if it's good, don't replace it.. BUT- while you're working on your intake manifold, grind or cut off the little tab on the 'stat housing.. you'll see what I'm talking about when you see it.. :-) it turns a two hour job into a few minutes AFTER the tab is gone!

 

My thermostat must have been replaced at one time. The PO had orange RTV all over the place!

 

Did a summary of the entire weekend fix on this thread
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ml#post2532164

 

I just did mine on the weekend due to a split waterpump bypass hose, figured I might as well dig into it while I had a/c compressor and alternator off, I

 

hmmmm....I cut myself off somehow, anyway I had a leaking front crank seal as well, I used the ebay plenum plate, and it fits perfect, no issues at all and it does come with new bolts, I fixed my crank seal leak, put a new oil pan gasket in, timing chain, all new hoses, and plenum pan, I even had a broken intake manifold bolt so I replaced them all, its a weekend worth of work the first time you dig into a magnum engine but its all pretty standard stuff, and the advise I have read on here has been 100%accurate on what to expect and what to replace.

 

What bolts come with the ebay plate?

 

The plenum bolts come with the ebay plate,they are actually a nice flange head bolt with a smaller hex size, so all I needed to buy was a felpro intake gasket set, it has the plenum gasket but did NOT have the TB gasket...but I did have the gasket because I bought a larger TB from the same guy that sells the plenum plate, I noticed the old plenum bolts are the same as the valve cover bolts so I kept a few as spares just incase I ever lose a valve cover bolt

 

And remember that you don't want to re-use the intake manifold bolts. They are disposable. Once they get torqued down, they become more brittle. I think that is why some guys (myself included) are breaking the bolts on removal. New set of bolts intake manifold bolts costs $15-$30 bucks depending on where you get them. Or you can buy 5/16x2" stainless steel bolts from a local hardware store and never have to replace them again. But that may run you as much as $3.50 per bolt (x 12 bolts = $42)

 

Don't you have to replace the intake manifold bolts?

 

Yes. Replace the intake manifold bolts (the bolts that hold the intake manifold to the head/engine). You want to buy them at the same parts store that you buy your Fel-pro gasket set from. The bolts that hold the plenum plate to the bottom of the intake manifold will come with the eBay purchased plenum plate.