So Today I was bored and decided to check and see if my plenum needed to be replaced. Hopefully i checked it the right way. I pulled off the air intake and opened the throttle body and looked in with a flash light. Well sure enough it looks like there is some oil in there. I have never done any mechanical work like this on a vehicle and was wondering how hard it is to be fixed? About how much would it be to have a shop do it? Im a lost cause when it comes down to this. I got a uncle that owns a auto shop about 3 hours away maybe it would be worth driving down there and having him help me with it. About how long did it take to do yours?

 

I noticed I didnt do my homework untill after i posted the thread. What i seen might have been normal so tomorrow ill look again and see what i come up with. I might even be able to get the camera on my phone to snap a couple pics.

 

Only "real" way to check is to take the throttle body off and look down in the corners with a little dental mirror....

 

I think it took me and a friend maybe like 10+ hours. Don't really remember the exact number bcuz we worked on it over a few days... it wasn't hard, just time consuming. A shop would charge a good amount, I suppose over $500 labor plus parts? Doing it yourself, is more like $100-$200 depending on how much you wanna fix.

If you can see pooled, liquid oil in the intake, that's not normal operation...
And yes pulling the TB is a better way of checking, plus you can clean the throttle body and the IAC at the same time.

Oil in the intake can also be attributed to PCV valve problems. This should always be a dealer-bought part, do not buy an aftermarket. If it hasn't been changed in 2 years or so, replace it with dodge pcv.

 

What other symptoms are you having to think plenum gasket is blown. Lack of power, multiple random misfiring, oil disappearing? Another way to check is hook up vacuum gauge to breather hose end that goes to air filter box. Pull PCV valve out and plug hole at valve cover and valve itself. I just used my fingers. Start truck let it run no more than 30 seconds,if your vacuum gauge goes backwards (don't let more than 3lbs build up) then supposedly you don't have a blown gasket. If it pulls a vacuum .....then bad. I had small shop do mine without the aluminum plate and took 2 guys all day for about 5 bills.

 

i did my plenum about a week ago and it took me 6 hours of continues work but i did it solo it was easy just time consuming

tip:watch out for the metal line in the water pump mine broke and i was lucky my napa had one on the shelf it was like $15

 

I did mine in about 4 1/2. I'm a former mechanic/parts changer, with power tools, though. Stick a telescoping magnet through the throttle body and see if it sticks to the bottom. If it does, I'd say order the aluminum kit and get it on it's way. I've talked to a Dodge mechanic and he said they do them without the aluminum plate and reuse the bolts and never have problems with them. To each his own I guess. I was pressed for time so mine got reused. Like ReadRam said though, are you just looking for something to do or does it have symptoms of a bad plenum.
I don't have the pleasure of driving the truck I worked on everyday. It's the wife's. It was showing symptoms for.... well, who knows how long. She did say she added oil to it twice in the past two weeks before it died(after the fact). When I knew about it for sure it had already clogged the converter. Which in turn caused excess heat by the transmission. Which then burned it up. A horror story like that wants you to change it just because it's there.
And I'd be happy to do them all day for 5 bills .

 

Id do them all day for $350!!

 

Shhhh. I would too. Dad always said "aim high" though....