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2nd Gen Ram Tech1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.
$800 seems a very high, what does your mechanic charge per hour? I'm doing valve seals and the plenum fix on my truck this week. For all the gaskets, new head bolts, and the plenum kit its about $320 after shipping and handling. And one lazy saturday or sunday with my own free labor.
May be worth just taking your time and doing it yourself, or have a friend with some experience to help you.
the plenum is pretty easy, you just need a weekend to do it. I took my time. Use zip ties to get hoses and wires out of the way. And don't un-clamp your distributor like I did. I was lucky and fixed it before I turned the engine.
The keys to doing the plenum are these:
1. Put all bolts back into the parts you took them out of. Like the accessory bracket. Some are longer/shorter.
2. Clean off all the old RTV from the engine block. Really clean the surfaces. i needed to dig some old RTV out of the block at the front and back so the front and rear gaskets could fit in there. THose gaskets have little nipples that go into the block. If they are clogged with RTV, which they will be, and you DON'T clean it out. YOu can possibly leak oil. Cleaning the surfaces takes the most time.
I did roller rockers, new injectors, and put in a MSD box as well. So that is why it took extra time. Otherwise, it would have taken a day. 4 hours probably.
I did all of it I pulled my 5.9 out tire it down and done every ring, bearing, and gasket in and on the engine, then had the heads re built had the valves set but after 4 to 5 thousand miles in got a little smoke but only when I hammer down on it but that also comes from it having no cats and true dual straight pipes out the back but I came to find that the plenum gasket is leaking a little bit due to it not sealing properly a word of advice if it does not say OEM on it DONT BUT IT no matter the name
I did all of it I pulled my 5.9 out tire it down and done every ring, bearing, and gasket in and on the engine, then had the heads re built had the valves set but after 4 to 5 thousand miles in got a little smoke but only when I hammer down on it but that also comes from it having no cats and true dual straight pipes out the back but I came to find that the plenum gasket is leaking a little bit due to it not sealing properly a word of advice if it does not say OEM on it DONT BUT IT no matter the name
The problem is the OEM is flawed from the get go. You need shorter bolts, you probably bought the kit with the factory length bolts. Also this is an old thread.
