Roger that. After you guys mentioned it I checked the parts stores and they do have them...nice catch, glad I posted those pics. I always thought something didnt seem right with the air hat fit, but the manual didn't show anything other that what I had...

 

Air cleaner mounting gasket Felpro part # 60038 $1.99 at NAPA.

 

Lookin' at your pics, that isn't the stock gasket....... stock were friggin' cork...... someone else has been in there before.

Get your PCV valve from the dealership. Aftermarket guys do not always have the correct flow rate, and can suck oil right out of the valve covers.

 

Ahh...so all PCV's are not equal, maybe that's why I had so much buildup from the one that had been previously replaced. Looks like the driver side PCV is a FelPro and the Psgr side looks like it is probably the original.

...another side note...I'm replacing the stat since I've got it all gutted anyway. I bought the 180* but the sales person at Advance told me that I would get an engine code if I didn't run the stock rated stat. Any truth to that? It appears darn near everyone on this forum runs a 180 so I figured he must be mistaken.

 

Only one PCV valve on the engine. Other side is just a hollow elbow. No worries.

Depends on the year of your truck...... some of them are more sensitive to lower temp stats than others, and will indeed set a code. (engine too cold too long, or some such)

 

You probably would with a 160 but I've been running a 180 for 10 years and have never thrown a code because of it.

 

Sounds like you have it all running in the correct direction. I also have a 2001 V6 2wd and am about to start upgrading. I am starting with the intake because it is such a pig of a design to remove or install, at least for me. My only advice, is after you get everything back together, do a leak down test or at least a compression test to make sure that blow by was not a large factor in this, because that is only curable with a rebuild.

 

yeah, I'd be lying if I said that didn't have me concerned at this point. I know the things I'm fixing now need to be done but I'm concerned about the possible wear to the lower end. At least this thing has only been driven a couple thousand miles in the past two years....since I've owned it. I know it pretty much sat for a year or two prior to that. God knows how long its been missing the air hat gasket though. Anything more than what I'm doing now is where I would stop and sell it "as is" or swap in a V8...not gonna do a rebuild on the V6.

 

That would explain why it seemed to be holding up fine with no sign of failure around the seal in those pics.... I wonder if the bolts were already replaced with shorter ones?

 

How much shorter are the "short" bolts than stock?

I have a timing chain question...I'm not sure if the timing chain has ever been replaced, if it was it was a stock "type" chain that got reinstalled. This truck (01 model) has the tensioner installed. What is the best way to measure how worn the chain is? With the tensioner there, you can't really get any play in it. At the top of the cam gear it will lift up maybe 1/8" or so off of the gear...I'm kinda curious as to whether the double roller will have any impact or am I just changing apples for apples. With this truck, I'm not too worried with longevity per say.