Read this write up and pay close attention to the pic of the lifter valley with the old rag and the paper or rags stuffed in the head ports. It's a damn good write up and will tell you everything you need to know. Just follow his instructions.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...placement.html

 

got it, thanks.

On visual inspection, my plenum gasket looks to be in good shape. I don't see any areas where it is distorted or blown out. There is also no discoloration on the gasket mating surfaces. There was a ton of oil/sludge buildup on the bottom side of the plenum pan and some inside the intake as well. The hose barb for the drivers side PCV/valve cover is really gunked up though. Is it possible to have that much oil entering the intake from a bad PCV?? That side has a PCV that is blue in color and obviously not the original.

 

Could have been a bad PCV valve but more than likely it was the belly pan gasket. When you removed the belly pan, did it take some force to pop it loose fron the intake or did it just easily lift off? If it wasn't stuck then it was leaking.

To clean the vac port on the intake to the PCV valve use a 5/16" drill bit and a pair of pliers to slowly turn the bit back and forth while applying pressure inward. DO NOT USE A HAND DRILL because if the bit were to catch on the thin walled tube you're screwed.

 

The belly pan came off with a little nudge, but it didn't just fall off. The entire gasket surface is still clean with little white lines on it...no obvious "loose" areas.

10/4 on the vac port...thanks.

Finally got the camera to cooperate...here's a few pics from when I removed it...

 

If your not going to use the aluminum plate it would be wise to get shorter bolts for the plenum plate... Even though yours wasn't blown, according to dodge the bolts were too long and bottom out before sandwiching the gasket well enough this is the real cause of the blown plenums. The hughes plate is thicker so you can use the longer bolts if you go that route. Either work, one is just a lot cheaper.

the tops of those butterflies look nasty...I'd say it looks as if a lot of blowby entered there....was the air filter still installed properly? it almost looks dry and contaminated with dust?

 

HOLY CRAP BATMAN!!!!! Now that's a real mess!

The gasket may not have been completely blown out but it was definitely leaking. Way too much oil inside that intake for it to be a bad PCV valve. If I were you, I'd look at replacing the rubber PCV hose also because it probably about clogged up also.

Good call on the belly pan bolts. The only steel belly pan I ever replaced I used 1/4-20 x 5/8" long bolts with a thin layer of high temp red RTV on the intake, then place the gasket, another thin layer RTV and then the belly pan. To my knowledge it's still holding up very well.

You are going to be very pleased with your V6 after this. It should run a lot better and have more power. I'd recommend replacing the plugs and the O2 sensors if you can fit it in your budget.

 

I've got an aluminum plate on the way, so I'll be replacing it regardless of its prior condition. I did find it odd that the intake bolts were barely more than finger tight but I guess they dont call for much torque anyway.

Good question on the air filter...what exactly is "installed correctly"? The stock air hat is the worst friggin design I have ever seen when it comes to getting it tightened down. From what I have been able to tell it basically sits on the TB and has a clamp that only half-*** tightens at best....maybe mine is missing something.

Bwdakrt: I plan on replacing the O2's, cat and exhaust after this clusterf@@@ is completed.

 

From the looks of your TB there wasn't an air hat gasket. There should have been a round rubber gasket that fit between the TB and the bottom of the air hat. If there wasn't one there then you've been sucking in all kinds of road grime, dust and dirt into the TB and intake. Don't put it back together without one.

 

Here is what I have...this diagram does not reference a gasket... if there is supposed to be one, I definitely don't have it.

 

If the clamp was loose and there was some air hat movement after the clamp was tighten then I'd definitely use a gasket regardless. It's less than $5 and should not interfer with installing the air hat.