Also check if there are pry notches anywhere on the plenum itself. Possibly on the front of it (toward the fan)

 

I got most of it moving. It is still hung on the front two broken bolts. I sprayed it down with some Deep Creep, and I will let it sit overnight. With any kind of luck I will be able to pop it off in the morning. I made a new aluminum plate for the bottom. I have all the tune up parts plus a new o2 sensor to put it all back together. Everything else came apart so easy. This is my third Chrysler product in my life... This truck was too cheap to pass up. I bought it and drove it home 5 hours without a problem other than some spark knock... So with any kind of luck, I will get that fixed and change out some fluids, and I will be good to go until the trans goes boom!

 

Happy to hear you got it moving. Keep on wiggling it and hopefully it'll finish coming out and you can see what exactly held it up.

I'd say it sounds like a winner if it's not rusted out and already proved itself on a 5 hour haul. With the parts you listed it should fully cure any misfires you're getting. Fluids of course are always welcome for a change as you noted.

 

Without knowledge of how the trans was treated I stand with you on it being a possible ticking time bomb. However if its treated well it 's life (like most people with 46re's don't) it's actually a solid transmission. The governor is what people tend to diagnose as a bad transmission and it ends up costing the customer a whole tranny.

 

The intake is out! I was able to tap a very small pry bar under the front edge, and then lifted the back and it came right off. Now three broken bolts to remove, two that are not going to be a problem at all, and one that looks like it has been broke since the day after the truck came off the assembly line. This is the first Dodge truck that I have ever owned, so I'm learning the ropes. I love working on stuff from this era, it is fuel injected so it starts easy no matter the weather, but it is still simple to work on. I hate working on newer stuff, when you drop a tool and you have to fish is out of some tight little hole, because there is no room for it to fall to the ground. I don't have that problem with this truck. Thanks for the input, I will be back on the next project, rocker panels...

 

Newbie Dodge owner, here. My wife and I bought a ‘98 1500 with the 318. I’ve had two Jeep Cherokees and currently DD a Liberty. Oil leaks are not new to me

Anyways, we have had this truck for a little over a month, now, and we’ve put about 2200 miles on it. It drinks oil. I looked down the TB and sure enough, I can see oil in the intake.

I see the Hughes plenum kit, but I also see the Mancini Racing kit. Are they essentially the same thing with a $20 difference?

Also, what else can/should be addressed while the intake is off? Stat? Anything else? I plan on trimming the runners a little bit. The truck has 93k miles on it.

Thanks

 

In all reality, you don't need a replacement plate, that really isn't the problem. A GOOD gasket, and shorter bolts, (or washers under the existing bolts) will be adequate to the task to solve the problem. Doing the thermostat at the same time certainly won't hurt anything. Might consider doing the timing chain and gears at the same time..... It's only six or eight more bolts, and the timing cover/waterpump come off, and the gears are right there. Stock is a morse style chain, which are notorious for stretching.... I installed one of the SK? double roller fellers, and was amazed at how much pep the motor picked up......

 

Thanks for the info. If that’s all that is needed, I’ll go the cheaper route, especially since this isn’t a primary vehicle. Stat will definitely get changed, as it seems it has a “cold” stat, right now. The temp gauge rarely passes the 10:30-10:45 position.

 

That gauge may be accurate..... When I first bought my 98, I thought the stat was bad as well, as the gauge never really came up very far. So, went thru the effort the change it out, only to have it sitting in the exact same place with the engine fully warmed up..... At this point, I got over my 'stupids', plugged a scanner in, and yep, 198 degrees.... give or take..... The original stat was just fine....

 

From some of the pics I seen the gasket moves and that let's the oil in. Even with a better gasket the stock plate is thin and it still could move. Didn't the factory or somebody come out with a "improved" gasket? You can find the plate on ebay also. I was going to get a plate of 1/4 aluminum and make one but the size of the plate I needed to buy was close to the cost of the Hughes kit.