2001 Ram 318 167,000 Carbon Build up
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2001 Ram 318 167,000 Carbon Build up
Need some advise as I have a truck that smokes and the oil pressure drops to zero after a brand new oil change. Let me give you some history.
So I bought this truck in November for $3000. Ran good, no smoking. Had 165,000 mile. Nice truck. Noticed the water temp would not get above 130. Figured I would eventually change the thermostate. I changed the oil about a week after and noticed it was burning oil. My father-in-law has a 2000 Ram and he is a diesel mechanic and has worked on his truck many times and said it is most likely the plenum plate. So I order the Huges plate and a thermostate. Great company btw. Yeasterday we put in the theromsate and plate but once we has the intake off we were shocked to see an unbelievable amount of carbore build up. So much that oil could not drain properly to the crank case.
We cleaned it the best we could with a shop and vac brake cleaner. The plate looked pretty good. No sign of blow out and looks like the gasget was pretty new. We think maybe the person who did it didn't bother cleaning it out. That carbon had been there a long time. So we button it up. Fires up on 1st crank. Change the oil. And now it is still smoking and the oil pressure drop after driving. We checked the oil sensor. Seems fine. Any idea's what to try next? It runs fine. Idles fine. No knocking or pinging. I love this truck. It is my 1st truck. I want to make it better. I was going to try some Seafoam. Any suggestions would help. BTW... the thermostat was stuck open and we think maybe the engine never got hot enough to burn off the carbon. Thanks
So I bought this truck in November for $3000. Ran good, no smoking. Had 165,000 mile. Nice truck. Noticed the water temp would not get above 130. Figured I would eventually change the thermostate. I changed the oil about a week after and noticed it was burning oil. My father-in-law has a 2000 Ram and he is a diesel mechanic and has worked on his truck many times and said it is most likely the plenum plate. So I order the Huges plate and a thermostate. Great company btw. Yeasterday we put in the theromsate and plate but once we has the intake off we were shocked to see an unbelievable amount of carbore build up. So much that oil could not drain properly to the crank case.
We cleaned it the best we could with a shop and vac brake cleaner. The plate looked pretty good. No sign of blow out and looks like the gasget was pretty new. We think maybe the person who did it didn't bother cleaning it out. That carbon had been there a long time. So we button it up. Fires up on 1st crank. Change the oil. And now it is still smoking and the oil pressure drop after driving. We checked the oil sensor. Seems fine. Any idea's what to try next? It runs fine. Idles fine. No knocking or pinging. I love this truck. It is my 1st truck. I want to make it better. I was going to try some Seafoam. Any suggestions would help. BTW... the thermostat was stuck open and we think maybe the engine never got hot enough to burn off the carbon. Thanks
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Clayton MI
Disable the PCV system, and run it for five minutes or so, see if the smoke screen goes away.
Screw a mechanical gauge into it where the current Oil Pressure Sensor is. See if the mech gauge agrees with what the dash gauge was telling you.
Have you looked under the valve covers? Got buildup there as well?
How long does the engine have to run before you start experiencing oil pressure issues?
Welcome to DF!
Screw a mechanical gauge into it where the current Oil Pressure Sensor is. See if the mech gauge agrees with what the dash gauge was telling you.
Have you looked under the valve covers? Got buildup there as well?
How long does the engine have to run before you start experiencing oil pressure issues?
Welcome to DF!
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Did not pull off the valve covers. He lives about 10 miles from my house so about 1/2 way home. I got on it pretty good and that is when the pressure dropped. I am going to start it up this morning to see if it still zero.