Well, wouldn't you know, there is a thread about this exact question here.

Compare your pics to those in the thread. Lots and lots of examples of the difference between blown gasket and normal PCV blow-by.

I agree, looks like it's more than the PCV. Other symptoms (misfire on plug 8, pooling oil in the back) suggest that it's probably the beginning stages of a blown plenum gasket.

 

That's what I thought, but was hoping it wasn't. Thanks for the quick reply HeyYou.

 

Thanks Twmays, I saw that thread a while ago but didn't see it today. Must have overlooked it. I've been planning on getting the SCT very soon but guess I need to fix the plenum first. I had read somewhere that the plenum problem was fixed in early 2000s trucks but I guess wasn't.

 

Dodge's "Fix" was to de-tune the engine to reduce spark knock.

 

Yep, mine's a 2001 and had the stock steel pan and crappy gasket. Mine was blown too, and at first I didn't see much by looking through the throttle body either, just what I thought was blow-by.

It really isn't that bad of a job, if you take your time and plan it out. Also, try to not do it when the temp is 10 below. You can get a wicked case of frostbite. Ask me how I know.

 

Mine has theese symptoms it does not do the engine ping when i fill up with 93 grade gas. but it is loosing around 1qrt of oil every 3k miles. could it be the plenum????

 

Maybe. Depending on how many miles on your motor, that may be just normal consumption... could be leaking, or even a bad PCV as well. Need to fix the plenum in any event.

 

It has 96k original miles. if i put 93 gas with octane boost it stops the pinging and gains back the power and when i pump regular gas it makes the can of marble pinging noise after 2nd gear and loses power as well.

 

Fix the plenum. Run some seafoam thru the brake vacuum line to clean the carbon out. Should help quite a bit.

 

For blown plenums what kind of oil consumption would signal a definite blown plenum gasket?

From the first post, I don't seem to experience any symptoms of a bad plenum except what I assume is a spark knock at around 2500+ RPM. I have yet to notice any loss of power to the truck and it climbs hills fine from what I can tell, and my MPG for my automatic has stayed around 12MPG for the winter, usually about 14~ for summer.

The only thing I was curious about is we got the truck back in June of last year and I don't know how old the oil was, but when I went to check it in Feb it was 2 quarts low, so I ended up doing a complete oil change with filter and putting Quaker State Defy 10W-30.

It is now just about 700 miles in and I have checked the levels weekly and have not noticed a drop at all in the level of oil. It is staying right at the full line.

So I am uncertain why it may of been 2q low before I ever changed it, but so far it seems good, I looked into the TB and seen oil, but it looked like a thin coating on the plate instead of a build up of dried/burned oil.

I am debating on getting it done, but am not confident in my skill under the hood for a job like that, so this summer I may take it to a mechanic.

In the end tho before I decide to get it changed, what kind of consumption would I be looking at if it was either blown slightly, or blown badly?

Forgot to add my vehicle is a 2000 Dodge RAM 1500 V8 Magnum 2WD Automatic with 231,000 miles on it.