Plenum Again?
#1
01-28-2012, 05:23 PM
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Plenum Again?
1997 Ram 1500, 5.9L, 4X4, Automatic
Last summer I fixed the plenum and replaced it with an ebay aluminum pan that came with shorter bolts and I used a felpro plenum gasket. Also did a complete tune up, replaced the thermostat, and a new PCV valve from the dealership at the same time.
The truck is mainly used to pull my boat in the summer so it doesn't get driven much in the winter. After getting an SCT Tuner recently, I noticed pretty bad pinging so I returned it to stock and paid more attention. Sure enough I am getting some slight pinging on the stock setting and now that I am paying attention I realize I have lost low end power again while climbing hills.
Today I pulled the throttle body off and can see some oil pooled at the rear of the intake but not a huge amount. With all of these symptoms, it looks like my plenum gasket is leaking again. Any ides what would have caused it to leak so soon after it was repaired? I torqued the pan bolts correctly and in the right sequence. Maybe it's just a fluke.
Thanks
Last summer I fixed the plenum and replaced it with an ebay aluminum pan that came with shorter bolts and I used a felpro plenum gasket. Also did a complete tune up, replaced the thermostat, and a new PCV valve from the dealership at the same time.
The truck is mainly used to pull my boat in the summer so it doesn't get driven much in the winter. After getting an SCT Tuner recently, I noticed pretty bad pinging so I returned it to stock and paid more attention. Sure enough I am getting some slight pinging on the stock setting and now that I am paying attention I realize I have lost low end power again while climbing hills.
Today I pulled the throttle body off and can see some oil pooled at the rear of the intake but not a huge amount. With all of these symptoms, it looks like my plenum gasket is leaking again. Any ides what would have caused it to leak so soon after it was repaired? I torqued the pan bolts correctly and in the right sequence. Maybe it's just a fluke.
Thanks
#2
01-28-2012, 05:35 PM
Champion
1997 Ram 1500, 5.9L, 4X4, Automatic
Last summer I fixed the plenum and replaced it with an ebay aluminum pan that came with shorter bolts and I used a felpro plenum gasket. Also did a complete tune up, replaced the thermostat, and a new PCV valve from the dealership at the same time.
The truck is mainly used to pull my boat in the summer so it doesn't get driven much in the winter. After getting an SCT Tuner recently, I noticed pretty bad pinging so I returned it to stock and paid more attention. Sure enough I am getting some slight pinging on the stock setting and now that I am paying attention I realize I have lost low end power again while climbing hills.
Today I pulled the throttle body off and can see some oil pooled at the rear of the intake but not a huge amount. With all of these symptoms, it looks like my plenum gasket is leaking again. Any ides what would have caused it to leak so soon after it was repaired? I torqued the pan bolts correctly and in the right sequence. Maybe it's just a fluke.
Thanks
Last summer I fixed the plenum and replaced it with an ebay aluminum pan that came with shorter bolts and I used a felpro plenum gasket. Also did a complete tune up, replaced the thermostat, and a new PCV valve from the dealership at the same time.
The truck is mainly used to pull my boat in the summer so it doesn't get driven much in the winter. After getting an SCT Tuner recently, I noticed pretty bad pinging so I returned it to stock and paid more attention. Sure enough I am getting some slight pinging on the stock setting and now that I am paying attention I realize I have lost low end power again while climbing hills.
Today I pulled the throttle body off and can see some oil pooled at the rear of the intake but not a huge amount. With all of these symptoms, it looks like my plenum gasket is leaking again. Any ides what would have caused it to leak so soon after it was repaired? I torqued the pan bolts correctly and in the right sequence. Maybe it's just a fluke.
Thanks
Its just always assumed here that oil in the plenum area is caused by the gasket...
#3
01-28-2012, 05:51 PM
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That makes sense and I'm not convinced that it is the plenum again. What else would cause pinging and loss of low end power?
Also, does anybody know the procedure for diagnosing the plenum where the dipstick tube and breather are plugged and then you check for pressure or vacum at one of the valve covers? I can't remember exactly how it goes but I would like to run this check to try to confirm of eliminate the plenum leaking again.
Also, does anybody know the procedure for diagnosing the plenum where the dipstick tube and breather are plugged and then you check for pressure or vacum at one of the valve covers? I can't remember exactly how it goes but I would like to run this check to try to confirm of eliminate the plenum leaking again.
#4
01-28-2012, 08:01 PM
You may have carbon buildup from the oil from a bad PCV valve burning off. Seafoam the engine, and see if that doesn't help with the pinging.
For a quick and easy test..... take the breather hose for the passenger side of the PCV circuit off, and plug it. Remove PCV valve, and plug that too. Take off oil fill cap. Start engine. You should feel a slight breeze coming OUT of the oil fill cap. If you have a suction there...... time to yank the intake again.
For a quick and easy test..... take the breather hose for the passenger side of the PCV circuit off, and plug it. Remove PCV valve, and plug that too. Take off oil fill cap. Start engine. You should feel a slight breeze coming OUT of the oil fill cap. If you have a suction there...... time to yank the intake again.