopar came up with a nifty way to test your plenum gasket. If you have access to a vacum guage, and a couple hose plugs or can make them. This will validate whether you have a plenum leak or not. BTW you'll not want to exceed the recomended vacum, or you WILL likely blow the plenum!

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2000/09-05-00.htm

 

Well, I do have the parts right now, and I am going to do it myself, but I can still return them, and it'd be nice to have that $150 back if I don't need to put it towards the plenum now.

I'm sure if it isn't bad now, it probably will be in the future, but I don't know if I want to do it right now if it doesn't need it. There's other things I could put the money towards, like my body work for example.

 

I'd take care of one issue at a time. You have the parts, I'd use them. Like I said, I didn't think my gasket was blown either, until the manifold came out and there's the oil.

However, it is your truck, your parts, and your $$$. Use them how you wish, I won't hold it against you. I just don't want you to go to all this troubleshooting over the pinging and not being able to locate the problem if the problem is indeed some oil from a blown gasket.

 

if its pinging - its sucking air !!
i'd put in the hughes plate.

 

The injectors will misfire and it will be very infrequent. As the motor moves it can have a good/bad connection at no particular time.

Also, you could have a bad timing chain. 130K, it will have slack in it. And if your timing chain is not tip top, it will run badly when you use a tuner.

Tuners are meant for vehicles that have ZERO problems.