okay - so I am searching for something positive and not what i fear
my annabeth is a '99 with 253,000 miles and I am burning oil like nuts between 3000 mi changes - (2 or more quarts) - no leaking - just burning -
white smoke on start up for sure

is there anything I can do besides rings and valves?
is it new engine time? or do I go ahead and buy a newer used ram? I don't want or need the payment.

btw - just put my first rebuilt transmission in @ 252,000

hopeful even though I know I have gotten my monies worth from this truck...

 

have u done the plenum? or valve guide seals?

 

welcome to df.

i wish i had a $1 for everyone with a leaking plenum.
take a look at the search button at the top for about a million threads. fix it with the hughes plate. it'll take you about a day, maybe 2 if you're slow like me.

 

White smoke on startup is likely valve guides, and valve guides can easily cost you a quart every thousand miles.

Test and diagnose rather than throwing money under the hood.

 

ok - so I can do the plenum kit -
but should I go ahead and do rings and valves since this is like open heart surgery?
or is this step inexpensive enough that I can do it once and get another 100k on this engine? and then do valves and rings another time...

thanks

 

Well hopefully and more than likely it is a bad plenum that is your problem. Order the Hughes Plenum repair with the new hardware. Whole thing shouldn't be more than $200 with shipping + your time to install. Lots of people on here have done this job, so if you run into a snag, someone will be able to post help. BTW, bad plenums are very common among our magnum engines...

 

i would do the plenum and then see what happens andif it still is doing it do the valve guide seals

 

maybe the trucks mad at you for callin it annabeth

j/k man, I came here to mention the plenum deal as well, verrry common problem here. Welcome to DF!

 

ok -
thanks for input - ordering plenum kit today -

oh and btw - all my trucks are lil ladies - just feels right to given the name -
kind of like a sailor and his ship - ladies all.... ok well most of 'em any way..
thanks again for all the input

 

u also need intake bolts